Two powerhouses of European influence, the alt-meat developer and globally respected football team are leading the charge in the fight for reduced meat consumption.
Meatless Farm and Real Madrid are preparing to shock the world while impressing upon it the importance of drastically reducing meat consumption. The aim is to educate and encourage systemic change — on an international level — regarding issues of environmental impact and personal health.
Both organisations are vehemently calling for a cultural shift that will allow individuals who have previously eaten a meat-heavy diet to adopt plant-based alternatives. Putting this into practice, Real Madrid has charged its team of expert nutritionists to work alongside Meatless Farm in a bid to prove that peak performance, nutritional balance, and optimal health can be enjoyed with fewer animal products. Players from the team will be sharing their experiences of making the switch from animal to plant-based meat while expanding on the theme of environmental impact as well.
Despite sustainability becoming an all-important issue, embracing a reduction in meat consumption still raises an eyebrow. Particularly in the sphere of professional sport, though Real Madrid has consistently demonstrated a commitment to contributing to global initiatives such as this. Notably, the club was the first to join the United Nations Global Compact, universally recognised as the world’s most sizeable corporate sustainability drive.
“At Meatless Farm, we are not pro-vegan or anti-meat, but want to reach a broader mainstream audience by making mini changes joyful,” Ferry Kamp, Meatless Farm’s global head of marketing, told The Vegan Review. “Real Madrid is one of the leading sports clubs in sustainability and nutrition expertise, and with this values-driven partnership, we want to change how people eat and show how plant-based food can be part of a performance-based diet.”
He added: “Working with the biggest sports club in the world will allow us to reach a global audience and make plant-based eating more acceptable for people who still like their meat. Being a meat alternative does not mean we need to behave like the meat.”
Emilio Butragueño, Real Madrid’s director of institutional relations, noted as part of a wider statement released on the club’s website: “We as a global team have an important role to play in engaging with society to make real changes that will help create a more sustainable world and improve personal health and performance.”
Combining the reach and influence of Real Madrid with Meatless Farm’s proven products and popularity looks set to be a recipe for sustainable success.