Living proof that we name for the future

Encko, originally established in 1960 as 'Eerste Nederlandse Keurslagers Combinatie,' began its journey focused solely on the meat industry. However, in the 1980s, founder Arnold Veerman foresaw the rising demand for vegetarian alternatives and pivoted towards developing soybean-based meat substitutes.

While these early products were nutritionally rich, they lacked flavor. At the time, vegetarianism was still a niche market, and mediocre taste was often accepted. Vegetarian meatballs, burgers, and schnitzels were mainly sold through health food shops, with labels like biodynamic, organic, and bio.

Recognizing the need for broader appeal, Arnold enlisted Globrands to help create a brand name and positioning strategy that would enable global development.

The brief was clear: the name should have international potential, focusing on the mission of promoting healthy, plant-based food options. It needed to resonate with people leading sustainable, vibrant lifestyles, both health and environmentally conscious.

The result was 'Vivera,' a name derived from the Latin words 'vivere' (life) and 'vera' (true). This name was met with enthusiasm for its worldly, tasty, and optimistic connotations. In 1990, Encko introduced the Vivera brand to Dutch supermarkets, making it one of the first meat substitute brands on the market.

A significant milestone in Vivera's history was the development of the world's first plant-based steak. This innovation propelled Vivera into international markets, and today, Vivera products are available in over 25,000 supermarkets across 25 European countries.

For consumer acceptance, Vivera's current products still resemble traditional meat products, using familiar terms like 'chicken,' 'hamburgers,' and 'schnitzel.' However, Vivera is looking to the future, planning to create protein products that move beyond meat analogies and will feature unique names.

Vivera continues to prove that sustainable food can be delicious, innovative, and globally embraced.