The Italian beef trader Gruppo Tonazzo, a family business for five generations, announced it would discontinue its meat business at the end of this year.
The company said it would focus solely on plant proteins and expand its plant-based brand, Kioene, which was introduced almost 40 years ago and, today, is among the market’s leaders, offering over 100 products.
As reported by local media, the company’s meat facilities in Villanova di Camposampiero will specialize in producing high-quality vegetable and legume-based foods. Employees involved in the meat division can transition to roles within the plant-based business, ensuring job continuity.
A long-term vision
According to Tonazzo’s leadership, the strategic decision reflects a long-term vision to address the environmental impact of meat and promote healthy diets for future generations.
Stefano Tonazzo, CEO of the Group, said, “We are embarking on the third revolution in our company’s history and, we hope, in the sector as well. We are now closing all meat-related operations to focus entirely on plant-based proteins and our Kioene brand, already the leader in Italy.”
Plants for future generations
The Tonazzo family business was founded in 1888 in Villanova di Camposampiero (Padua), specializing in beef cuts. Recognizing and responding to emerging trends in plant-based foods, they introduced the Kioene brand in 1988.
Over the years, the group became increasingly focused on Kioene, with the brand representing at least 60% of consolidated business turnover, reaching approximately 52 million euros in 2023, with annual growth rates consistently in double digits, as reported by Distribuzione Moderna.
“As early movers in this market, we feel a deep responsibility to future generations”
Kioene’s portfolio includes a wide range of frozen and fresh vegetarian (containing eggs) and vegan options, primarily plant-forward, featuring broccoli, carrots, artichokes, mushrooms, or legumes as star ingredients. The brand also offers a chicken-sliced filet and a range of burgers. Reportedly, 2.3 million households in Italy consume Kioene products. The brand is also popular worldwide. In 2023, millions of abillion users voted Kioene’s chickpea-based burger as the 6th best plant-based burger in the world.
Italians reducing meat consumption
Tonazzo’s decision to shift focus to Kioene aligns with consumer trends in Italy. A 2023 pan-European survey revealed that 59% of Italian consumers are actively looking to reduce their meat consumption, the joint-highest share in Europe. The primary reasons for cutting back on meat included health concerns (54%), antibiotic use (17%), and environmental factors (16%).
Among the participants willing to reduce meat intake, 57% want to replace it with legumes, and 43% prefer legume-based proteins, while only 39% said they prefer plant-based meat. Addionally, in the survey, legumes emerged as the favourite plant-based food with 66% of Europeans claiming to consume legumes at least occasionally, and 53% willing to consume them more frequently.
Albino Tonazzo, CEO of Kioene, commented, “As early movers in this market, we feel a deep responsibility to future generations. We want to contribute to environmental preservation and foster collective awareness. We are confident that the market and consumers will once again follow our lead.”
