The Vegetarian Butcher and Vivera Unite to Form The Vegetarian Butcher Collective

A major new player has emerged in Europe’s fast-growing plant-based sector. Dutch companies The Vegetarian Butcher and Vivera have joined forces to form The Vegetarian Butcher Collective, a new organization that will represent both brands while allowing each to retain its own identity.

The move comes just months after Vivera acquired The Vegetarian Butcher from Unilever, which had owned the brand since 2018. Under Unilever, The Vegetarian Butcher expanded rapidly, reaching 55 markets worldwide. But earlier this year, the multinational announced it would divest the company as part of a strategy to streamline its portfolio around core power brands. Founded in 1990, Vivera has grown into one of Europe’s leading plant-based brands. It was acquired in 2021 by Brazilian meat giant JBS, which has since used the brand to expand its alternative protein portfolio.

Now, with both businesses headquartered in the Netherlands and long seen as pioneers of the plant-based movement, the formation of The Vegetarian Butcher Collective signals an effort to leverage their complementary strengths. Vivera has built a strong reputation in retail, while The Vegetarian Butcher has established a broad footprint in foodservice and quick-service restaurants. Together, the brands will be able to reach consumers across multiple channels, from supermarket freezers to fast-food menus.

“A new leader in European plant-based food is born: The Vegetarian Butcher Collective,” said Willem van Weede, CEO of Vivera, in a LinkedIn post announcing the news. “For me, this is an incredibly exciting moment, an opportunity to combine our strengths and continue creating delicious plant-based food to enable people to eat open minded.”

Rutger Rozendaal, CEO of The Vegetarian Butcher, echoed the sentiment. “For me, this feels like the start of a bold new chapter, an opportunity to further accelerate the Food Revolution and release even more animals from the food chain, by bringing tasty and nutritious products to consumers,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

Both executives emphasized that while The Vegetarian Butcher and Vivera will retain their unique voices and missions, the new collective represents something greater than the sum of its parts. “We are a movement powered by people, united by purpose,” said Rozendaal.

The launch was accompanied by a statement from the newly formed organization itself, underscoring its ambition to help shift diets across Europe and beyond. “We believe the transition to plant-based eating is not just beneficial – it’s essential. So, you can expect us to continue leading the food revolution, with even more agility, courage, and passion. Because together, we are more than the sum of our parts. We are a movement powered by people, united by purpose,” the company said.

The partnership also builds on complementary histories. Founded in 1990, Vivera was one of the earliest European brands to focus on plant-based products, offering a wide range of meat alternatives that are now sold in more than 25 countries. The Vegetarian Butcher, launched in 2010, quickly gained attention for its chef-driven approach and commitment to recreating the flavor and texture of meat with plant-based ingredients. Its quirky branding and collaborations with major foodservice partners, including Burger King, helped establish it as one of the most recognizable names in the sector.

Industry observers note that combining retail and foodservice expertise could help the new collective scale more quickly in an increasingly competitive landscape. In recent years, the plant-based category has grown rapidly but has also faced headwinds, including price sensitivity and consumer concerns about taste, texture, and processing. The success of future growth may hinge on companies’ ability to deliver products that are not only sustainable but also affordable and appealing to mainstream shoppers.

For Vivera and The Vegetarian Butcher, the merger provides an opportunity to align resources, share innovation pipelines, and build stronger distribution networks across Europe. It also allows the companies to present a united front as they compete with both established food multinationals and newer startups vying for share in the crowded plant-based market.

While financial details of the collective’s structure have not been disclosed, the messaging has been clear: the brands see themselves not simply as companies but as part of a broader movement toward a more sustainable food system. Both van Weede and Rozendaal highlighted the importance of people – from employees to consumers – in shaping the next phase of growth.

The announcement has been positioned less as a corporate merger and more as a rallying call to accelerate what The Vegetarian Butcher has long branded as the “Food Revolution.” By emphasizing purpose alongside product, the new collective is looking to tap into the values-driven purchasing decisions that are increasingly common among European consumers.

As the organization begins its journey, The Vegetarian Butcher Collective is expected to roll out further details on strategy and product development in the months ahead. For now, its leaders are signaling a clear ambition: to create a new European leader in plant-based food, driven by the combined power of two pioneering brands.