Dutch plant-based player Schouten Europe starts deliveries to Australia

18 Jul 2019 --- After seeing launches in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East, Dutch privately-owned business Schouten Europe B.V. will begin supplying vegetarian products in Australia. As of this summer, Schouten’s products will be available in more than 50 countries. The move comes at a time of strong growth within the vegetable protein market.

Schouten's commercial director Arjaan van der Giessen said the company is keen on taking logical steps. “The market for products based on vegetable proteins is growing rapidly worldwide. In recent years, we have been exporting our products to more and more countries. With the addition of Australia, we now deliver to more than 50 countries. A true milestone.”

Plant-based foods are currently trending as a potential solution to significantly mitigate environmental decline and stem the rapid onset of climate change which is impacted by meat production, and this is adjunctly influencing NPD in companies seeking to green-up their portfolio.

Innova Market Insights data shows that meat substitutes accounted for 11 percent of new meat product launches (meat, poultry and meat substitutes) reported in Europe in 2018, up from 9 percent in 2013. The global picture shows stronger growth, with 14 percent of meat launches in 2018 being meat alternatives, compared to 6 percent in 2013.

Schouten will also be launching in Japan, Russia, Aruba and Kenya, where the Brabant-based company will supply plant-based products to a number of fast food chains.

In 1990, Schouten became the first Dutch company to develop meat substitutes based on vegetable proteins. Schouten's products are sold under their own GoodBite brand and under private labels in supermarkets both in the Netherlands and abroad.

By Benjamin Ferrer