Press Release

Jakarta, 27 April 2021 - Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) as Unilever’s Business to Business (B2B) unit that specifically serves official hotels and restaurants, presents "The Vegetarian Butcher", a plant-based processed “meat” with a taste and texture similar to animal meat, in Indonesia. Through "The Vegetarian Butcher", UFS invites as many culinary entrepreneurs as possible to participate in assisting the community to take on a more nutritious diet that also has a positive impact on the planet earth.

Joy Tarigan, Managing Director of Unilever Food Solutions stated, "UFS sees a trend shift in consumer choices towards plant-based food varieties, at both the local and global levels. This certainly presents both challenges and opportunities that should be welcomed by culinary entrepreneurs. Therefore, as a loyal partner of culinary entrepreneurs who provide legendary product solutions that inspire and drive the business progress of all its partners, UFS now presents 'The Vegetarian Butcher' in Indonesia.”

"This innovation is in line with "The Unilever Compass"; to become a company that is purpose-led and future-fit. One of our commitments is to help people make the transition to healthier diets while reducing the environmental impact of the food chain," continued Joy.

This movement to shift to plant-based diets is indeed increasing, especially in the midst of a pandemic. In fact, a recent survey shows that 90% of Indonesians have started trying to eat a healthy diet to increase their immunity systems. The number of people who are more active in buying vegetables and fruit has now reached 62%, and healthy food delivery services have also increased by 7.4%

Moreover, the flexitarian lifestyle (i.e. a diet that increases the portion of plant-based foods and reduces portions of animal protein), as well as the awareness for environmental sustainability are also growing - especially among young millennials and Generation Z, whose numbers are expected to dominate the world's population, including Indonesia.

Hamish Daud, a celebrity figure and healthy lifestyle enthusiast shared his opinion, “Apart from wanting to continue living healthy, I believe that our diet also has a big impact on our environment. Now I pay more attention to the food I consume, including switching to plant-based food ingredients that are more sustainable."

However, there are still several barriers that have hindered the growth of the plant-based culinary market, including the low public awareness of the varieties of plant-based food choices. False opinions that plant-based dishes tend to be boring and less appetizing tend to dominate public discourse. In addition, the limited accessibility of culinary outlets that provide plant-based dishes also contributes to the condition.

Responding to this, UFS, as a food service business leader, aims to become a pioneer in driving the culinary business industry to meet consumer demand for plant-based dishes through popular creations and modern methods, i.e. "The Vegetarian Butcher".

"The Vegetarian Butcher" was born and developed by Jaap Korteweg, a Dutch meat lover who innovated by creating various processed “meats” from plant-based ingredients. He wanted to invite the world community to have a more nutritious diet without sacrificing delicacy, health, or the preservation of animals and the environment.

The revolution carried out by "The Vegetarian Butcher" has redefined processed meat: it can now be enjoyed by all, from plant-based diet enthusiasts and even hardcore animal meat lovers who might now be living a vegetarian, vegan, or carnivore lifestyle. Made from high fiber soy protein, this halal-certified "The Vegetarian Butcher" is available in products that mimic the taste and texture of chicken and beef.

The tastiness of "The Vegetarian Butcher" can now be experienced in more than 30 countries; it has received a number of prestigious awards, such as "Most Animal-friendly Company of the Year" from PETA in 2012. It also ranks number two in Dutch consumers’ choice in the Sustainable Brand Index™ 2021; as "Best Vegan Product" at The Vegan Awards 2016; "Best Vegan Sandwich" at the 2017 PETA Vegan Food Awards, and many others.

Rinrin Marinka, Celebrity Chef, responded, "Through a restaurant that is based on healthy eating concepts, I always tell culinary lovers that healthy eating can still be delicious. 'The Vegetarian Butcher' proves this, the creativity to serve plant-based foods is limitless and does not necessarily compromise taste. Hopefully, its presence will further encourage the growth of the healthy culinary business industry and have a positive impact on the healthy lifestyles of Indonesians.”

As a first step, UFS, in collaboration with Burger King Indonesia, will soon launch the first plant-based Whopper® in Indonesia. The legendary Whopper® will be more complete with the delicious "The Vegetarian Butcher" patties and can be enjoyed by consumers starting May 5, 2021 at Burger King outlets located in the Greater Jakarta area. They will be among the first to taste the revolutionary "meat" of "The Vegetarian Butcher", which will be followed by Burger King outlets in other cities in early June.

Eugene Hong, Chief Marketing Officer of Burger King Indonesia said, “Burger King always puts customer satisfaction first, and we are constantly looking for opportunities to provide new menu alternatives that are innovative and relevant to their interests and needs. The Plant-based Whopper® is a delicious choice for everyone who wants an animal meat alternative without sacrificing the unrivaled taste of Burger King's iconic Whopper®. We are sure that our consumers in Indonesia will love this new dish."

"The Vegetarian Butcher" has previously supplied its patties for Burger Kings in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, China and several other Asian countries. As a result, the Plant-based Whopper® has received an overwhelming welcome from meat lovers and flexitarians alike thanks to the similarities that the “The Vegetarian Butcher” patties have to the tastes and textures of their beloved animal meat.

"This collaboration is the beginning of the wide opportunity for as many culinary businesses as possible to jointly advance the plant-based culinary industry in Indonesia. Visit http://bit.ly/TVB-Indonesia for more information about collaboration opportunities with Unilever Food Solutions and 'The Vegetarian Butcher'," concluded Joy.

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the largest suppliers of Beauty and Personal Care products, Household Hygiene products, and Food and Beverage products whose products are used by 2.5 billion people every day in more than 190 countries.

Unilever has a total of 149,000 employees and globally in 2020 managed to record sales of € 50.7 million. More than half of Unilever's business is in developed and developing countries. We have a total of 400 brands in the world including brands such as Dove, Lifeboy, Knorr, Magnum, Rinso and others such as Beauty & Planet, Hourglass, Seventh Generation and The Vegetarian Butcher.

In Indonesia, PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk has been operating since 1933, 'went public' in 1982 and its shares are listed and traded on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Unilever has more than 6,000 employees and nine factories located in Cikarang and Rungkut.

Unilever is highly committed to keep moving forward and moving forward with Indonesia. For the period ended December 31, 2020, Unilever Indonesia's net sales reached Rp. 43 trillion consisting of HPC and F&R sales of Rp. 30 trillion and Rp. 13 trillion, respectively. Meanwhile, the Company's net profit reached IDR 7.2 trillion.

Our vision is to be a leader in the global marketplace in terms of creating a sustainable business; based on a noble purpose (purpose-led) and able to compete in the future (future-fit). We have a long track record as a progressive and responsible company. This track record started when our founder, William Lever, introduced the first soap aimed to improve public health 100 years ago, namely Sunlight soap. Purpose or purpose is the heart of our business to this day.

'The Unilever Compass'is our business strategy. A strategy that will lead us to continue to grow, but also be sustainable and responsible, this includes:

·       Improve planet health

·       Improve public health, self-confidence and well-being, as well

·       Help create a more just and inclusive world

While we still have a lot more to do, we are proud to have been recognized in 2020 as a sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and - for ten years in a row - as the top ranked company in the GlobeScan / SustainAbility Leaders 2020 survey.

For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.co.id and our social media assets, Twitter and Instagram @UnileverIDN, Facebook Unilever ID and Youtube Unilever Indonesia.

For further information, please contact: