Vida Veg expands national operations and consolidates plant-based portfolio

Founded in 2016, in Lavras, in the south of Minas Gerais, Vida Veg entered a new stage of expansion. With revenue of R$100 million in 2025, presence in all Brazilian capitals and a portfolio of almost 60 products, the company has established itself as one of the main national manufacturers of plant-based foods. Now it is betting on expanding some categories to accelerate growth in the coming years.

From the beginning, the company's strategy was different from that adopted by most companies in the sector. Instead of focusing efforts solely on plant-based drinks, the brand invested in verticalizing the operation, building its own industry and developing a broad portfolio of products.

Today, Vida Veg produces vegetable drinks, yogurts, cheeses, cottage cheese, desserts, creams, spreads and hummus based on ingredients such as cashew nuts, coconut, oats and chickpeas.

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"We didn't want to be just a plant-based drink brand. The proposal was to participate in the consumer's routine throughout the day", said the company's founder and CEO, Álvaro Gazol, in an interview with CNN Agro.

The result of this strategy appears in the distribution of sales. The company's best-selling individual product is currently sliced mozzarella made from cashew nuts. Even so, the item represents only 4% of the company's total revenue, reflecting the diversification of the portfolio.

Capacity to grow
The main raw material used by the company is cashew nuts, acquired mainly in the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará. According to the company, more than 100 tons are purchased annually.

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In addition to nuts, the company uses coconut produced in the Northeast and certified gluten-free national oats. The only raw material still imported is almonds, currently acquired from California, in the United States, and Chile.

Gazoll assesses, however, that there is potential for the development of culture in Brazil.

"I believe that in the future we will have national production too", he stated.

All production is concentrated in the Lavras industrial unit. The factory has the installed capacity to produce a thousand tons of food per month, but currently operates between 30% and 40% of that volume.

According to the executive, the structure was planned precisely to support strong expansion in the coming years.

"The factory was prepared to grow. First you invest in the industrial structure, because it takes longer to build. Now we have space to accelerate", he stated.

The location of the unit in Minas Gerais was strategically defined by its proximity to the main consumer centers in the country. Currently, around 60% of sales are concentrated in the Southeast region, although the products are already present in supermarkets in all Brazilian capitals.

Accelerated growth after the pandemic
Vida Veg's growth gained strength mainly after the pandemic.

Between 2020 and 2024, the company recorded annual expansion rates exceeding 60%, exceeding 100% in some periods.

For 2026, the expectation is for a more moderate, but still significant, increase of around 25%.

According to Gazoll, the global market for plant-based products went through a period of strong enthusiasm, especially around so-called plant-based meats that sought to reproduce the sensorial characteristics of products of animal origin.

Over the years, however, some of these initiatives lost strength in the face of criticism related to the high degree of processing of some products.

"Consumers want more natural products, with ingredients they know," he said.

Acquisition expands presence in vegetable proteins
Following this trend, Vida Veg decided to reinforce its operations in categories considered more natural and functional.

In early 2026, the company announced the acquisition of Plant Choice, a brand specializing in vegetable sausages produced with ingredients such as pea protein, wheat protein, mushrooms and olive oil.

The portfolio includes vegetable sausages made from mushrooms, as well as products inspired by pastrami, parma ham and vegetable turkey breast.

"Plant Choice is very much in line with what we believe in: products with clean, easy-to-understand ingredient lists," said Gazolll.

According to him, the next step will be to expand the brand's distribution using Vida Veg's already consolidated commercial structure throughout the national territory.

Taxation is still a challenge for the sector
Despite the advancement of the plant-based food market, Gazoll assesses that there are still important obstacles to the expansion of consumption in Brazil.

Among them is the tax burden on plant-based products. According to the executive, plant-based drinks can reach consumers at prices up to four times higher than conventional milk, largely due to taxation.

"This limits access and reduces the speed of market growth," he said.

Even in the face of challenges, the businessman maintains an optimistic view about the future of the sector.

For him, the advancement of plant-based foods does not represent a complete replacement of animal proteins, but a gradual change in consumers' eating habits.

"I don't believe in the end of animal protein consumption. What I see is a movement towards balance, with people incorporating more plant-based options into their routine", he concluded.

Source: CNN