A new campaign by alt-meat brand Heura suggests that Italians should “Eat (plant-based) meat this Good Friday”. It comes as the brand launches at 300 Carrefour stores across the country.
Catholics are expected to abstain from eating meat on Good Friday, which is the last day of Lent. But Heura‘s campaign points out that Italian consumers don’t need to miss out — they can eat plant-based meat instead. The message will be promoted on the side of trams passing through the centre of Milan.
Heura in Italy
While Heura has been available at some Italian retailers and restaurants for a while, including high-end meat restaurant Al Mercato, the brand’s launch into Carrefour marks the first time it will be available at a national retailer with points of sale throughout the country.
The launch is timely — around half of Italians say they are reducing their consumption of red meat, and the number of people avoiding meat entirely has surged in recent years.
Taking on tradition
Heura is not shy about using its platform for activism — in September, it launched vegan chorizo and sausage at Catalunya’s last commercially operational bullfighting ring, sending a clear message about the cruelty of meat production. The company is now Europe’s fastest-growing alt-meat brand, doubling its sales and increasing its retail footprint by over 300% last year.
“Our growth aligns with our long-term vision to become the number one player in Europe and our constant development of innovations that cascade across the product line,” co-founder Bernat Añaños Martinez told vegconomist in a recent interview. “Having already established itself as the preferred plant-based meat brand in Spain, with rapid expansion across the UK, France and Italy, Heura is committed to creating an international presence reaching new markets. It will also continue to prioritize achieving price parity, to help make plant-based foods more accessible to all.”
