Vivera introduces next plant-based meat NPD into Sainsbury’s

Available from 6 October, the Veggie Quarter Pounder is a 100% plant-based hamburger that will be stocked in selected Sainsbury’s stores.

The retailer claims to be the first supermarket to sell the fresh uncooked Veggie Quarter Pounder, with the price to be confirmed upon launch.

The product will be sold under the Vivera brand name across Sainsbury’s. Distribution and sales will go to Vivera's exclusive UK partner Winterbotham Darby, which introduced the brand into the UK in 2017.

The burger, which mimics an Aberdeen Angus beef burger according to Vivera, is the latest addition to the Dutch-based manufacturer’s wide range of plant-based meat options.

Vivera is expecting “large market potential​” for the 100% plant-based hamburger and is scaling up its production to meet the predicted demand for the product across the UK.

“The smell, taste and bite can hardly be distinguished from an Aberdeen Angus beef burger. We are convinced that this product will meet a large need. For a growing group of consumers, the benefits of eating less meat is key​,” said Vivera’s commercial director Gert Jan Gombert.

“British retailers and consumers are at the forefront of adopting high-quality meat alternatives. ​[This is the] reason for us to have our worldwide introduction here. Innovative and high-quality plant-based products can make a significant contribution to a more balanced diet ​[geared] towards more plant-based proteins​.”

The move follows Vivera’s successful roll-out of its 100% plant-based steaks into Tesco stores earlier this year, with its first delivery of 40,000 steaks selling out within days.

Vivera has a current production of more than one million plant-based products per week and has been regarded as one of the largest producers in Europe.