While 42% of plant-based food consumers are purchasing vegan products on a more regular basis, most consumers are seeking tastier products and a broader range to select from, finds a recent study from Kerry Group.
The study which was conducted amongst plant-based consumers found:
42% are choosing meat alternatives more often than they were 12 months ago
37% of plant-based protein consumers in Europe want better tasting products
26% want a better range of products to choose from
28% are looking for meat alternatives with better texture
50% view plant-based products as healthier or better for you
The research confirmed though sustainability and animal welfare concerns are important motivators, the distinguishing features of successful innovation will be the creation of products boasting improved nutrition, taste and texture, with consumers citing these as areas for improvement.
Commenting on the findings, Darren O’Sullivan, Director of Plant-Protein at Kerry, said: “Manufacturers need to deliver innovative and creative solutions to meet consumer needs and win in this space. We are seeing the emergence of the flexitarian consumers, who are unwilling to accept anything less than a delicious product. This means that products really need to taste great order to succeed.
“With the market growing at a rapid pace, brands want to capitalise on the rising demand for plant-based foods. However, in order to stand out in the marketplace, they need to make sure that plant-based foods provide nutrition, functionality and great taste, and are sustainably produced.”
More details on the research can be found in Kerry’s new eBook, which contains the key information that brands need to know to create winning plant-based products. Download the eBook here.
We have replaced the meat in this chilli with an array of veggies and protein-rich kidney and black eyed beans. Dark chocolate adds a velvety richness to the dish, but if you don’t like the idea of chocolate in your chilli, simply leave it out.
This vegan slow cooker chilli is rich and velvety and goes perfectly with rice and guacamole. Peppers, sweet potato, carrots and beans are cooked slowly in a cumin, paprika and chilli spiced sauce. Even meat eaters will love this vegan alternative!
Cook Time: 4 hours 10 mins Total Time: 4 hours 20 mins
Ingredients
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 -1tbsp hot chilli powder, to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp.smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp. tomato purée
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, finely sliced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
400 g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
400 g tin black eyed beans, drained and rinsed
400 ml vegan vegetable stock
25 g vegan dark chocolate
Small handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
Directions
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat, add onion with a large pinch of salt and cook for 10min, stirring regularly, until softened. Stir in the spices, garlic and tomato purée, and cook for 1min, until fragrant. Transfer to a slow cooker.
Add the vegetables, tinned tomatoes, beans and stock. Cook on high for 4hr, until the sweet potato is cooked through. Stir through the dark chocolate until melted, and sprinkle with coriander, if using. Serve with rice and guacamole, if you like.
This year will be remembered as one in which we all faced significant challenges and opportunities, but despite the turbulence, the vegan food and drink industry has once again come out thriving.
Kantar Worldpanel found that tofu sales in the UK increased 81.7% between April and June 2020, and in the same timeframe, sales of vegan mince and vegan burgers shot up 50.1% and 37% respectively.
Whilst we recognise that booming sales figures are a great indicator of increasing popularity, behind the scenes, we continue to face difficulties in defending vegan consumer rights and issues. One of which is the complexity surrounding vegan food and drink labelling.
Historical terminology defines the movement
We are very proud to say that the term ‘vegan’ was coined in 1944 by The Vegan Society’s founders. As such, history unites the terminology with our organisation’s identity and gives us unique authority in defending its use. The creation of the term, and our official definition, has been pivotal in creating the vegan movement that thrives today.
The British Dietetic Association defines a plant-based diet as ‘based on foods derived from plants, including vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and fruits, with few or no animal products’. Of course, this is looking at diets, rather than specific products. The Cambridge Dictionary states the definition as ‘consisting or made entirely of plants, or mainly of plants’. From these two definitions alone, there is ambiguity around the presence of animal products. To make matters more confusing, published research states that a plant-based diet ‘excludes all animal products’.
So which definition is correct? With veganism on the rise year by year, and vegan food manufacturers increasingly using ‘plant-based’ to describe their products, it is becoming ever more essential to protect vegan consumers. It’s also vital to ensure that food labelling is clear enough to allow people to live without compromising their ethical beliefs.
Regulating ‘plant-based’
As the national standards body of the United Kingdom, The British Standards Institution (BSI) develops various standards including Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) – fast-track standardisation documents relating to various industries and consumer products. Over the last 12 months, the Society has been able to feed into one such PAS aimed at clarifying recommendations about the composition and characteristics of plant-based foods.
