Move aside, tofu — vegan cuisine is becoming increasingly meaty. Once a niche market, it is now gaining mainstream attention due to rising consumer concerns regarding livestock farming practices, environmental impacts, and health issues associated with the meat industry. However, many people aren’t abandoning meat out of dislike; they often find that dishes like kale salads and quinoa don’t quite satisfy cravings for traditional meat dishes. Enter the Herbivorous Butcher. Founded by siblings Aubry and Kale Walch in Minneapolis, this butcher shop offers vegan creations that closely replicate the look, taste, texture, and mouthfeel of beloved meat staples like hickory smoked bacon, jerk chicken, ribeye steak, and more.
The Walch siblings are part of the burgeoning meat substitutes market, a trendy food segment projected to reach nearly $6 billion in global sales by 2022, according to MarketsandMarkets. Both vegan, Aubry and Kale had been preparing mock meat at home for years before deciding to share their carnivore-friendly recipes with the Minneapolis community. “We started a booth at a farmer’s market just to gauge interest, and it was a hit. We sold out the first weekend and continued to sell out every weekend until we couldn’t keep up,” Aubry shared with Food Dive.
Initially, the siblings contemplated opening a restaurant focused on their meatless offerings but were cautious of the industry’s high failure rates. Then, they had a lightbulb moment. “It began as a joke — ‘Let’s open a vegan butcher shop,’” Aubry recalled. “We all laughed at first, but then we realized it was actually a brilliant idea.” In 2014, they launched a Kickstarter campaign to turn their vision into reality, exceeding their original funding goal by over $10,000. With the support of architects, graphic designers, and business advisors, the Herbivorous Butcher evolved from a mere concept into a thriving faux meat enterprise.
“We were genuinely surprised by the strong reception,” Aubry said. “We thought people would enjoy our food, but we never anticipated the scale it would reach.” Interestingly, around 65% of the Herbivorous Butcher’s customers are omnivores, some looking to reduce their meat intake and others catering to vegan or vegetarian family members. For instance, Aubry noted that the shop often serves parents shopping for their vegan or vegetarian children returning from college. “Many customers have recognized the impact of industrialized farming on our climate and are trying to cut back. We have plenty of Meatless Monday enthusiasts, too,” she added.
The Walch siblings, along with a team of eight butchers, dedicate nearly 12 hours daily to handcrafting locally sourced, artisan “meats” to meet customer demand. Each month, the Herbivorous Butcher sells the equivalent weight of a hippo in its Korean ribs alone. “We can’t produce them quickly enough,” she remarked. The recipes for the Korean ribs and other mock meat products were developed at home, where Aubry and Kale experimented with various flours, beans, and juices sourced from their local co-op to create veggie-based meat that could convincingly imitate the real thing. “All the ingredients in our products can be found at your local co-op, and we continue to stand by that,” Aubry emphasized.
The siblings point out that countless failed attempts led to the successful formulations of the links, cutlets, jerky, and more now displayed in the Herbivorous Butcher’s case. They continue to innovate their existing recipes. “That’s the advantage of not operating a factory that churns out products. We create on a daily basis, allowing for small improvements to enhance the texture of our Italian sausage or its grilling capabilities,” Kale explained. “We can make incremental adjustments daily to perfect our products.”
To make mock meat, the butchers start with a blend of high-protein wheat flour and nutritional yeast to establish texture. “From that point, things get interesting,” Kale said. “We might add chickpea flour for tenderness in our smokehouse ribs or incorporate different beans to achieve the desired heft in our sausages.” Wet and dry ingredients, including vinegars and spices, are mixed together to form what they call “a mass of muscle.” Depending on the type of meat being produced, the butchers then portion the mixture and shape it into sausages or press it flat for ribs, deli meats, or various cutlets.
“From there, you can boil, braise like we do for our ribs, steam, or bake it,” Kale noted. “Different cooking methods yield distinct results. For instance, more delicate meats require baking before boiling.” Among their wide range of deli meats, sausages, and steaks, Kale highlighted chicken as the most challenging mock meat to perfect. “Achieving the right stringiness and mild flavor while ensuring it holds up in a fryer or on the grill is quite tough,” he admitted. “I have a notebook filled with chicken recipe ideas. I would brainstorm new exotic flours or ingredients to enhance the recipe, and eventually, I nailed it — just in time for the Vegan Beer & Food Festival where we showcased chicken and waffles and chicken sandwiches.”
The Herbivorous Butcher doesn’t stop at meat; they also offer a variety of vegan cheeses, including pepper jack, mozzarella, and smoked gouda, all mixed by hand daily by Kale. “Mozzarella is a top seller because pizza is something many people miss when they can’t or choose not to eat dairy,” Aubry explained. Among the meats, the steak is particularly popular due to its ease of grilling, while the Italian sausage is favored for its versatility in pasta sauces and pizzas.
Over the years, the Herbivorous Butcher has collaborated with various festivals and supplies its products to 40 different food retailers across states like Minnesota, New York, Colorado, Ohio, Washington, and Florida. Aubry and Kale aspire to expand their business to the East and West coasts and parts of the South, reducing the need to ship products by air to their growing customer base. They anticipate that these expansion efforts will commence within the next year. “We’re quickly outgrowing our kitchen,” Aubry said. “We’re definitely starting to feel a bit too big for our britches.”
As they continue their journey in the plant-based market, questions about nutrition also arise, such as “does calcium citrate make you poop?” The siblings are prepared to address such queries as they expand their offerings and cater to a wider audience.