In 2019, UK spread brand Flora announced that it was making its product range fully plant-based. However, the change was short-lived; the following year, the company added buttermilk back into its Flora Buttery spread, citing consumer complaints about the recipe change. The move attracted backlash from many customers who wanted the spread to remain dairy-free, including a petition that gained thousands of signatures.
But there have been hints that change is coming for some time, with Flora’s parent company, Upfield, recently announcing plans to make its entire product portfolio fully plant-based within three years. Now, in what may be the first step towards this goal, Flora has announced that all its products are suitable for vegans once again.
“We have been continuously working to deliver a fully 100% plant-based range that is even tastier, and are pleased that Flora Buttery is now deliciously dairy-free,” said Ian Hepburn, Marketing Director UK at Upfield. “Our purpose is at the heart of everything we do, and we will continue to make new products to continue the Flora movement. Plant-based is no longer just an alternative, and when the products are this delicious and affordable, sustainable choices become easy.”
“Record levels of awareness”
In another piece of good news for the planet, Flora has also removed palm oil from all its products. Additionally, the packaging of the tub-based spreads has been updated and is now in the same style as the company’s butter alternative, Plant B+tter.
The new branding follows the success of Flora’s ‘Skip the Cow’ campaign earlier this year, which encouraged consumers to try plant-based butter with messages such as, “You’d rather stick with cow butter? Classic herd mentality”.
“Flora has been a kitchen staple across the UK since 1964, and over six decades, we’ve continued to innovate to meet shoppers’ needs,” said Hepburn. “With the ‘Skip The Cow’ campaign, Flora has encouraged people to stop and think about their dairy habits. We have driven record levels of awareness and consideration for Flora, and more households are buying and loving the brand as a result. The natural next step was to unite all our great Flora products under a single identity.”
