The North American manufacturer of artificial “egg”, JUST Egg, a plant-based compound intended to replace eggs, developed by US food technology company Eat Just, is ready to enter the European market through a partnership with British firm Vegan Food Group (VFG).
VFG has secured exclusive manufacturing and distribution rights across Europe for JUST Egg, enabling the product to launch in the EU and the United Kingdom for the first time. Backed by an investment of £11.25 million, VFG is building a fully automated production line at its Lüneburg, Germany site, which, they claim, will be the largest dedicated plant-based product facility in Europe.
The company states it is also investing in its UK and Germany sites to increase automation, extend shelf life, reduce waste and improve product quality. Commercial production of JUST Egg is expected to begin in late 2025.
VFG was formed in January 2024, initially encompassing VFC (Vegan Fried Chicken) and its acquired brands Meatless Farm and Clive’s Purely Plants. Just one month later, VFG acquired TOFUTOWN, claiming this would provide a clear line of sight to scaling its revenues beyond €100 million in 2024.
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The news of Just Egg’s European expansion comes less than a year after the brand launched a new formulation in the United States, claimed to be its most significant advancement in flavour, texture and functionality since the product was introduced in 2019. The manufacturer claims its artificial “egg” features a cleaner flavour profile with an improved creamy and fluffy texture.
As the avian influenza crisis continues to impact conventional egg supply chains in the US, JUST Egg has reported that its sales are rising, growing five times faster than last year.
The brand recently launched a “Bird Flu Bailout” campaign, offering breakfasts made with its plant-based “eggs” at more than 50 independent bodegas across New York.
“Millions of Americans are seeing for the first time that there is an egg made from plants, from bodegas across New York City to convenience store chains in Pennsylvania and rural breakfast spots in North Carolina,” said Joshua Tetrick, CEO and co-founder of Eat Just. “We have always believed that Just Egg is a product for everyone, and this moment proves it.”
To learn more:
-. Marco Springmann, environmental scientist at the University of Oxford (UK), told CNBC that the amount of energy required for the production process is so great that cultured meat has a carbon footprint five times higher than that of chicken.
-. Cultured meat on NexusAvicultura.com