Within this document, the BSI stated that ‘plant-based foods may be understood to occupy a position between ‘vegan’ and ‘vegetarian’ and that foods labelled as plant-based could contain limited amounts of egg and milk products. They stated: ‘Plant-based foods: should not contain any ingredient derived from slaughtered or dead animals; and should contain a maximum of 5% ingredients in the final product that are animal-derived’.
Centring transparency for all consumers, the Society has maintained the distinction between the current consumer perception of a ‘plant-based food’ and a ‘plant-based diet’ and highlighted the challenges faced by vegans with the term ‘plant-based’ and ‘vegan’ currently being used interchangeably by big brands.
In the public consultation to this PAS, we commented that ‘The Vegan Society supports transparency for consumers via product labelling. After considering feedback from our supporters we strongly believe that a product labelled as ‘Plant-Based’ would be considered by most vegans to be free from animal-derived ingredients. As a term closely linked with veganism, we would, therefore, only support a Plant-Based PAS which observed a completely free from animal-derived ingredients standard’.
Public perception
To find out what the public thought of this issue, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,000 people across Great Britain.
Our results found that:
64.1% of the public believe that the term ‘plant-based’ means the product contains absolutely no animal products (i.e. vegan)
26.9% of the public believe that the term ‘plant-based’ means the product may contain small amounts of milk and/or eggs
9% of the public believe that the term ‘plant-based’ means the product may contain small amounts of meat
Within dietary groups (vegan, vegetarian, partly vegetarian, avoids certain food for religious or cultural reasons, none of the above), the majority of each group believed ‘plant-based’ to mean vegan. Interestingly, it was meat-eaters who felt most strongly about this at 69.5%
When segmenting age groups, the majority of each group also believed ‘plant-based’ to mean vegan
We also looked at which of the two terms – vegan and plant-based – the public preferred, and found that:
52.8% of the public prefer the term ‘vegan’, and 47.2% prefer the term ‘plant-based’
Perhaps unsurprising, vegans felt most strongly about this – with 71.2% of those questioned favouring the term ‘vegan’
There were marginal differences within age groups, with all groups favouring ‘vegan’ except those aged 55-65 who slightly preferred ‘plant-based’
From the feedback from our supporters and our research with the public, it is clear that the consensus is: if a product is labelled plant-based, then it is considered vegan. Additionally, although ‘plant-based’ has risen in popularity, the term vegan still wins as the preferred term. Although our research did not ask why respondents preferred this, we believe it comes down to this: consumers want clear and precise labelling so that they can make quick and informed decisions. Thanks to our founders, the term vegan does just this.
Our work with BSI and the plant-based PAS is coming to a close, and we hope the final document will reflect the current perceptions of consumers protecting them from misunderstanding product labelling terminology and helping them find products that suit their diet and lifestyle.
The Vegan Society will continue to use the term ‘vegan’ where we mean ‘vegan’. However, there are times where we may use the term ‘plant-based’ when working with professions who are using it in their work. The scope of this includes health professionals, campaigns and policy work, market insights, and so on. Language is an important tool for connecting with broad issues and finding common ground, which are essential aspects to progress the vegan movement.
Louisianna Waring, Insight and Commercial Policy Officer
Louisianna is the Insight and Commercial Policy Officer at The Vegan Society. She leads on policy issues that affect vegan businesses and researches the latest trends, consumer insights and market data on veganism.
The Market For Vegan Snacks: You might not be aware of it, but veganism is more popular in the UK than ever before – and the rate of its growth is accelerating. And by the way, Bristol is touted as ‘the world’s vegan capital’ and in that neck of the woods, plant-based company Vegan Vend is doing a roaring trade, selling snacks, wraps, sandwiches and desserts.
To justify that kind of business start up, the owners’ research must have indicated that a business dedicated entirely to the vending of vegan products was economically viable.
It’s not just Bristol… Doesn’t it make you think you might be missing a trick if you don’t have a part of this burgeoning lifestyle phenomenon?
The time is right. The Market For Vegan Snacks is already bigger than you think and it’s multiplying almost as fast as the proverbial rabbit. So, vending operators have ample opportunity to stake a claim and pan for gold in what may turn out to be a rich seam.
