Future Food Quick Bites: Mung Bean Bits, Accro Protein Strips & Hackney Ad Ban

From greenqueen.com.hk

By Anay Mridul

Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Oh Mungood’s UK debut, Accro’s higher-protein meat alternative, and One Planet Pizza’s frozen meals

Swedish plant-based food brand Oh Mungood has entered the UK through distributor Albion Fine Foods. Its mung bean bits are already on the menu of salad chain Holy Green, which recently opened its first London restaurant.

Courtesy: Oh Mungood

Fellow Swedish firm Mö Foods has gained new listings for its oat milk cheeses, with ICA Gruppen carrying its chèvre alternative across Sweden, and Rewe stocking the chèvre and feta in Germany.

In more news from Sweden, mycoprotein startup Smaqo has introduced its blended meat range to e-grocer Mylla, following its brick-and-mortar debut at ICA Gruppen earlier this year.

Courtesy: Smaqo

In Denmark, Naturli’ has launched a new organic plant-based mince with 18% protein from sunflower seeds, fava beans, and yellow peas, created in partnership with Organic Plant Protein and Hilton Foods. It’s available at supermarkets including Bilka, Føtex, Netto, Coop 365, Kvickly, SuperBrugsen, and Rema 1000.

French plant-based meat brand Accro, owned by Nxtfood, has unveiled a higher-protein chicken strips SKU. It will deliver 50g of protein from yellow peas and wheat per 180g pack.

In the UK, plant-based protein start-up This has rolled out ready-to-eat This Isn’t Picnic Eggs, which contain 74% less saturated fat than the conventional version and can be found at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado for £2.95 per 140g pack.

British vegan food start-up One Planet Pizza has diversified from pizza into frozen meals, rolling out tofu tikka masala with rice, mac and cheese, and vegetable and lentil ragù lasagne in 276 Asda stores this month. Its pepperoni and margherita pizzas, meanwhile, will now also be stocked at all 207 Iceland’s Food Warehouse stores.

Courtesy: One Planet Pizza

And Singaporean food tech start-up Prefer has expanded the presence of its bean-free coffee through its ongoing partnership with Le Tach Vending, which stocked its canned drinks in machines at MRT stations across the city. Now, they’re being launched at the National University of Singapore and the Singapore University of Technology and Design, totalling 47 vending machines.

Company, finance, policy and research developments

Czech cultivated meat start-up BeneMeat welcomed biomanufacturing giant Zeta to its offices in Prague, with the latter showing interest in the former’s tech, production and development facility, its progress, and future plans.

In East London, Zoë Garbett, mayor of Hackney Council, has pledged to eliminate meat and dairy advertising on council-owned land, making it the first local authority in the UK to do so.

A new survey by The Vegan Society shows that 65% of Brits find factory farming unacceptable, and the majority (82%) of respondents were meat-eaters.

Researchers at the Technical University of Denmark and Aarhus University have boosted the lysine content in fava beans and rapeseed press cakes more than threefold via a two-stage bacterial fermentation process, an encouraging sign for the essential amino acid score of plant proteins.

Finally, US carbon-derived fat start-up Savor has been selected for L’Oréal‘s 2026 Green Sciences Incubator, run by the cosmetics giant’s research and innovation team in partnership with Genopole.

https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/future-food-quick-bites-mung-bean-bits-accro-protein-strips-hackney-ad-ban/

Vegan Kids: What Parents Need to Know About Raising Children on a Vegan Diet

From health.yahoo.com

Vegan parenting has become increasingly visible, with celebrities including Mayim Bialik, Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel discussing how they approach plant-based eating with their children. Their strategies range from familiar comfort foods to creative swaps that make vegan meals appealing to kids.

Bialik has discussed serving vegan versions of kid-friendly favourites, while examples highlighted by Yahoo include vegan macaroni and cheese and chickpea burgers. Portman has also pointed to options such as tempeh bacon, coconut yogurt and cashew-based cheese.

