UK-based butcher shop, Thurston Butchers, is the first butcher in the nation to offer vegan meat options alongside its animal-based meats. The company will now offer vegan-friendly bacon and chicken by the plant-based company 'THIS' in tikka and sea salt and black pepper flavors.
Thurston Butchers' shift to offer vegan products should come as no surprise to those following to markets recent flood with plant-based meats. Thurston's Managing Director Alastair Angus states: "People are probably thinking it’s absurd for a butcher to sell vegan [products]. But I see it as an alternative—we actually get asked a lot by our customers for vegetarian or vegan alternatives so this provides a perfect answer."
Customers can easily identify and cook with these meat alternatives that are packaged as familiar food products and Thurston Butchers' inclusion of these meat alternatives will likely make them a preferred retailer for vegan and flexitarian consumers.
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What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Plant-based Meat Alternatives
- Thurston Butchers' decision to offer vegan bacon and chicken could lead to increased demand for plant-based meat alternatives.
- Flexitarianism
- Thurston Butchers' inclusion of vegan options meets the growing demand of flexitarian consumers who want occasional meat-free meals.
- Meat Industry Disruption
- The rise of vegan meat options could disrupt the traditional meat industry, encouraging other companies to explore alternative products.
Sectors Adopting This
- Meat Retail
- Other meat retailers could follow Thurston Butchers' lead and offer plant-based meat alternatives to meet consumer demand and stay competitive.
- Fast Food
- Fast food restaurants could introduce vegan meat options to their menus to appeal to the growing number of consumers looking for plant-based alternatives.
- Food Manufacturing
- Food manufacturers could expand their product offerings by introducing more plant-based options to meet the rising demand for vegan meats.
