THIS™

Idea

Introduction

THIS™ was created when we (we’re Andy & Pete. Hi.) checked out meat-free food, and decided that we didn’t really like any of it. After successfully exiting our meat-based restaurant business, Chosen Bun, we set out to make hyper-realistic plant-based food that mimics meat in taste, texture and appearance. But properly - not like some of the Frankenfood that’s been on shelves over the past few years.

We launched 12 months ago, and we’ve been growing obscenely quickly. We’re in our early thirties and face-lifts have been suggested to us both this year – more than once. Our four core products (plant-based THIS™ Isn’t Chicken and THIS™ Isn’t Bacon) are now in over 2000 stores and restaurants (including Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado, and Honest Burger), we’re listed with wholesale behemoth, Brakes, we’ve had hundreds of national PR features or mentions, we’ve won stuff and we’ve raised £5.6m from VC funds. We’ve also agreed to launch in two additional major supermarket chains in 2020. Also, our revenue for the month of July (our 12th full month of trading) was c£450k.

Monetisation strategy

THIS™ is on a mission to shatter meat-eaters’ preconceptions of plant-based food, one rasher or nugget at a time. We launched a year ago, and our products are now available in over 2000 retailers and restaurants across the UK (with a 75:25 retailer restaurant revenue split).

Our retail outlets include 740 Tescos, 280 Waitroses, 660 Holland & Barretts, over 50 Central England Co-ops, and Ocado, as well as many independent bricks & mortar and online retailers.

We co-brand with our restaurant partners in order to increase engagement and brand awareness (providing exposure to them too). The products are available in restaurants nationwide, including the following major chains: Honest Burger, Pho, Coco di Mama, Barburrito and Pure.

We are listed in Brakes, VegExpress, and Bidfood which supply to hotels, pubs, cafes, caterers and restaurants nationwide.
Major retail wholesalers Suma, Blakemore and Wholegood stock our products too.

We’re launching in two more major ‘big four’ supermarkets later this year, as well as some additional well-known restaurant chains.

Our aim is to increase brand awareness and market penetration via both streams.

As well as aiming to massively increase our distribution, we also are investing heavily into building a formidable innovation engine within the company, so that we can deliver loads more plant-based innovation to the category.