Vegan food manufacturer Fry Family Food Co grew by more than 211% in 2019*, with retail sales value reaching over £5.6m. The company’s year-on-year growth is among the highest recorded in the UK’s booming meat-free industry, which is now estimated to be worth £474.5m.
Fry’s recent success, which has outstripped many of the biggest meat-free brands, can in part be explained by its arrival on the shelves of major UK food retailers. In late 2018, Sainsbury’s began selling the Fry’s range as the supermarket looked to offer more choice across its meat-free category. This deal set the foundations for a strong retail performance over the following 12 months, with Tesco, taking the brand into its range in late 2019. The new retail launches complemented Fry’s existing listings in Morrisons and Holland and Barrett.
Growth looks set to continue in 2020 with the introduction of three new lines. New for 2020 are fish-style fillets and two different styles of hand-stretched sourdough pizzas – Mediterranean-style and smoky BBQ. The new lines will likely prove popular over January, a month many use to trial or kickstart a vegan diet, especially with the prominence of the Veganuary campaign.
Last year was another bumper year for plant-based food, with total spend rising by 19.3% when compared to 2018 figures. The surge can be explained by an influx of new customers to the category, as well as existing customers buying more frequently over the last 12 months. Figures are testament to the nation’s growing appetite for vegetarian and vegan options, which in turn has seen brands like Fry’s move from health stores to the aisles of major food retailers.
Tammy Fry, International Marketing Director at The Fry Family Food Co, said: “It’s exciting to see the business achieve so much in such a competitive market. These figures demonstrate a 30-year commitment to providing high-quality meat-free products that people enjoy. We will continue to expand our range and look for new retail opportunities as vegetarian and vegan food firmly enters the mainstream.”
Set up in the family kitchen in 1991, the Fry Family Food Co. is now a second-generation family business and leading supplier of plant-based meat alternatives in both fresh and frozen categories.
*Retail sales performance data by Kantar World Panel Data, published by Grocer in November 2019