Bovril has been warming the terraces for over 120 years – and in what is sure to be World Vegan Day’s meatiest news story – the iconic beefy brand and the world’s greenest football club, Forest Green Rovers have today released details of a new, entirely vegan collaboration.
Ensuring that no football fan is left out in the cold, Bovril is launching a vegan version of the beefy, British half-time drink. The makeover comes as League Two side, Forest Green, teams up with Bovril’s own ‘backroom staff’ to develop a new high protein paste made from beets instead of beef, that will be on offer exclusively at the innocent New Lawn.
Since making the switch to become the world’s first completely vegan football club in 2015, Forest Green has totally transformed their half time menu. Yet despite listing award-winning vegan Q Pies through to delicious vegan beers, there’s always been one iconic footy ritual that has never been able to be matched – until now. The collaboration will ensure all fans can get in on the tasty half-time action when Forest Green reopens the turnstiles.
Through the special plant-based recipe, Bovril is set to turn the terraces green and help power supporters for the full 90 minutes once fans are welcomed back into stadiums. Set to make its full debut to coincide with the opening home game of the 2021/2022 season, the hope is that everyone will be able to raise their mugs in celebration of Forest Green Rovers latest signing.
Giving fans the insider scoop on the partnership, Forest Green Rovers chairman, Dale Vince – also an Ambassador for Veganuary, said: “We’re famously not fans of tradition but – a pie and a mug of Bovril are for many people a football tradition – and while we have great pies without animals in them, we’ve no Bovril alternative. That may be about to change, with the advent of plant Bovril. I think that would be fantastic.”
“There are so many benefits to a plant-based diet - not least athletic performance and as it happens, beetroot is renowned for its enhancing properties. It’s definitely something for our players, another edge to our game. Make no bones about it – plant Bovril is a fab idea.”
Sophie Allan, Brand Manager at Bovril, said: “Bovril has long been known as traditional football fare. We’ve been warming the terraces since 1886. But times and appetites are changing, and we would never want to leave any football fans out in the cold.”
“Seeing Forest Green make major moves in the vegan space made us realise that there has never been a better time to explore the prospect of a new, one off formula that simply can’t be beet – ensuring that all fans can get in on the action.”
The news comes following extensive talks from the nutrition team at Forest Green and Bovril’s R&D team to develop the new formula, which they aim to serve up to fans exclusively when they return to the innocent New Lawn in 2021.
