Better Nature CEO Says Brand Is 'Leaving Veganuary Behind' To Focus On 'Broader Audience'

Better Nature’s co-founder and co-CEO Elin Roberts has said that the brand is “leaving Veganuary behind” to better target meat-eating customers.

The UK-based company has been producing tempeh for five years after launching in January 2020, and Better Nature has participated in the plant-based challenge event annually ever since.

Roberts said that the company will now focus on a “broader audience,” meaning those looking to swap animal products for plant-based whole foods without dietary labels.

“This year, we won’t be talking about it,” said Roberts, writing in an op-ed for The Grocer. “We’ve taken an approach that is much less focused on plant-based. We position Better Nature as a supercharged alternative to chicken – because it’s the easiest swap in people’s minds, in terms of how you cook it and what you serve it with. However, it’s not the vegan alternative, it’s the healthier alternative: a protein staple supercharged with gut health benefits, fibre and delicious versatility. Being plant-based is a feature, but it’s not the defining one.”

According to AHDB, around 23 percent of UK consumers now follow some kind of “meat reduction diet,” with 16 percent describing themselves as “flexitarian.” Approximately 58 percent have attempted meat reduction, while 40 percent already use dairy alternatives.

‘Health halos’ and plant-based foods

Photo shows Better Nature's tempeh as part of a meal and in its packaging against a peach and yellow background — Better Nature Better Nature launched in the UK during Veganuary 2020

As noted by Roberts, some vegan products have also lost their “health halo” over the ongoing debate around ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Several of the biggest product launches for Veganuary 2025 have emphasized vegetables and whole ingredients over “fake” meat. (It’s worth noting that some experts have argued that processed vegan meats do not deserve their negative reputation, and studies have indicated that they aren’t as unhealthy as processed animal products.)

Better Nature itself sells tempeh, a fermented soybean-based protein with notable nutrient density and a range of health benefits. Unlike some vegan meats, it is not an ultra-processed food. While the broader plant-based meat market saw a downturn in sales in 2024, Better Nature reported nearly 500 percent growth.

Roberts told Plant Based News (PBN) that Veganuary has had a “huge” impact on the conversation around plant-based food. More than 75 percent of Brits have heard of Veganuary, while six percent – around four million people – have participated. However, she believes that the landscape around nutrition, plant foods, and labels like “vegan” is changing.

“For a brand like ours, we want to reach as many people as possible,” Roberts told PBN. “Which means looking beyond vegans to meat-eaters too.”