Butchering the Butchers
Does Sainsbury’s introduction of the first meat-free butchers mark the beginning of the end for the meat industry?
Were you to stroll down Bethnal Green this coming weekend, you would be met by what is arguably the accumulation of years of increased interest in plant-based produce — the world’s first meat-free butchers. The Sainsbury’s led pop-up will witness ham hocks and lamb chops be replaced by shroomdogs and jackfruit burgers, prompting the question: is meat a dead industry?
The meatless butchery appears by popular demand; Sainsbury’s reports a 65 per cent increase in plant-based meat sales annually, with the numbers climbing exponentially. The initiative aims to showcase just how far veganism has come in recent years — with a reported 56% of adults consciously adopting the vegan mindset when partaking in their weekly food shop, the increasing public desire for meatless meat is fuelling a revolution in retail.
Iceland already boasts a No Bull vegan burger which outsells its Wagyu beef counterpart, and Sainsbury’s Love Your Veg! BBQ Jackfruit and Mushroom pizza is among their bestselling, beating Pepperoni and American. Sainsbury’s decision to support World Meat Free Week (June 17th to 23rd) with their ground-breaking butcher therefore embodies the corporate embrace of the meatless revolution — something the start-up industry have cornered for years.
So how does this social-shift towards a meatless mindset affect start-ups? Already, corporations such as Tesco, ASDA, and Morrisons have teamed with smaller companies like The Meatless Farm and Wicked Kitchen to bring plant-based meat to the masses. The industry has grown to a whopping $7.5 billion in 2019, almost double the 2017 figure.
Forward Fooding works closely with some of the major start-up frontrunners in the race for meatlessness; Impossible is worth is worth an estimated $387.5 million, with Mosa Meat and Memphis Meats reaching $20.2 million and $8.8 million respectively.
With Sainsbury’s Future of Food report predicting that a quarter of all British people could be vegetarian by 2025, the future appears bright and meatless. Forward Fooding’s vast network of plant-based meat start-ups watch in eager anticipation for the future of food. Join the conversation by becoming part of the Global Food Tech Map here.
Want a look inside the butcher? Click here.
The Meat-Free Butchers, by Sainsbury’s, will be located at 146 Bethnal Green Rd, London E2 6DG from 21–23 June, from 11am — 8pm on Friday, and 10am — 8pm on Saturday and Sunday.
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