Discount Retail Chain Lidl Spain (owned by the German Schwarz Group) launches Vemondo, its new veggie brand. With an assortment of more than 140 vegan and vegetarian SKU references, it was created to respond to the great growth in the consumption of plant-based products among the Spanish population.
Madrid hosts the first 100% vegetable food business event in Spain The meat industry also surrenders to vegetable protein Heura's 'vegetable meat' receives 16 million investors and footballers Minister Garzón asks Spaniards to eat less meat Lidl strengthens its position in the veggie category in Spain and becomes, according to the company, the supermarket chain that offers the largest vegan and vegetarian own private label brand offer of the large distribution in Spain, with an assortment of more than 140 references that are included under its new brand Vemondo.
A fact, Lidl points out in a statement, which has prompted the company to lead the ranking of the sale of veggie products substitutes for meat and meat derivatives in our country: according to a study by Kantar, Lidl is already number 1 both in market share (22.5%) and in customers (+1.3 Mio households), according to data from the Kantar consultancy from December 2020. Without a doubt, it is a category on the rise in our country and in the rest of Europe. According to data obtained by the consulting firm Nielsen, the market for plant-based products has registered a record growth of 48% in Spain in just two years, reaching 448 million euros (US$540million). On the other hand, the European sector of vegan products has grown by 49%, reaching a total sales value of 3.6 billion euros (US$ 4.3billion) in the last two years.
NEW CONSUMPTION TRENDS
10% of the population in our country, according to Lidl, is already considered veggie (vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian). In other words, in Spain there are already more than 4.4 million adult veggie consumers. A figure that, according to forecasts, will increase considerably in the coming years: in 2023, the Spanish vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian population could stand at 14.4%, while in 2025 it would reach 16.5%. More and more users, aware of the need to limit their meat consumption and concerned about the environmental impact, decide to make changes to their shopping cart and try meat substitutes. New consumer needs that transcend the strictly veggie segment, which large retailers are preparing to face.
"At Lidl we seek to respond to the new needs of our customers. The category of vegan and vegetarian products is clearly on the rise throughout Europe, and for this reason we have been working for a long time to strengthen our assortment of veggie products in the countries where we operate, as always of the best quality at the best price. We want to be your reference supermarket, within everyone's reach. With the launch of our new own brand Vemondo, we have managed to offer the widest and most complete veggie assortment of the large distribution in Spain, with 140 products", assures Miguel Paradela, general director of Purchasing at Lidl Spain.
Currently, the company stands out, Lidl has the widest and most complete assortment of veggie products from the large distribution in Spain. Under its new Vemondo brand, the company offers 140 references of the best quality and at the best price, with which it is possible to follow a complete and balanced vegetarian or vegan diet. It is worth highlighting the breadth of Lidl's Vemondo veggie assortment compared to that of the leading supermarket chain in Spain, which only has 23 of its own references (dado from Lidl to Mercadona).
Lidl's new veggie assortment, notes the chain, is characterized by variety, innovation and value for money. Products such as the cauliflower-based pizza base at 2.99 euros (US$3.6), the vegan ice creams in tub format and in chocolate stick format from 1.99 euros (US$2.4), the Wakame at 1.99 euros (US$2.4), the quinoa salads at 1,49 euros (US$1.8), the Veggie Mix at 2.49 euros (US$3) and the soy-based meatballs at 2.49 euros (US$3), among other novelty items. In fact, Lidl stands out especially for its own recipes for 'meat that is not meat'.
After the unprecedented success in 2020 with the launch of its first vegan 'meat that is not meat' burger, the first in Spain under its own brand, which exceeded sales expectations by up to 10 times in less than a month and the demands of its users, the chain recently expanded its offer in response to new food trends that seek a place for the carnivorous public within the veggie sector. Its vegan burgers, scallops, minced meat and Bratwurst, which imitate the flavor of animal meat, have become, Lidl highlights, one of the best-achieved meat substitutes on the current international market, with an accessible format and price to all pockets.
Furthermore, all of Lidl's Vemondo products are 'carbon neutral'. With this, the company informs that the direct greenhouse effect emissions (CO2) that are generated throughout the supply chain of these products, during manufacturing, packaging or transport are offset through certified projects that protect the climate. Specifically, the investment will go to three internationally recognized projects: promoting renewable energy in India, making water drinkable in Eritrea and contributing to reforestation in Uganda (more information at lidl.es/clima) "Our commitment to sustainability is firm and absolute, and it is present in all the activity and projects of the company. Betting on the veggie category and that they are carbon neutral is one more example of our commitment to the fight against climate change", concludes Paradela.
See here for more: Lidl lanza Vemondo, su nueva marca veggie (foodretail.es)
