Swiss startup Planted is growing over four times faster than the entire plant-based meat category in Germany. Its co-founder gets to the meat of the matter.
Planted, one of Europe’s leading meat alternative makers, is outperforming the sector in Europe’s leading meat alternative market.
The startup’s sales in German supermarkets have surged by 57.6% year-to-date, with volumes up by 57.9%. In contrast, the rest of the category collectively grew by 12.5%.
The Swiss firm is the fastest-growing manufacturer in terms of percentage, and has now climbed three spots to become the eighth-largest brand by value. Germany, for contrast, accounted for 46% of plant-based meat sales in Europe’s six largest markets last year, reaching €750.8M, according to Circana data crunched by the Good Food Institute.
“We are growing more than four times faster than the category, and we now account for roughly one in five euros spent on chilled plant-based steaks and filets in the measured German market,” Planted co-founder Pascal Bieri tells Green Queen.
“It comes down to making food people enjoy and making it easier to find,” he says. “We focus on making good protein with clean, natural ingredients while focusing on the eating experience. People want something delicious, satisfying and easy to prepare, whether they are making a quick weekday dinner or putting something on the barbecue.”
That focus is translating into results, though Bieri adds that the company doesn’t see its opportunity as “simply winning a larger share of a niche”. “The real opportunity is to earn a place in the everyday meals of the much larger group of consumers who currently choose animal meat,” he asserts.
Steak is Planted’s bestselling meat alternative in Germany
According to Bieri, who founded Planted with Lukas Böni, Christoph Jenny, Eric Stirnemann, and Judith Wemmer in 2019, the company’s “investment in taste, texture and new products” is paying off. “Combined with stronger retail availability and fantastic execution by our German team and retail partners, that has created real momentum,” he says.
Aside from Switzerland and Germany, the startup’s products can be found in Austria, France, Italy, and the Benelux region, across both retail and foodservice.
“Germany is a particularly exciting example of our progress: Planted is now sold in roughly a third of stores in the measured retail market, and that reach continues to expand,” says Bieri, the same week his company’s vegan chicken landed at Starbucks stores in the country.
“We are also seeing positive momentum in other markets and channels as more retailers, restaurants and industrial partners look for high-quality protein solutions.”
Planted’s growth in Germany is being spearheaded by the flagship fermentation-enabled whole-cut steak, its best-selling meat alternative, which more than doubled its sales in the first seven months of 2026.
“I think it resonates because it gives people something they can get excited about cooking, a delicious centrepiece with a satisfying bite that works beautifully on the grill or in a pan,” Bieri suggests when asked why the steak sells faster than any of its other products.
“For this year’s BBQ season, we also increased the size of our Planted steak from 120g to 150g, giving consumers 25% more product at the same price. At a time when many brands are reducing pack sizes, we deliberately chose to go in the other direction and offer more value,” he points out.
“At the same time, we continued to improve the recipe, making the steak even juicier and more tender. It is exciting to see consumers respond so positively.”
Path to growth ‘quite straightforward’ for plant-based meat category
Planted’s performance in Germany isn’t being driven by increased promotions, with Bieri outlining how the brand relies less on discounts. Its distribution and sales per store have increased, with consumers finding its products in more places and buying them more often.
“Our retail reach has expanded, while the share of sales made on promotion fell from around 27% to 22%. For us, that is an encouraging sign of the strength of the products and the brand,” he says.
“We want Planted to become part of people’s regular shopping habits. That means being reliably available, having the right products on the shelf and giving people a good reason to choose us.”
The strong retail growth indicates that people are buying “substantially more” of its products in Germany, which Bieri calls “particularly encouraging”. “Our ambition is very clear: make products people actively want to eat again,” he outlines.
“Taste is what earns the next purchase. Sustainability and clean-label natural ingredients might encourage someone to try Planted, but enjoying the meal is what makes it part of their routine. Texture, ease of preparation and being able to find the product again all matter.”
Asked about the wider decline of plant-based meat in certain markets, he contends that the picture is “more varied than the headlines suggest”: “In Germany, the chilled category grew by around 12% in both value and volume during the period we shared, so there is clearly demand.
“At the same time, the sector has sometimes expected consumers to accept compromises on taste, texture or price because a product is more sustainable. That does not work at scale. Most people choose food based on whether it tastes great, fits their budget and works in their everyday lives.
“The path to growth is therefore quite straightforward, even if delivering it is technically difficult: make outstanding products, offer good value and bring them into mainstream meals and occasions. Our performance in Germany shows what becomes possible when those elements come together.”
Planted takes cue from Alpro amid EU labelling ban
The Swiss startup has been one of the loudest critics of the EU’s ‘veggie burger’ labelling ban, which prohibits companies from using dozens of meat-like terms on plant-based product packaging. These include ‘steak’ and ‘chicken’, affecting two of Planted’s core product categories.
“We will adapt to the requirements, but I believe the focus should be on helping consumers make informed choices. Familiar culinary names tell people how to cook and enjoy a product, and we clearly communicate that ours are plant-based,” Bieri says.
“Changing packaging and product information creates additional work and costs,” he adds, without detailing specific sums. “Our priority is to make any transition straightforward for consumers and our partners.”
It is betting on the strength of its brand and products themselves to navigate the fallout from the legislation. “The name on the pack matters, but the taste, quality and trust people associate with Planted are what truly set us apart and what we will continue to build on,” he states.
“A good example of how brands can creatively navigate naming restrictions is Danone, which just introduced new packaging for its plant-based milk under the name ‘Shh… This is Tasty’,” he adds, referring to a recent rebrand of Alpro’s This is Not Milk range.
Planted to push ‘beyond conventional plant-based formats’
Planted, which has raised upwards of $90M to date, last secured funding four years ago. That $72M Series B round was one of the last major cheques for a meat alternative company in the industry’s golden era for investment. Compared to 2022, plant-based meat makers attracted 70% less capital last year.
Bieri remains tight-lipped on Planted’s runway or financing discussions, deflecting to the company’s future focus: “Our focus is on building a strong, durable business: developing outstanding products, expanding availability, and improving operational efficiency as we grow.”
So, with a brand that’s well-known across Europe, outselling the plant-based meat category in the region’s largest market, and gaining popularity through partnerships with online influencers and foodservice giants like Starbucks, what do the next 12 months look like for Planted?
“Our focus is on taking Planted further into the mainstream: reaching more consumers with delicious food, expanding our retail presence and building deeper foodservice and industrial partnerships,” says Bieri.
“We will continue investing in products that move beyond the conventional plant-based formats and create genuinely new protein experiences. At the same time, continued scaling and operational efficiency will help us improve availability and value,” he continues.
“Our ambition is not simply to grow within the plant-based category. It is to create better food that becomes a natural and exciting part of how people eat every day.”
