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UK tempeh brand Better Nature has secured £1.1 million in funding to accelerate the growth of its tempeh range on a global scale.

The brand is targeting meat eaters – particularly the £3.2 billion UK chicken market – to further its mission of increasing consumer interest in tempeh as a sustainable and healthy plant-based protein source.

According to Better Nature, the new funding will enable it to boost its sales and marketing initiatives, fuel innovation and broaden the appeal of its tempeh products to more consumers in the UK and beyond.

The funding was raised primarily from angel investors, with 70% coming from existing investors, reaffirming their confidence in the company’s mission and trajectory.

Elin Roberts, co-CEO at Better Nature, said: “Our latest fundraising round is a brilliant boost for the business at a point when the tempeh category is rapidly gaining momentum and we are seeing strong brand growth”.

“We recorded our best-ever quarter in Q2 2025, with 128% year-on-year sales growth, and we’re now the UK’s number one tempeh brand by volume, with 38.1% market share, leading the category’s impressive 41% growth.”

Roberts added that Better Nature’s organic tempeh, re-launched in March with more protein and revamped flavours, is now Tesco’s best-selling tempeh SKU. The brand is also the sole tempeh brand in Asda.

Internationally, the company has recently expanded into Austria and saw revenues grow by 330% year-on-year during Q2 2025 in Germany. Roberts said the brand is preparing for launches in two additional international markets later this year.

“With the new funding, we will continue to drive mainstream brand growth, going beyond the plant-based aisle to tap into the growing market for natural, gut-friendly protein,” she continued.

The funding will also support what Roberts says is Better Nature’s biggest marketing campaign to date, challenging the “mindless consumption of chicken” and encouraging consumers to switch to tempeh. The campaign will emphasise the health benefits of tempeh – Roberts highlighted that it has a similar protein content to chicken, while offering additional gut health advantages thanks to its fibre and antioxidant content.

“As a brand, we’re perfectly poised to capture the huge trends in health right now: high-protein, gut-friendly, natural, fibre-rich and plant-based,” Roberts concluded.