Violife, the Greek brand acquired by Upfield in 2019, has launched its first butter alternative, called Vioblock. The product according to the company offers a “familiar buttery flavour” and contains vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 and Folic Acid.
At present this launch appears to relate to the UK market only although the Violife portfolio is widely distributed in Europe, the UK, the US and Canada, where a new 164,000 square foot facility is being established to eventually supply vegan cheese to North America and Latin America.
Upfield received criticism in the UK recently when its plantbased Flora Buttery which was previously suitable for vegans, became unsuitable due to the addition of 10% buttermilk, though at the time the company responded with the launch of Flora Plant.
Bianca Harris, UKI Marketing Manager for Violife, comments: “Launching our first butter alternative Vioblock is a milestone moment for Violife as we look to expand our product offering further within the Dairy Alternatives category. Always 100% vegan, Vioblock stays true to the core values of Violife, in that they are suitable for everyone to enjoy regardless of their dietary requirements and perform just as you would expect. With Dairy Alternatives out-growing the dairy sector by almost 3 to 1, yet representing only 5% of the total dairy sector, there is sizable headroom for growth of the Dairy Alternatives sector and expansion for Violife beyond the Dairy Alternative to Cheese category. Whether flexitarian, vegans or vegetarian we look forward to introducing supporters of the brand to an expanded product range in the future.”
Violife’s new Vegan Vioblock is now available at Asda, with other national retailers to be announced shortly. RRP £2.
