Spanish Top Brand Heura Has Launched Vegan Chicken In The UK

Spanish plant-based meat brand Heura has entered the UK market and launched its first products in TheVeganKind Supermarket. Heura makes 100% vegan original chicken bites, Mediterranean chicken bites and strips.

The plant-based chicken is made from soy, olive oil, salt, and spices sourced in Europe. Heura advertises its chicken as one of the healthiest options available on the market. The product has a short list of ingredients and high nutritional values. It contains the same amount of protein as traditional chicken but only one-third of fat (43% less fat than the industry average).

According to research by Mintel, the UK's plant-based market is expected to reach £1.1 billion by 2023. British consumers are switching to buying plant-based meat - 65% of the population consumes plant-based meat; the figure is up from just 30% in 2017. The UK is also the country with the highest number of new vegan food products launched, and trends indicate that by 2025 almost half of the country's population will become 'flexitarian'.

Additionally, the Covid-19 crisis is accelerating the shift toward plant-based diets as consumers seek more ethical, sustainable and safer alternatives to animal-based protein. 

In 2019, Heura reported growth of 460%, making it the fastest-growing plant-based meat company in Europe and one of the top brands.

The Barcelona-based startup was founded back in 2017. Today, its products are available in 3,000 shops in Spain, Andorra, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Singapore, Hong Kong, Chile and the UK. The company is also building the brands recognition by getting its plant-based meat onto the menu of local restaurants.

Marc Coloma, CEO and co-founder of Heura, said: "The UK is the fastest-growing plant-based food market in Europe, and coupled with Heura's growth, it means this is the right time for us to enter the UK market. We trust in the outstanding nutritional value of our products: our products have a clean label, are among the healthiest available, and our Mediterranean heritage means that we are the only plant-based meat made with olive oil."