VFC, the UK’s vegan fried chick*n company that launched just last December and saw unprecedented success in its first weeks, will launch today in retail locations across the Benelux region as part of its mission to bring VFC around the world. The plant-based chicken is already seeing retail success in Spain where it made its international debut this March.
“By making great-tasting and affordable vegan meats available to all, we can help end the inhumane era of factory farming, and that can’t happen soon enough.”
Additionally, 15 foodservice locations will begin to offer VFC on their menus in the region later this month via Brandplant‘s wholesale partners. Further international markets are soon to follow and will be announced soon.
As we reported this March, the brand secured £2.5m in seed funding and stated its intention to achieve sales of £20m, equivalent to 3 million chickens by end 2012, and £50m in financial year 2025, or 7.5 million chickens. The company’s trajectory of success comes not only from its product but from its bold marketing and comical social media interactions which is bringing followers at a rapid rate.
“The demand is there, we’re working to meet it, and we’re scaling up fast”
VFC’s Sales Director, Stewart McGuckin, told us in March about this rapid success which has meant that he is fielding calls from several countries around the world. Regarding the latest launch, McGuckin’s reiterates that his ambition is to be on every continent by the end of this year to help drive down demand for meat. “There’s nothing I have seen that suggests we won’t make it,” he says. “The demand is there, we’re working to meet it, and we’re scaling up fast. By making great-tasting and affordable vegan meats available to all, we can help end the inhumane era of factory farming, and that can’t happen soon enough.”
“There has been consistent consumer demand from Benelux since we first launched in the UK, and so we started our search for a distributor that would be as motivated as we are to cluck the system, and bring amazing vegan foods to consumers.
“The Brandplant team bowled us over with their enthusiasm. Not only do they understand our mission and values, they completely share them. This makes them the ideal partner for VFC and we’re excited to see what we can achieve together,” he enthused.
Says Gertjan Kruijk, Sales Manager at Brandplant: “Sometimes a distributor meets a brand and just feels its energy. Adam Lyons and Matthew Glover have created a fantastic tasting product with a real heartfelt purpose. Vegan Fried Chick*n (VFC) is taking the UK by storm and fits extremely well with Brandplant’s personal and company values. Seeing the huge fanbase in the UK, the food service and retail partners they work with, and after meeting the VFC team, Brandplant knew that it needed to bring the brand to the Benelux.”
Following a market scan with consumer tastings and informal buyer meetings, Brandplant received its first orders, showing the appetite for quality vegan products in the Benelux region. Initially, VFC will be available in Vegan Fresco, Vegabond, V-Markt, Veggie 4 U and Jumbo supermarkets, before being further rolled out.
Enquiries from Benelux stockists are welcome via Gertjan Kruijk at [email protected]
Elsewhere, stockists should contact Stewart McGuckin at [email protected]
