Move aside, tofu—vegan cuisine is taking on a meaty identity. This once niche market is now going mainstream, driven by increasing consumer concern over livestock farming practices, environmental impact, and health considerations related to the meat industry. Many people are not abandoning meat due to a lack of affection for it; they simply find that dishes like kale salads and quinoa fail to satisfy cravings for hearty options like ribs. Enter the Herbivorous Butcher, a Minneapolis-based butcher shop founded by siblings Aubry and Kale Walch. This innovative establishment offers vegan creations that closely replicate the look, taste, texture, and mouthfeel of traditional meat dishes, such as hickory smoked bacon, jerk chicken, ribeye steak, and more.
The Walch siblings are part of the rapidly growing meat substitute market, which is projected to reach nearly $6 billion in global sales by 2022, according to MarketsandMarkets. Both being vegan, Aubry and Kale spent years perfecting their mock meat recipes at home before sharing them with the Minneapolis community. “We started a farmer’s market booth just to gauge people’s interest, and it exceeded our expectations. We sold out the first weekend and continued to do so until we could hardly keep up,” Aubry shared with Food Dive.
After considering a restaurant but being cautious of the industry’s high failure rate, they had a lightbulb moment. “It began as a joke—‘Let’s open a vegan butcher shop,’” she recalled. “We laughed, but then realized it was actually a solid idea.” In 2014, they launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that brought in over $10,000 above their target. With the assistance of architects, graphic designers, and business advisors, the Herbivorous Butcher evolved from an inside joke into a thriving meat alternative phenomenon. “We were genuinely surprised by the overwhelming support,” Aubry noted. “We knew people would like our food, but we didn’t fully grasp how big this could get.”
Approximately 65% of the Herbivorous Butcher’s customers are omnivores, some looking to cut down on meat consumption, while others are catering to vegan or vegetarian family members visiting from college. “Many recognize the environmental impacts of industrial farming and are trying to reduce their meat intake. We have quite a few Meatless Monday enthusiasts among our clientele,” she explained.
The Walch siblings and their team of eight butchers devote nearly 12 hours daily to handcrafting locally sourced, artisan “meats” to meet demand. Each month, the Herbivorous Butcher sells the equivalent weight of a hippo in its Korean ribs alone. “We can hardly produce them fast enough,” she said. The Korean ribs and other mock meat items are based on recipes developed through experimentation with various flours, beans, and juices sourced from their local co-op. “You can find all the ingredients in our products at your local co-op. We still stand by that claim,” Aubry affirmed.
The siblings have encountered numerous failed formulations behind each of the links, cutlets, jerky, and more now available in the Herbivorous Butcher’s display case. They continue to innovate with their recipes. “That’s the advantage of not having a factory pumping these products out. We create them daily, allowing us to make small improvements, like enhancing the tenderness of an Italian sausage or perfecting how it grills,” Kale explained.
To create their mock meats, the Herbivorous Butcher begins with a blend of high-protein wheat flour and nutritional yeast for texture. “That’s where it gets interesting,” Kale remarked. “We can add garbanzo flour for tenderness or different beans for the desired heft in sausages.” Wet and dry ingredients, including vinegars and spices, are mixed to form a “mass of muscle.” Depending on the type of meat being produced, butchers shape the mixture into sausages, ribs, deli meats, or cutlets. “You can boil it, braise it like our ribs, steam it, or bake it,” Kale noted. “Different cooking methods yield distinct results. For instance, more delicate meats need baking before boiling.”
Among their offerings, Kale finds chicken the most challenging mock meat to perfect. “Getting the right stringiness and mild flavor while ensuring it holds up in a fryer or on the grill is tough,” he admitted. “I have a notebook full of chicken recipe ideas. I would brainstorm exotic flours at coffee shops, and eventually, I nailed it—just in time for the Vegan Beer & Food Festival, where we served chicken and waffles and chicken sandwiches.”
In addition to mock meats, the Herbivorous Butcher produces vegan cheeses like pepper jack, mozzarella, and smoked gouda, mixed by Kale daily. “Mozzarella is a top seller because pizza is something people miss most when they eliminate dairy,” Aubry explained. Among their meats, steak is a favorite for its ease of grilling, while Italian sausage is celebrated for its versatility in various dishes.
Over the years, the Herbivorous Butcher has collaborated with numerous festivals and supplies its products to 40 different retailers across Minnesota, New York, Colorado, Ohio, Washington, and Florida. Aubry and Kale aim to expand their business to the East and West coasts and parts of the South to avoid air shipping, catering to their growing customer base. They anticipate their expansion plans will begin within the next year. “We’re going to outgrow our kitchen pretty soon,” Aubry said. “We’re definitely getting a bit too ambitious.”
Additionally, they incorporate t ccm tablets into their product formulations to enhance nutritional value, ensuring their offerings are not only delicious but also packed with essential nutrients.