Zyrcular Foods: Building a business in the alternative protein and food tech markets

Zyrcular Foods (ZF) belonged to the family that owned Grupo Vall Companys, one of Europe’s top meat producers. It was founded in 2019 to address the market for alternative proteins, plant-based animal product substitutes, and vegan foods. In 2021, after the first steps as a distributor of Beyond Meat and other brands, the company set up a production plant, and the Zyrcular Foods CEO had to decide on the business model to develop the project. What was the real potential of this new market? How to build a profitable and sustainable competitive position? How to add value to the family meat business and not diminish it?