Plant & Bean, the UK-based meat-free venture between local manufacturer Brecks Foods and Thai group NR Instant Produce (NRF), is set to open the first of a number of new factories.

The facility, to be based in Boston in eastern England, is said by Plant & Bean to be “Europe’s largest production facility”. Plant & Bean, which already manufactures for branded meat-free businesses and produces private-label lines for retailers from a site in Yorkshire, is eyeing distribution across Europe.

The venture said the factory will have a planned initial capacity of 55,000 tonnes. A production facility is planned for the US next year and the venture is eyeing having manufacturing in Asia in 2022.

Plant & Bean CEO Edwin Bark, a former Nestle executive, argued the venture's production would help solve challenges weighing on what is a growing market for meat-free  products.

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Plant & Bean was formed when Brecks sold 25% of its meat-free division to NRF. The Thai firm plans to increase its stake in Plant & Bean to 50% next year.