Plant & Bean to open ‘Europe’s largest’ plant-based meat production facility

Plant & Bean has announced that it is opening ‘Europe’s largest’ plant-based meat production facility in Boston, Lincolnshire, in the UK.

According to Plant & Bean, a developer and manufacturer of plant-based food products, the 65-acre site will have a planned initial capacity of 55,000 tonnes.

The facility will provide brands and retailers with a manufacturing site that will allow them economies of scale.

Plant & Bean says that the new factory is the first step in creating a global, plant-based meat manufacturing platform, and the company plans to establish production facilities in the US next year and Asia in 2022.

Plant & Bean also partners with research institutions and food-tech companies to accelerate technological developments in the plant-based meat market.

The company – which was formerly known as the meat-free division within Brecks Foods – has unveiled new collaborations with Griffith Foods, Gushen, Wageningen University & Research and Singapore Institute of Technology.

Leveraging this network, Plant & Bean says that it is perfectly positioned to partner with brands seeking to develop their plant-based product ranges with new high-quality, low-cost options.

Plant & Bean CEO, Edwin Bark, said: “Today’s announcement underscores our commitment to repair what is a broken food system. Right now, 65% of consumers do not eat plant-based meats due to price and quality. With our two-pronged approach, we believe we are best placed to make the meaningful change required to tackle these issues.

“With our progressive global manufacturing strategy, brands will finally have the means to scale high-volume product ranges in order to lower the price point for consumers.

“As regards product quality, we are making huge strides in improving the taste, texture and appearance of plant-based meat – bringing together the brightest minds in the food industry to reinvent the way we make plant-based meat at the ingredient and process level.”