Upfield has decided to add milk back into its Flora Buttery recipe, a year and a half after the range went completely plant-based.
Houston, we have a problem. Upfield have decided to add buttermilk back into their Flora Buttery product, making the popular margarine no longer suitable for vegans.
This news comes a year and a half after the range went entirely plant-based, and is a shock to the vegan and dairy-free community.
Flora claim this change is due to customer feedback that shoppers preferred “the familiar taste profile” and buttery taste of the line’s original recipe.
According to Upfield, the recipe change has been clearly signposted on the pack so that vegans do not purchase the newly formulated recipe and can opt for one of the other vegan options in the range.
Flora statement
Taking to Instagram, Flora made the following statement: “We understand some of our consumers are disappointed about our recent product changes to Flora Buttery.
“We would like to reassure you that the Flora range is still primarily plant-based. We remain 100% committed to developing plant-based foods whilst providing consumers with the best possible choice.”
The Instagram post was met with hundreds of comments standing against Flora, expressing their outrage at the company choosing potential profits over their ethics.
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‘Some customers are not ready to join the plant-based journey’
This was further explained on their website FAQs: “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.”
Vegans on social media have vowed to boycott the brand, instead promising to choose one of their dairy-free competitors including Naturli, Pure, and Vitalite.
Vegan recipe changes
While Flora Buttery is no longer vegan, Upfield says its ‘ambition is still to encourage everyone to adopt a plant-based diet’ with the rest of the range remaining completely dairy-free.
Upfield has announced recipe changes to Flora Light, Flora Original and Flora Buttery, which will launch in-store from next week.
Flora Light now contains fewer calories and less fat and the improved Flora Original recipe has an increased fat percentage of 79% to enhance the taste and performance in cooking and baking.
You can sign the petition to keep Flora dairy-free here.
Find the latest vegan product launches here.
