{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"This!\u2122 - Andy Shovel","description":"Introducing Andy Shovel. He co-founded the plant-based meat alternative brand THIS!\u2122 back in 2019 on a mission to force the world\u2019s livestock into retirement. Only five years on, his vegan start-up is now valued at over \u00a3150mn and doing exactly what it set out to. Last year alone they saved 557k animals from the slaughterhouse targeting reforming meat lovers searching for familiar textures and flavours. From fry-up favourites like streaky bacon and sausages, bbq classics like burgers and mince through to Sunday specials like their THIS!\u2122 isn\u2019t roast chicken and stuffing. And that\u2019s not all. In 2023 they were the fastest growing retail brand in the UK expanding into a wide range of on-the-go options including sandwiches, wraps and pasta salads stocked across majors like Tesco, Sainsbury\u2019s and ASDA through to restaurants like Neat Burger, Bills & Greggs.    Their rise to fame has been anything but boring. Forget an earnest tone dressed in soft greens - they like to state things in black and white. Not just welcoming controversy but actively seeking it out. From pranking anti-veganist Piers Morgan with an ice sculpture to launch their frozen range through to a Veganuary helpline for reforming meat lovers and big OOH ads across London such as their recent \u2018This! is kind of a pig deal\u2019 to promote their pork sausages. And their newsjacker strategy seems to be working. Despite the meat free category losing some of its sheen and critics daming processed foods, This!\u2122 has bucked the downward trend growing the category by 33% while market leaders such as Quorn and Richmond continue to decline.  In this episode we talk about the boom, bust and realignment of the meat-free space, their strategy for success in a volatile market and their plans for the future. Dig in.      ","author_name":"People Doing Things","author_url":"http:\/\/edlittle.co.uk\/","html":"