This embarks on its first international venture in the Netherlands, partnering with grocery giant Albert Heijn.
- The plant-based brand rolls out popular products including This Isn’t Beef Burgers and This Isn’t Chicken Pieces.
- This aims to capture a share of the European plant-based food market, which has seen significant growth.
- Company co-founder Andy Shovel highlights the strategic importance of this expansion.
- With impressive sales records at home, This sets its sights on broader European domination.
In a significant move, plant-based meat alternative brand, This, embarks on its first international expansion into the Netherlands through an exclusive partnership with Albert Heijn. The collaboration marks a strategic entry into a market recognized for its high per capita consumption of plant-based foods. Starting September 11, four of the brand’s innovative products will be introduced in 430 Albert Heijn stores. These include This Isn’t Beef Burgers, This Isn’t Chicken Pieces, This Isn’t Pork Sausages, and This Isn’t Streaky Bacon.
The company has shown a remarkable performance in the domestic market, adding £1.6 million to its chilled meat-free segment over the past quarter. With annual revenues projected to reach £20 million, the brand seeks to replicate its domestic success on the European stage.
According to a recent GFI report, the Netherlands leads Europe in terms of plant-based food consumption per capita, making it a prime market for This’s expansion. The brand aligns this strategic entry with the continent’s thriving growth in plant-based food sales, which surged by 21% from 2020 to 2022.
Andy Shovel, co-founder and co-CEO, describes this venture as a ‘huge undertaking for the business,’ emphasizing the strength of their partnership with Albert Heijn and acknowledging the booming market for plant-based foods globally. His enthusiasm for the expansion is summed up as being ‘over the moon, and almost over the English Channel.’
Recently, the brand has diversified its product offerings in the UK, adding new food-to-go options like the This Isn’t Chicken and Bacon Wrap and This Isn’t Chicken and Bacon Pasta Salad. This latest international step underscores the brand’s ambitions to broaden its customer base and product range.
The strategic partnership with Albert Heijn positions This to effectively tap into the growing European plant-based market.