Deschanel has described encouraging her son's health-conscious choices while making plant-based eating easier at social occasions. The examples suggest that keeping familiar foods on the menu can help children adjust to a vegan lifestyle.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of a Vegan Diet for Kids

Credit: Pexels

A well-planned vegan diet can provide plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and other plant foods, but growing children have particularly high nutritional needs. Research examining vegan children has found generally normal growth in many cases, while also emphasizing that careful planning and supplementation are important.

The biggest concern is making sure children receive enough nutrients that can be harder to obtain without animal products. Protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 all deserve particular attention, with B12 requiring supplementation or reliable fortified sources. 

The research also highlights how limited the evidence remains. As the review notes, "proper planning and supplementation by caregivers is needed," meaning a vegan diet should not simply involve removing meat, eggs and dairy without replacing their nutritional contributions.

How Parents Can Make a Vegan Diet Healthier

Parents considering a vegan diet for a child should focus on variety rather than simply avoiding animal products. Meals should regularly include protein-rich foods such as beans, lentils, tofu and other soy foods, alongside whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts or nut butters and fortified foods.

Vitamin B12 is especially important because it is not naturally available in adequate amounts from ordinary plant foods. Parents should discuss supplementation and their child's overall diet with a paediatrician or registered dietitian rather than relying on guesswork.

It is also important to monitor growth and nutritional status as children develop. A vegan diet can work for some families, but professional guidance can help ensure that the choice supports a child's growth rather than unintentionally creating nutritional gaps.

https://health.yahoo.com/wellness/nutrition/healthy-eating/articles/vegan-kids-parents-know-raising-220700664.html

Opinion: Vegan purity culture must end: In defence of imperfect veganism

From theboar.org

By Luke Evans

Having gone from an omnivore to mostly vegan about four months after starting university, I have a lot to say for the benefits of imperfect veganism. I started as an imperfect vegetarian, never cooking myself meat products, but still eating the same meals as my family when I visited home.

I didn’t plan on going vegan at all when I swore off meat. I’d known for a long time that once I lived alone, I wouldn’t buy myself meat products. It wasn’t long, though, before I phased out eggs, which I never really liked anyway, and milk, which kept going bad before I finished the bottle, making oat and soya milks much more practical, economical, and responsible in terms of reducing waste.

At that point, probably halfway through my second term at university, I realised I was basically vegan, with pretty much cheese and cake as my only main exceptions. I’d spent a lot of that time learning a lot more about exactly how much suffering industrial animal farming causes to creatures, people, and the planet, and decided to commit to full veganism.

I imagine many vegans out there would probably still call me imperfect

It’s only now, two and a half years later, though, that I can really call myself a proper vegan without feeling the looming weight of bad-faith social media discourse bear down on me. In between then and now, I often ate cheese or cake with my family, none of whom are even vegetarian, or when there was little else available to eat.

I imagine many vegans out there would probably still call me imperfect. I wear leather shoes and belts – ones I’ve owned for years and bought second-hand: far more environmentally friendly than buying new plastic leather alternatives. At my brother’s wedding, I ate mozzarella and halloumi, because the menu had been decided a year beforehand, when I was only vegetarian. Better to eat cheese for one day than go hungry and waste food. In my opinion, none of this discounts me from being vegan. If it did, when do I gain the title back? Once I’ve gone to vegan confession and said five vegan Our Fathers?

My point is that purity culture doesn’t help the vegan community and certainly hasn’t helped our reputation. In fact, giving our peers the grace of finding their footing in a new lifestyle that our society isn’t set up for is far more likely to encourage them to stay, and eventually drop their last few animal-based items. This idea has grown in popularity with the “Vegan but Bacon” principle.

The name comes from TikTok content creator trailmixliz’s video where she encourages those who would like to go vegan or plant-based – which aren’t quite the same thing – for ethical or environmental reasons, but have one or two items they’d struggle to give up, to go vegan except for those items, bacon in this example. It’s hardly a new notion, but she put it into simple, clear words that helped connect the dots for a lot of people who’d been toying with the idea of veganism or vegetarianism for a while.

