Flora, a leader in plant-based spreads, is branching out beyond its renowned butter substitutes.
- The company has introduced new flavors, like Smoked Garlic, to diversify its product offerings.
- Flora is tapping into the plant cream market, widely used by chefs for its superior performance.
- The brand is committed to sustainability, launching paper tubs to reduce plastic usage.
- Flora’s new marketing strategy aims to redefine consumer perceptions of dairy and plant-based products.
Flora, a renowned name in plant-based spreads, is celebrating 60 years by expanding beyond its traditional offerings. The brand, completely vegan since 2023, is venturing into new product categories to reconnect with consumers and address evolving market demands.
One of Flora’s significant moves includes launching a innovative Smoked Garlic plant-based butter. This new flavor has gained popularity, matching sales of well-known dairy brands like Lurpak in its initial weeks at Sainsbury’s. Flora is keen to explore more trendy flavors to capture dynamic market segments.
Flora is also transitioning its plant cream from food service into retail, a product favored by chefs for its excellent performance compared to dairy cream. This expansion allows households across the UK to experience the advantages of plant-based cream, further diversifying Flora’s offerings.
Emphasizing environmental responsibility, Flora introduced paper tubs this year, significantly cutting down its plastic footprint. This move aligns with its parent company, Upfield, rebranding as Flora Food Group to emphasize sustainable, nutritious plant-based foods.
Flora’s bold marketing shift, epitomized by the ‘Skip the Cow’ campaign, playfully challenges consumers to rethink the necessity of dairy. The campaign seeks to engage consumers in a conversation about the convenience and quality of plant-based alternatives without being overly preachy. It highlights that Flora products are a wholesome choice for all cooking needs.
Reflecting on past decisions, Flora acknowledges the misstep of reintroducing buttermilk in 2020, which was quickly rectified in favor of consumer preferences. This commitment to remaining 100% plant-based has paid off, resulting in substantial sales growth for its butter range.
As the plant-based market becomes increasingly competitive, Flora aims to maintain its unique position by focusing on taste and quality. Ian Hepburn, UK marketing director, advises that brands should prioritize overall quality, complementing it with plant-based benefits rather than focusing solely on the vegan aspect.
With a strong foundation and a bold vision for the future, Flora is set to continue innovating and carving out a distinctive space in the plant-based sector.
Flora is strategically advancing in the plant-based market by expanding its product range and engaging consumers with innovative marketing.
