Squeaky Bean is a British vegan food company and began trading in 2019.[2][1][3] It is owned by the British food manufacture company Winterbotham Darby and is based in Redhill, Surrey, United Kingdom.[1] The company experienced rapid expansion from just three products into a multiproduct brand stocked in British supermarkets. The brand significantly expanded its distribution capabilities following the growth and receiving millions of pounds worth of investment. In 2021, it was reported that the brand had amassed a turnover of £7.5 million.
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Vegan Food |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Headquarters | |
| Products | Meat analogue |
| Owner | The Compleat Food group |
Number of employees | 200+[1] |
| Website | www |
History edit
Squeaky Bean is known for creating vegan deli slices and chicken-style pieces from plant-based ingredients.[4] Despite the "Squeaky Bean" brand name, beans are not a main ingredient in their products.[3] It is wholly owned by chilled foods manufacturing company, Winterbotham Darby.[3] It is an acquisition of PAI Partners and together with Addo Food Group they form The Compleat Food Group.[5] Squeaky Bean products were originally produced at a food production facility in the Netherlands for sale in the UK.[3]
Squeaky Bean officially began trading with sales of produce in January 2019. The brand originally launched with three SKUs: satay kievs, fishless fingers and nuggets.[3] In a press release, Squeaky Bean's promotional team stated that they were "inspired" by vegan options while dining out, but were "bored" by vegan foods in supermarkets.[3] Their business strategy was to bring "childhood favourites" to the supermarkets and give vegans more "indulgent" food choices.[3] Squeaky Bean try to recreate the taste and appearance of real meat, with Augustine stating "it's a misconception that vegans and vegetarians don’t want to eat products that taste and look like meat."[4] The brand has created junk food options to attract consumers not interested in the healthy lifestyle aspect traditionally associated with the vegan food category.[6]
Squeaky Bean changed its branding, logo and packaging in their second year of trading. They also ceased use of their "100% dirty vegan" slogan. They also launched a range of ready-to-eat products.[7] The company experienced rapid growth in its early years of trading, especially in 2021.[8][9][10] In 2020, the brand received a £6 million investment and opened its first British manufacturing site in Bicester.[9][11] Squeaky Bean's distribution increased five fold that year. In November 2020, the brand significantly expanded its range with six new products.[11] In 2021, food industry magazine The Grocer valued Squeaky Bean's annual sales at £7.5 million.[9] Vegan food sales continued to rise and Squeaky Bean struggled to meet demand.[9] The company reported a sales increase of 222% year-on-year sales for the month of January 2021.[10] In 2021, Winterbotham Darby invested £5 million in a second manufacturing site in Milton Keynes to expand their supply power.[9]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the brand launched the "Squeaky Bean Plant-Based Box". The venture was a home delivery service which offered consumers a box of plant-based products during lockdowns.[6] In 2020, they added a potato tortilla to their range.[6] In May 2021, the company expanded into manufacturing dipping sauces. They launched three new dips in a partnership with The Co-operative Group.[12] In June 2021, Squeaky Bean partnered with fellow vegan brand Crackd for a new product launch. Crackd produces a vegan egg alternative, which Squeaky Bean began using in their Scotch egg style product.[13] In October 2021, Squeaky Bean announced their continued expansion in the deli-style slices category, via a deal with Sainsburys.[14] Squeaky Bean's focus on lunchbox snacks was to promote a "plant hour" initiative, in which more people eat vegan food on their lunch breaks.[15] In November 2021, it was announced that Squeaky Bean had created their first vegan cheese product, a New Yorker–style sandwich filling. It was also the first time a vegan brand had packaged a meat substitute and vegan cheese together.[16] In 2022, their parent company Winterbotham Darby, listed the brand as selling twenty SKUs in more than four major British supermarkets.[17]
In February 2021, for its work on Squeaky Bean, Winterbotham Darby won the "Plant-Based Manufacturing Company of the Year" accolade at the Food Manufacture Excellence awards.[18] In September 2021, Squeaky Bean created a publicity stunt when it partnered with social media influencers to create an online project in the style of a reality television series.[19][20] Squeaky Bean created the "Squeaky House" inside a mansion and moved seven influencers into the house. There they lived and competed with each other in vegan-themed cooking challenges.[19][20]
References edit
- ^ a b c "Squeaky Bean - LinkedIn". LinkedIn. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Business Daily - Inside an influencer house - BBC Sounds". BBC.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g Graham, Rachel (14 January 2019). "Winterbotham Darby unveils new 'dirty vegan' brand". The Grocer. (William Reed Business Media). Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b O'Neill, Lauren (10 May 2021). "This Summer, Vegan alternatives are coming for the meatiest meal of all". Vice. (Vice Media). Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "The Compleat Food Group". Compleat Food Group. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Rafferty, Olivia (10 July 2020). "Squeaky Bean: The food brand breaking vegan stereotypes". The Vegan Review. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Squeaky bean ready-to-eat launches". Winterbotham Darby. 24 January 2020. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ Nicholls, Jimmy (17 December 2021). "Meat-free 2021: challengers clean up with fake meats". The Grocer. (William Reed Business Media). Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Leonard-Bedwell, Niamh (23 August 2021). "Squeaky Bean to benefit from £5m Winterbotham Darby investment". The Grocer. (William Reed Business Media). Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b "2021 Becomes Veganuary's Biggest Year Yet". Westpak. 9 February 2021. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b Addy, Rod (19 November 2020). "Plant-based Squeaky Bean range expands in Tesco". Food Manufacture. (William Reed Business Media). Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Squeaky Bean just launched its first ever vegan dips into Co-op - Vegan Trade Journal". Vegan Trade Journal. 11 May 2021. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Picnic Perfect: Squeaky Bean Brings "World's First" Vegan Scotch Egg to Tesco in New Range - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine". Vegconomist - the Vegan Business Magazine. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ Ridler, James (14 October 2021). "Vegan pepperoni to plant-based pizza: New product launches". Food Manufacture. (William Reed Business Media). Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Squeaky Bean launches plant hour". PlantBased (44). (Prime Impact Events & Media): 10. September 2021.
- ^ Woolfson, Daniel (8 November 2021). "Squeaky Bean targets sharing platters with vegan 'cured meat' slices". The Grocer. (William Reed Business Media). Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Our brands". Winterbotham Darby. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "UK: Squeaky Bean Awarded Plant-Based Food Manufacturer of the Year - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine". Vegconomist. 11 March 2021. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b Murphy, David (15 September 2021). "Squeaky Bean pushes veganism with Squeaky House influencer project". Mobile Marketing Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Squeaky House launches - first food creator house". Winterbotham Darby. 14 September 2021. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.