Unilever’s The Vegetarian Butcher has introduced handmade holiday specials, including stuffed vegan Christmas turkey at its newly opened plant-based butchery in Rotterdam.
The brand’s team crafted 60 vegan whole turkeys (including vegetable legs) for lovers of traditional Christmas dishes. Interested customers had to purchase the turkey in person on a pre-order basis like in traditional butcher shops (the reservations closed on the 17th of December, and the product is unavailable at supermarkets), reports RTL Nieuws.
However, before Christmas Eve, customers will receive their turkeys pre-sliced into fillets stuffed with a mixture of apricots and nuts rather than obtaining the entire roasted turkey.
The Vegetarian Butcher’s team also prepared other limited-edition menu items for the holiday table: a vegan meatloaf that comes with a cherry ketchup glaze and a vegan Gourmet Plateau for three persons that includes mini Slavincken, mini Honor burgers, marinated chicken pieces, mini sausages, and mini Hungarian schnitzels.
Sharing expertise
The Vegetarian Bucher has been experiencing significant growth, expanding internationally as far as China and establishing noticeable partnerships with Burger King and Subway.
In 2023 alone, the brand launched two meat alternatives offering the experience of beloved meat classics to make the transition to plant-based meat easier: a realistic plant-based bacon made with patented fat tissue technology and a plant-based kebab skewer developed in collaboration with Düzgün Food Group.
Additionally, at its local butcher shop in Rotterdam, the company is crafting the “meatiest” alternatives and simultaneously testing their possibilities for future retail launches.
“In our own butchery, we can share our expertise with every visitor who loves the delicious taste and structure of meat but also does not want to let the planet and the animals go behind,” Hugo Verkuil, CEO of The Vegetarian Butcher, commented to De Ondernemer on the opening of the butcher shop.
Vegan Christmas in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is considered one of the most dynamic plant-based markets in Europe. According to a recent GFI report, the Netherlands has the highest consumption of plant-based foods per capita.
However, despite these figures, the Dutch brand Vivera, speaking to RTL Nieuws, said that the demand for plant-based alternatives remains relatively limited during Christmas because most flexitarians opt for meat during the holidays. Vivera, which has been offering meat alternatives since 1990 and is enjoying continuous growth, does not have a special offer for Christmas.
This year, the Netherlands’ biggest retailer, Albert Heijn, launched a special version of its magazine, Allerhande, encouraging customers to try a plant-based Christmas. The magazine offers multiple recipes and cooking ideas with its plant-based meat and dairy selection, AH Terra, which encompasses more than 200 products in various categories.
“Our vegan turkey is not to be missed: made in small batches at our plant-based Butchery in Rotterdam this year, for everyone who loves classic Christmas dishes and turkeys too. What a time to be alive,” shared The Vegetarian Butcher on social media.