For me, this idea can extend to more than simply liking bacon too much to forgo it. It’s a common experience to meet someone who was vegan or vegetarian but had to reintroduce certain foods such as fish into their diets for health reasons, which can apply to so many other areas of life.

If people start where they’re comfortable and healthy, they may find, in time, they are more able or willing to adopt a fully vegan lifestyle

Those who have struggled/struggle with disordered eating may find it healthier to allow themselves flexibility with their diet than to enforce strict rules on themselves, which may be detrimental in the long run. Others may find that animal-based products or practises are important to their community or heritage, and be unwilling to give that up, but want to be reduce their consumption outside of that. Instead of demanding perfection, we should be encouraging exactly this.

If people start where they’re comfortable and healthy, they may find, in time, they are more able or willing to adopt a fully vegan lifestyle. If not, they’re still making a massive difference in terms of emissions and harm reduction simply by lowering their consumption of animal products. And, ultimately, that should be the main goal of every vegan: to reduce harm, not to police how other people accomplish that.

Anything we do in life is full of variability and nuance, and to what degree we can and do use or avoid animal products is no different. Demanding an all-or-nothing approach to veganism only serves to alienate people and prevent long-term progress.

https://theboar.org/2026/10/vegan-purity-culture-must-end-in-defence-of-imperfect-veganism/ 

15 of the Best Vegan Fall Drinks in America

From vegnews.com

By Charlotte Pointing

Discover our favourite vegan fall latte drops across the country, from pumpkin spice and caramel apple to roasted banana and cereal milk

Fall s officially on our doorstep. The leaves are dropping, pumpkins are lining store shelves, and we’ve suddenly developed a serious craving for seasonal beverages. If you’re right there with us, we’ve rounded up our favourite fall drinks—in no particular order—from independent coffee shops and major chains across the country.

And don’t worry: while there are plenty of pumpkin spice options, you’ll also find alternatives featuring caramel apple, roasted banana, and even cereal milk.

Pull on your favourite vegan leather boots. It’s time for a latte run.

Our favourite fall lattes and beverages at independent coffee shops

Grindcore House

1Grindcore House’s Pumpkin Pie Latte

Philadelphia, PA

Grindcore House has served hearty vegan fare and coffee to the Philadelphia community since 2010, and it’s still going strong. Stop by for one of its sandwich specials this fall, and wash it down with a signature Pumpkin Pie Latte made with house-made pumpkin syrup. Order it hot or iced, or opt for a chai or matcha version.

2Dark Hall Coffee’s Maple Roasted Banana Latte

Phoenix, AZ

You can always rely on Dark Hall Coffee to embrace the seasonal spirit. With its gothic branding, the café was made for fall and Halloween. This year, it’s offering three seasonal lattes: Sweet Corn and Sage, Miss Pumpkin Pie, and Maple Roasted Banana. They all sound delicious, but the Maple Roasted Banana, made with caramelized bananas, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and Maldon salt, caught our eye the most.

3Memento Mori’s White Chocolate Apple Matcha

Portland, OR

When fall hits and spooky season descends upon us, a trip to Portland’s premier vegan goth coffee shop is in order. Whether you’re a visitor enjoying the Pacific Northwest’s beautiful fall foliage, or you’re a local taking advantage of the BIPOC woman-owned café’s community events (think witches meetups, fortune reading pop-ups, or even gatherings to help develop latent psychic powers), staying caffeinated is essential. Options like the Maple Bourbon Latte or the Pumpkin Tres Leches Latte with whipped pumpkin cream cheese top are guaranteed winners, but we’re reaching for the Discordia—a smooth matcha latte made with white chocolate sauce and topped with a housemade apple syrup-infused cold foam.

Batter & Crumbs

4Batter & Crumbs’ Salted Caramel Apple Latte

Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphians, you’re in luck. Grindcore House’s Pumpkin Pie Latte isn’t your only option for a vegan seasonal drink. All-vegan coffee shop Batter & Crumbs in South Philly also has an impressive fall menu. We’ve got our eye on the Hot Salted Caramel Apple Latte, followed by the Cracker Jack Latte and, of course, the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte. For Halloween, our pick is the Hot Witch’s Brew, made with espresso, oat milk, sweet apple, and cinnamon.

