NOOOOOOOOO!!!
Our vegan spread of choice is no longer vegan. Flora have taken the decision to change their recipe and add buttermilk into the recipe. We're absolutely gutted and have tweeted our unhappiness to Flora - along with what seems like every other UK-based vegan too - take a look at some of the responses on their tweet.
It does seem like a strange decision because all of Flora's recent marketing has said how plants are our future, but obviously there must be a bit more to this somewhere along the line. Perhaps the strong focus on the range being plant-based has negatively impacted their sales in a way the company weren't expecting. Either way it is a real disappointment from our point of view; the world is definitely moving this way and it does seem like a backward step to reintroduce dairy to the range.
If you know an alternative which we need to try (and review) let us know in the comments below.
For their part Flora have said:
At Flora, we take pride in our plant-based products which are consistently evolving to meet consumer needs and provide everyone with choice. Our overarching goal is to encourage everyone to adopt a plant-based diet. However, having listened to a significant number of consumers who miss the familiar taste of buttermilk in FLORA Buttery, some customers are not ready to join the plant-based journey yet and are seeking an alternative product.
Therefore, we have decided to change the Flora Buttery recipe and new product and packaging will appear in store. The new recipe includes a small amount of buttermilk which is clearly labelled on the front of the new pack and is also highlighted in the ingredients. The new variant of the product does not include the Vegan Society’s certification logo.
We know some consumers may find this news disappointing and we would like to reassure you that the Flora range remains primarily vegan. We recently launched Flora Plant, salted and unsalted - our new vegan and dairy free alternative to dairy butter. Vegan and dairy-intolerant consumers can also still purchase Flora Original and Flora Light which remain vegan and now have enhanced recipes and benefits. These variants all include the Vegan Trademark on pack and are certified dairy free."