Upfield prepares for dairy parity with plant-based butter, cream and cheese
Upfield is considered the largest plant-based consumer packaged goods company in the world. The company’s portfolio is made up of more than 100 brands, including Flora, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Rama, Emlea, and Violife.
With a global presence – Upfield operates in more than 95 countries – the company wants to encourage a shift towards greater plant-based uptake.
By 2030, the Upfield wants its offerings to reach one billion consumers (it is currently selling to 305m), to eliminate dairy ingredients from its entire portfolio (99% of its portfolio is dairy-free), and move towards 100% ‘natural ingredients (currently at 97% ‘natural’). Eliminating plastic from its packaging is another ambition.
“To make consumers switch and do the right thing – to be healthier and better for the planet – taste is crucial,” according to John Verbakel, chief research & development officer at Upfield. “We need products to taste and perform,” he told delegates at F&A Next, an event hosted by Rabobank, Wageningen University & Research, Anterra Capital and StartLife last week in the Netherlands.
“Our plant-based products need to be the same in taste and performance as their dairy [counterparts]…Once you have that – a great product that is healthier, more sustainable, and a little bit cheaper, then the consumer will no doubt switch.”
At that point Upfield expects its consumer base to grow too, moving the company closer to its goal of reaching one billion consumers worldwide. “Then you can switch the big part of the consumer base, and not only the vegans,” he told delegates. “We need to…go after the mass consumer. That’s what we want to achieve.”
Challenges remain in plant-based cheese
Having started life as Unilever’s Baking, Cooking and Spreads (BCS) – before being sold to private equity firm KKR and taking on the name Upfield – the company has a long history in plant-based butter alternatives.
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