Unilever Sets €1 Billion Target For Annual Sales Of Plant-Based Foods By 2027

International consumer goods giant Unilever has announced a new "future foods" strategy and set a €1bn sales target for plant-based alternatives. The company will also commit to halving food waste and improving nutritional standards of the products. 

One of the brands that would help to reach this goal is The Vegetarian Butcher, which Unilever acquired in 2018. The Vegetarian Butcher expanded into more than 30 countries and became the supplier of Burger King's Plant-Based Whopper and Plant-Based Nuggets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

The existing popular brands such as Hellmann's, Magnum, Ben & Jerry's and Wall's will also be adding more vegan options to their range.

Unilever's Future Foods programme is focused on improving the nutritional value of its food products and increasing the amount of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives in its product portfolio. Another key goal is to minimise food waste from direct global operations by 2025. 

Unilever's president of foods and refreshment division Hanneke Faber said: "As one of the world's largest food companies, we have a critical role to play in helping to transform the global food system. It's not up to us to decide for people what they want to eat, but it is up to us to make healthier and plant-based options accessible to all. These are bold, stretching targets which demonstrate our commitment to being a force for good.

"It is widely recognised that the current global food system is inequitable and inefficient. One billion people around the world are hungry while two billion are obese or overweight. One-third of all food produced is thrown away. And animal agriculture is the second-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions after fossil fuels and a leading cause of deforestation, water and air pollution and biodiversity loss."

Unilever will also double the number of products that deliver "positive nutrition"with lower containment of salt and sugar, by 2025.