This Vancouver-founded vegan brand is being discontinued
Yves Veggie Cuisine won't be on grocery shelves soon after its parent company said it plans to discontinue the brand
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A well-loved vegan brand that started 40 years ago in Vancouver will be gone from supermarket shelves by the end of the year.
Yves Veggie Cuisine, which is known for its meat-free burgers, hotdogs and deli meats, is being discontinued by parent company Hain Celestial Group.
The company, which is headquartered in New Jersey, said it is shutting down the Canadian-born brand due to dwindling demand.
“The meat-free category has been declining for several years, which led to the business becoming increasingly challenging and difficult to sustain,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
The company did not make an official announcement, instead announcing the news earlier this week in a comment on a social media post touting its alternative meat products for a plant-based picnic.
In a reply for a plea for the brand to expand to Michigan, the company said it had made the “difficult decision” to discontinue the Yves brand “after careful consideration of how we can best focus our efforts to ensure long-term growth across our brand portfolio.”
Hain does not offer any other meat-free brands and directed customers to other products in its portfolio. It said it did not sell the Yves brand to another company.
The news was met with outrage and disappointment from customers, many of whom said Yves products were staples in their homes.
Some expressed disbelief that the products aren’t selling, saying they are often sold-out in their local stores. Many begged the company to reconsider, with some suggesting the company increase the price of the products rather than eliminating them completely.
The company said it is still producing Yves products, which would be available through the fall and into early winter this year.
Yves was founded by trained chef and entrepreneur Yves Potvin in 1985 after he developed what he called the world’s first veggie dog made of soy. He sold the company to Hain in 2001 before going on to develop other plant-based protein products.
More to come.
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