Italian olive oil brand Filippo Berio has launched two new vegan pestos in the UK. The new products are available in Basil and Sundried Tomato flavours.
The products are plant-based versions of Filippo Berio’s existing Classic and Sundried Tomato pestos, made by replacing cheese with tofu. Like the originals, they are made with the brand’s olive oil.
Responding to market change
Filippo Berio is a major player in the global olive oil industry, available in 65 countries worldwide. In the UK and the US, the brand is the market leader and also offers related products such as olives, wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and pesto.
The new vegan pestos mark the first time Filippo Berio has launched a product specifically aimed at the plant-based market. The company said it decided to develop the products after seeing statistics suggesting that 6% of the British population eats a plant-based diet, while 13% are flexitarian.
Other research supports the suggestion that vegan food is growing in popularity in the UK, with 39% of Brits in one study wanting to see more plant-based options at restaurants. Figures also show that 49% of 18-24-year-olds in the UK have reduced their meat intake, while plant-based sales have soared at supermarkets in recent years.
“These vegan pestos really tick all the boxes when it comes to flavour, so they’re the perfect store cupboard essential for anyone who’s vegan or looking to reduce their dairy intake,” said Walter Zanré, Filippo Berio UK managing director. “We spent a lot of time in the kitchen developing the recipe to get the taste just right – so anyone who already loves our Filippo Berio pesto can be confident it is equally delicious.”
