Flora Adds Dairy Buttermilk Back Into Vegan Buttery Spread in UK

This week, United Kingdom-based product Flora Buttery—a previously vegan spread—was re-released in a new formulation made with dairy-derived buttermilk. In 2019, the Flora brand went completely plant-based but has reintroduced dairy, citing that consumers “miss the familiar taste of buttermilk in Flora Buttery” and are “not ready to join the plant-based journey.”

The move sparked a petition to keep Flora Buttery vegan, which gained 5,000 signatures in less than 12 hours. “We understand some of our consumers are disappointed about our recent product changes to Flora Buttery,” the brand responded to criticism on Instagram. “We would like to reassure you that the Flora range is still primarily plant-based. We remain 100 percent committed to developing plant-based foods whilst providing consumers with the best possible choice.” Other products in the UK line, Flora Light and Flora Original, will remain vegan. 

Flora Buttery is owned by Upfield Group, which is also the parent company of brands distributed in the United States, including Violife, Country Crock (makers of Plant Butter), and Flora Plant Butter—all brands that will remain vegan in the US.