TheVeganKind: U.K.’s Largest Vegan Online Retailer Teams Up With THIS To Launch Ready Plant-Based Meal Brand

U.K.’s largest vegan online retailer TheVeganKind recently collaborated with plant-based meat pioneers THIS to launch its first own 100% plant-based ready-to-eat food brand Love Plants!.

TheVeganKind is a 100% plant-based delivery box platform and U.K.’s largest online plant-based retail store with a range of over 5,000 products, that includes more than 200 cheeses, along with having the biggest vegan fridge in the world.

The retail store joined forces with THIS, a London-based plant-based meat company, to launch Love Plants!, a new range of plant-based ready meals starring hyper-realistic chicken alternative THIS Isn’t Chicken. 

In September of last year, THIS closed its crowdfunding campaign, which hit its £4 million (US$5.24 million) overfunding target breaking several records, including being the fastest FMCG business to ever hit a target, attracting the highest number of investors in a week, as well as the fastest campaign on Seedrs to ever hit a £1.5 million (US$1.97 million) target. 

Founded back in 2013 by co-founder and CEO Scott McCulloch and his wife Karris, Love Plants offers quick meals that the brand claims has the same taste as conventional meat in an effort to encourage meat-eaters to try out plant-based meals and make the switch that will be better for the planet as well for one’s health as the meals are high in fibre and protein.

According to a press release seen by Green Queen, McCulloch said that it was important for the company to replicate the taste of meat in the meals.“We wanted to release a range of classic meals which have universal, mass appeal, and we wanted meat eaters to enjoy them as much as vegans. The Love Plants meals are suitable for everyone and in taste tests the most common comment was “I can’t believe they are vegan!”. They really do taste incredible, and I can’t wait for you to try them!” 

We wanted to release a range of classic meals which have universal, mass appeal, and we wanted meat eaters to enjoy them as much as vegans. The Love Plants meals are suitable for everyone and in taste tests the most common comment was “I can’t believe they are vegan!”. They really do taste incredible, and I can’t wait for you to try them

Scott McCulloch, CEO and co-founder, TheVeganKind

Love Plants meal range includes three options, all made with plant-based chicken THIS Isn’t Chicken – The Thai Green Curry which includes ingredients like green beans, water chestnuts, jalapenos, coconut milk and is served with Jasmine rice. The next dish is a vegan chicken Korma with a preparation of tomatoes, garlic, coconut milk, and sweet-scented spices, served with Basmati rice. The last one is Arrabiata, prepared with fresh and sun-dried tomatoes and served with Penne pasta, topped with melted vegan cheese fortified with B12.  

Co-founder of THIS, Andy Shovel, said of the launch: “Scott & the team at TVK have been so supportive, working with us since we launched THIS back in 2019. It’s great to have been a tiny part of their meteoric growth and wicked to be featuring in their new meals!”

In the past, TheVeganKind platform has helped launch many vegan brands in the UK via their popular e-commerce grocery platform, including Heura, The Vurger, and VFC, and the company has also been expanding its operations year on year to cater to increased consumer demand for plant-based and cruelty-free products with its recent move to a much larger headquarters in Glasgow, Scotland last year.

According to a report by nonprofit FAIRR, nearly half of the world’s biggest food retailers and manufacturers have decided to dedicate plant-based teams in response to mass consumer demand. 

For instance, just last month, after launching India’s first homegrown brand of ‘hyper-realistic plant-based meats‘, Upstablish Food Technologies is now ramping up its presence across the country in an effort to make the brand, Greenest, the “largest and most comprehensive portfolio of plant-based meats in India”.

In the same month, No Meat, a vegan meat brand founded by British food manufacturer and retail giant Iceland Foods, has been acquired by the LIVEKINDLY Collective to join the plant-based food group’s growing portfolio of brands such as LikeMeat, Oumph! and the Fry Family Food Co. The collective said that this acquisition “underlines its ambition to spearhead the worldwide food revolution”. 

in December of last year, Meatless Farm, the British plant-based meat brand announced its expanded retail and e-commerce distribution in the U.S. and said that it is doubling down within its stateside operations and plans to raise US$75 million in the new year to fuel its growth globally.

Love Plants meals are available to order online at TheVeganKind Supermarket priced at GBP£3.49(US$4.87) each or 3 for GBP£10(approx. US$13) with delivery across the UK.   

Lead image courtesy of TheVeganKind.