Austrian supermarket chain BILLA has claimed that it now offers the country’s largest plant-based range, with around 4,000 products verified as animal-free by the Vegan Society Austria.
The chain has achieved this by significantly expanding its plant-based own-brand range, along with offering products by other brands. Last autumn, BILLA’s plant-based experts tasted around 3,000 alt meat and alt seafood products, using the results to revise the retailer’s Vegavita range. This has now been relaunched with additional products and updated packaging.
“We have been pursuing a comprehensive plant-based strategy”
BILLA has also begun offering products made by Spanish alt meat brand Heura and Slovenian plant-based whole-cut producer Juicy Marbles. Additionally, Billie Green products — made by Germany’s The Plantly Butcher — have been introduced. This marks the first time Billie Green has been available in Austria, with products such as plant-based ham cubes, bacon, and salami on offer.
Plant-based store
Last September, BILLA opened its first fully plant-based store, BILLA PFLANZILLA, in Vienna. Claimed to be the first store of its kind opened by a major European retailer, the 200-square-metre space offers over 2,500 plant-based products and services, with 800 of these exclusive to the store. At the end of September, it was reported that Wunderkern’s alt milk made with upcycled apricot kernels was the bestselling product so far.
By opening the store, BILLA is tapping into a fast-growing market; recent figures from GFI indicate that sales of plant-based foods are skyrocketing in Europe, increasing by 6% last year and 22% since 2020. The market is now believed to be worth €5.8 billion.
“As one of the largest food retailers in Austria and a plant-based pioneer in the industry, we naturally perceive the increasing demand,” said Verena Wiederkehr, BILLA’s head of plant-based business development. “For some time now, we have been pursuing a comprehensive plant-based strategy in order to respond to the needs of our customers. They want versatile products and ingredients with which they can prepare enjoyable plant-based dishes. We at BILLA are happy to support this climate-friendly and varied diet with what are now more than 4,000 purely plant-based products. That’s the largest plant-based range in Austria!”
