The Flower Farm UK Range

The Dutch-owned brand has expanded its presence in the UK with its first major retailer listing

The Flower Farm, a palm oil-free plant-based spread, has expanded its presence in the mults with a major new national listing in Sainsbury’s.

The Dutch-owned brand had previously only been available in the UK via Booths, making its debut in the northern supermarket chain last October. However, it is widely available in its homeland, with listings in 15 major Dutch supermarkets including leading retailer Albert Heijn.

It went on sale in Sainsbury’s today (rsp: £2.95/450g). The 100% plant-based spread is free from gluten, lactose and cow’s milk protein, and is made with shea butter instead of palm oil. 

“We are delighted to have Sainsbury’s endorsement as we seek to grow the presence of our palm oil-free spread across the UK retail landscape, whilst raising awareness of the role palm oil production plays in the destruction of the world’s most biodiverse rainforests,” said The Flower Farm’s founder Marcel van Wing.

The brand has said it is designed with an aim “to help combat the catastrophic deforestation required to fulfil palm oil demand”.

By using shea butter it claimed it has saved approximately 560,000kg of palm oil, which would have taken 1.5 million square metres of palm oil plantation to produce.

“The rainforest is the basis of everything global nature needs,” van Wing added. “If we want to preserve the planet for future generations, we have to act now.

“For consumers, using palm oil-free products is a small step, but it’s a good place to start.”

The Flower Farm has called for changes to the entire food supply chain, as it has predicted demand for palm oil is likely to treble from 75 million tonnes to 264 millions tonnes per year in the next 25 years, which it said is “simply not sustainable”.