Eco burgers on-the-go: Meatless Farm opens UK’s first-ever plant-based drive thru

20 Aug 2020 --- The meat-alternative brand, Meatless Farm, is opening the UK’s first plant-based drive-thru to target lockdown meat-reducers and inspire retail sales. Coming off the back of the recent successful and controversial £1.5 million (US$1.96 million) M*** F*** campaign, the drive-thru is part of the brand’s strategy and message that stresses how going meat-free comes with “no compromise.”

The M*** F*** Drive Thru is part of Meatless Farm’s provocative campaign aimed at the growing number of consumers who say they switched to a more plant-based diet during lockdown. Recent research conducted by the firm indicated that 35 percent of meat-eating Brits say they have eaten more plant-based food throughout lockdown, and the trend shows no sign of slowing. With a loyal vegan fanbase, Meatless Farm is now focussing on growing penetration amongst meat-eaters. 

Meatless Farm says it has seen a 179 percent increase in sales year-on-year. Most recently it has secured a listing with Tesco, which now joins Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Whole Foods as major UK supermarket chains stocking  the brand.

The M*** F*** Drive Thru has been created in collaboration with street-food burger specialists, Mother Flipper, recreating the classic mighty meaty menu but without the meat.

Menu items include the “Mother Flipper x Meatless Farm Cheeseburger” and “The Greta,” an eco-burger with eggplant candy bacon. The drive-thru is trialing in London, UK, until Monday 31 August. 

“We are building a new category; next-generation meat alternatives are fast becoming a more frequent preference for meat-eaters. The relationship between out-of-home trends and retail purchase is strong. Our M*** F*** drive-thru is an opportunity to engage consumers, who perhaps haven’t tried plant-based before, to start on their journey,” says Michael Hunter, Chief Growth Officer.

The brand says that all the burgers are more sustainable than meat counterparts and are high in fiber. 

Plant-based innovation and growth
There has been constant innovation and NPD in the plant-based space in recent years, which shows no signs of abating. Demand for plant-based products, both in and out of the home, is skyrocketing with future growth expected, further fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Innova Market Insights pegs the “The Plant-Based Revolution” as the second most significant trend expected to influence NPD this year, fueled by growing consumer awareness of the impact of meat consumption on personal and planetary health.

Launches with vegan claims have seen a substantial rise and are becoming mainstream. Innova Market Insights notes a 23 percent annual growth of food and beverage launches tracked with vegan claims (Global, 2015 to 2019).

In 2019, Meatless Farm launched the Meatless Consumption target based on scientific data analysis. It showed that if every household in the UK swapped just one more red meat meal to a plant-based meal per week, it could cut the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 8.4 percent.

In June, FoodIngredientsFirst also reported on Meatless Farm research that revealed 65 percent of British consumers felt anxious about the prospect of visiting a restaurant, pub, or bar when they were due to reopen. Alongside this, the company launched an online campaign designed to boost consumer confidence and has added a free flow mince and a pasta range to its line of plant-based products.

In the same month, Meatless Farm expanded its range for UK consumers with its plant-based mince, two-pack fresh burger patties and a six-pack of sausages becoming available in 117 of Tesco’s largest stores. The announcement came at a time of enormous consumer change and demonstrated a crucial moment for Meatless Farm, says the brand. 

Meanwhile, UK plant-based meat company THIS has launched its first-ever TV advertising campaign, featuring 25 food critics and influencers. While they believe they thinking they are eating real meat, they are actually consuming unbeknown to them it was plant-based meat. Starring THIS Co-founders, Andy Shovel and Pete Sharman, the 30-second ad doesn’t feature any actors or staged reactions -– it simply highlights the hyper-realism of THIS products and the effect they have on real people who try it, says the brand. 

By Gaynor Selby

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