5Amateur Coffee’s Caramel Apple Latte in a Jar

Omaha, NE

Coffee cups have become the ultimate fall accessory, but let’s be honest: disposable ones can be pretty wasteful. Amateur Coffee gets around this problem by serving its seasonal lattes in reusable jars, and we’re here for it. The Caramel Apple is calling our name. Loudly. If you prefer classic pumpkin spice, the vegan coffee shop has that, too, alongside a Bananas Foster Chai Latte and S’mores Shaken Espresso. A few trips are clearly in order.

Coffee and Plants

6Coffee and Plants’ Pumpkin Cloud Latte

Los Angeles, CA

Angelenos, this is your sign to head to Studio City’s Coffee and Plants for your fall latte fix. Forget the classic pumpkin spice this time. It’s all about the Pumpkin Cloud Latte, made with pumpkin syrup, housemade dairy-free milk, sea salt, and pumpkin cold foam. Forget the classic pumpkin spice this time. It’s all about the Pumpkin Cloud Latte, made with pumpkin syrup, housemade dairy-free milk, sea salt, and pumpkin cold foam. There’s also a Pumpkin Cloud Matcha and Pumpkin Cloud Cold Brew, and all three pair perfectly with the coffee shop’s fall food menu, which features vegan breakfast bagels, burritos, and avocado tartine.

7Propaganda Coffee’s Lestat

Lakewood, OH

Propaganda Coffee’s tagline is “coffee without villainy,” which means everything on the menu is vegan and gluten-free. This year, its fall line-up is something to behold, featuring this sparkling apple cider bev (named after the 1980s novel The Vampire Lestat) sweetened with maple, floated with two shots of espresso and a dusting of cinnamon brown sugar. We are seated and ready.

8 Wood Coffee Co’s Oh My Gourd

Long Beach, CA

Long Beach’s Wood Coffee is embracing fall with several seasonal drink specials, including the fan-favourite Oh My Gourd, a latte or mocha made with the vegan coffee shop’s luscious house pumpkin sauce. We’ll start with this autumnal classic, but we’ll be back for the PS Chai (Love You) espresso latte and the In-Cider Trade, an espresso tonic with housemade apple cider syrup.

9Chloe’s Orange Mocha Latte with maple walnut milk

Did you know that despite it’s sunny flavour profile, orange season kicks off in November? That means the juiciest, most flavourful citrus is on the horizon. And remember those chocolate oranges you thwack against the table during these festive later months? This collab between Chloe’s and the milk makers at Elmhurst 1925 tastes like that with the addition of a roasty shot of espresso. Finish the whole thing with maple-infused walnut milk from Elmhurst and you’ve got autumnal sip that will take you from fall to winter and beyond.

Forever Coffee

10Forever Coffee’s Oat Pumpkin Spice Latte

New York City, NY

New York City’s Forever Coffee isn’t entirely vegan, but it offers an impressive plant-based selection. Stop by for a vegan breakfast sandwich with chickpea eggs and tofu cream cheese, and wash it down with the signature Oat Pumpkin Spice Latte. We love that oat milk comes standard in this particular drink, but any of the seasonal specials, including the Salted Maple Caramel Latte, can be made with plant-based milk.

11Pour Decisions’ Cereal Milk Latte

Detroit, MI

Pour Decisions opened inside Street Beet in August, and one of its first orders of business was, naturally, launching a seasonal fall drinks menu. We’re eager to try the signature Pumpkin Spice Latte with pumpkin spice dust and the Banana Pancake Latte with roasted banana, but the Cereal Milk Latte is first on our list. Toasted cereal milk syrup and cereal milk cold foam, topped with a cornflake crunch? Count us in.

12Dear Diary Coffee’s Pumpkin Spice Latte

Austin, TX

Forget Starbucks; if you’re in Austin, order your Pumpkin Spice Latte from Dear Diary Coffee this autumn. Unlike the coffee giant, this one is 100 percent vegan, and you can even order it with house-made pumpkin seed milk. Not into pumpkin? The Texan vegan coffee shop offers plenty of other lattes, including Spiced Vanilla, Mexican Mocha, and Funky Mello.

