All jobs lost at vegan food company

Leeds-based vegan food company, Meatless Farm, has stopped trading and made its staff redundant.

The business made plant-based alternatives to meat which were sold in major UK supermarkets, but all its 50 workers have lost their jobs and the firm’s website is no longer online.

It comes amidst a wider drop in demand for meat alternatives. Insolvency firm Kroll is now advising the firm on its options.

Commercial director Tim Offer commented on his Linkedin profile: “Sadly, my time at Meatless Farm has come to an end… the business has unfortunately made all the teams redundant.”

The company’s interim finance executive, John Loughrey, said he and other colleagues were now looking for their “next assignment.”

He added: “It is a shame the company has not made it through this difficult period and I wish all my former colleagues the best of luck for the future.”

Meatless Farm had sold its products in the US, China, and several European countries. The firm was established in 2016 by Danish entrepreneur Morten Toft Bech in Leeds.

Cyclist Mark Cavendish, the greatest sprinter in the history of the Tour de France, was one of the first to invest with the company, which in 2021 raised at least £2.3m in its crowdfunding debut.

In total, the firm raised about £40m over several funding rounds.

The company became one of UK’s top three best known plant-based brands and recorded 148% year-on-year net sales growth in 2020.