21 May 2018

UK supermarket launches vegan steak

8:45 am on 21 May 2018

The British supermarket chain Tesco will today start selling plant-based steak in more than 400 of its stores.

The vegan steak

The vegan steak Photo: Supplied/ Vivera

The steak is being produced by Dutch manufacturer Vivera, one of the largest producers of meat alternatives in Europe.

The smell, taste and bite of the product could hardly be distinguished from real steak, Vivera said

"Only plant-based ingredients like wheat and soy are used in the production," Vivera spokesperson Gert Jan Gombert said.

A large group of vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians had been very interested in such a product for years, he said.

Tesco would be selling the plant-based steak in the UK from the 21 May and it would also be available in several large supermarkets in the Netherlands from next month.

"From the second half of 2018 Vivera will also sell the product in other countries in Europe," he said.

Consumption of plant-based meat alternatives could significantly reduce the environmental impact and use of scarce resources like water and farmland, he said.