Seasonal, vegan lattes at coffee shop chains

Gregorys Coffee

13Gregorys Coffee’s Banana Foster Latte

We are seriously impressed with Gregorys Coffee’s fall menu. Most of the New York-based chain’s seasonal lattes are vegan-friendly, including the Pumpkin Spice Latte and Banana Bread Chai. Our pick? The next-level Banana Foster Latte, made with banana syrup, butter rum syrup, espresso, oat milk, cinnamon sugar, and a banana chip.

Peet’s Coffee

14Peet’s Coffee’s Pumpkin Latte

Finally, there’s Peet’s Coffee’s and its reliable Pumpkin Latte. This seasonal favourite has returned for years, featuring vegan-friendly pumpkin syrup and a topping of baking spices. To make it completely vegan, simply request dairy-free milk.

15Starbucks’ Pecan Crunch Latte

Starbucks might not offer a vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte, but credit where credit is due: several drinks on its fall menu can be made vegan. Two standouts are the hot and iced Pecan Crunch Lattes, as both the pecan syrup and pecan crunch topping are vegan-friendly. Simply request your preferred plant-based milk. The Iced Banana Bread Latte can also be made vegan, but you’ll need to ask for non-dairy cold foam.

https://vegnews.com/15-best-vegan-fall-drinks-in-the-country 

Scotland's first fully vegan chippy that 'tastes just like the real thing'

From dailyrecord.co.uk 

"Great big portions, really tasty and came out piping hot"

Vegan food has a reputation for tasting inferior to meat, but this isn't necessarily true at all. To prove this point, the Daily Record's newest Chippy of the Week is a 100 per cent vegan fish and chip shop that tastes "just like the real thing" according to its many happy customers.

The Happy Fish is a one-of-a-kind chippy that is housed within The Dog House pub in Edinburgh, on Clerk Street in the heart of the Scottish capital. It specialises in fully meat-free 'tofish' suppers that are made with seasoned and battered tofu instead of standard fish meat.

The chippy is housed within a popular Edinburgh pub(Image: Victoria Stewart / Daily Record)

According to The Happy Fish, its tofish is handcrafted to closely imitate the classic fish and chip experience. Customers can choose from either battered, breaded, or smoked tofish that is served alongside 'macho peas', fresh parsley, homemade tartare sauce, lemon, and classic chunky chippy chips.

The eatery also serves up battered or breaded tofish burgers that are served in a toasted ciabatta roll with tartare sauce, sliced pickles, onion ring, parsley, macho peas, and Old Bay fries. Other options include smoked or battered jumbo 'sausage' and battered vegan haggis.

The Happy Fish even offers its own munchy box for those that want the full Scottish chippy experience. It includes a bed of Old Bay fries, tofish goujons, battered jumbo vegan haggis, vegan mozzarella sticks, battered onion rings, cauliflower rings, curry sauce, tartare sauce, and macho peas.

Customers who are just looking for some chips can choose from chunky chippy chips, skinny fries, sweet potato fries, and even loaded fries. Additionally, visitors can enjoy vegan desserts at The Happy Fish like deep-fries Oreos and a vegan version of a deep-fried Mars bar.

The Happy Fish has impressed customers with its vegan take on fish and chips, with one visitor writing on Google: "Really awesome food. I ordered the 'fish' and chips. Made of tofu, but flaky like real fish and so delicious. The chips were thick and crispy. I was so happy to be able to partake of fish and chips on my UK visit, as a vegetarian.

"The service was fast and friendly. Setting inside a pub made for a nice setting with a variety of beverages available, also fast and friendly service."

A second customer shared: "The best vegan fish and chips we've ever had! Great big portions, really tasty and came out piping hot, just missing it being wrapped in newspaper and it would easily fool people for the real thing! Lovely chat with our server Rufus who was super friendly and passionate about what they were serving."

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/scotlands-first-fully-vegan-chippy-37743839