The vegan market is fuelled by innovation
The vegan market is fuelled by innovation, specifically a fast-flowing stream of new products and new businesses. At PV, we’ve recently discovered an outfit formed as recently as May 2020 called VO2 Vegan, that is addressing a hitherto ill-served sector of the vegan marketplace: the sports energy bar.
Matt Lister
The man behind VO2 Vegan – it’s the name of the product as well as the company – is Stockport based Matt Lister. Matt and his wife Michelle, as well as being committed vegans, are enthusiastic athletes. Matt is an avid runner and cyclist; Michelle celebrated her 40th birthday by completing 40x10k runs in 40 days in aid of children with cancer. Since then, she’s completed a further 200x10k in 200 days in for the benefit of a local foodbank charity.
Perish the obsolete stereotype that casts all vegans as pasty-faced weaklings that could do with a decent steak to beef them up. (You know who you are…)
And so, to the kitchen
‘Michelle was always complaining that there was no such thing as a sports bar suitable for vegans’, Matt told me over Zoom. ‘I didn’t see that as a problem, but as an opportunity.’
And so, to the kitchen: the experiments began. He involved a friend with a PhD in Sports Science and honed the recipe. From the off, Matt focused on a key ingredient: beetroot.
Evidently – who knew? – beetroot is something of a miracle food.
This is not just ‘patter’, by the way
‘Beetroot has been found to be a powerful antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties and also vascular-protective effects which have been repeatedly shown in multiple studies. This has led to the increased popularity of beetroot in the management of cardiovascular disease’, Matt said.
And that’s not all: ‘Beetroot can help to improve blood pressure, reduce inflammation, prevent oxidative stress, preserve endothelial (a thin membrane that lines the inside of the heart and blood vessels) function’, says Matt. ‘It can increase blood flow in the frontal cortex. As well as all these amazing benefits beetroot supplementation has repeatedly been found to improve athletic performance.’
This is not just ‘patter’, by the way. Each of Matt’s claims is backed up by scientific research; he names the sources of his information on his web site, vo2vegan.co.uk, an indication that he’s a man who approaches his business as an academic, rather than as a zealot or an enthusiastic amateur.
Although they are suitable for vegans, who says that VO2 Vegan sports bars will only be enjoyed by vegans? Meat eaters on their own healthy-lifestyle mission are equally likely to give the new product a try.
Matt has joined the growing band of young entrepreneurs who, with a new product to bring to market, have chosen vending machines as the ideal vehicle in which to travel to market.
The VO2 Vegan operation has had an impressive beginning, particularly when you take into account the predicament we’re all in. Online sales are doing well, as are sales through a limited number of café’s and other outlets. To make an impact in vending though, Matt recognises that he’ll need a wholesaler. ‘One delivery for me’, he says, ‘and experts at the other end.’
There’s no knowing whether the story will have a happy ending. Not too long ago, a new product, to have any chance of becoming a consumer success, required national advertising campaigns aimed individually at the consumer and the trade. Consequently, a lot of potentially good runners were priced out before they got to the starting line. ‘Loadsa money’ still helps, but these days, thanks to social media, a good idea has every chance of gaining traction.
It’s a bit of a lottery, but at least, with VO2 Vegan, Matt has bought his ticket and after all: if you’re not in it, you can’t win it…
In light of the new COVID-19 restrictions in place across much of the country, many of us are now staying home again to help keep our communities safe during the pandemic. And there’s another straightforward – and very rewarding – way to help change the world for the better from the comfort of your own home: going vegan. Why, you ask? It’s simple:
1. You’ll save lives.
Chickens, cows, pigs, sheep, fish, and other animals on farms have feelings, thoughts, and personalities. Yet the meat, egg, dairy, and fishing industries subject them to claustrophobic conditions, immense suffering, and violent slaughter.
These animals never get to raise their families, root around in the soil, build nests, swim vast distances, or do anything else that is natural and important to them.
These industries are a nightmare for animals, who are treated like a collection of body parts rather than sentient individuals. But we hold immense power to end their misery. Every vegan saves nearly 200 animals per year.
And there’s more good news: it’s so easy! Take our vegan pledge this November – World Vegan Month – to get started.
2. You’ll help prevent future pandemics.
Experts believe the COVID-19 outbreak originated in a “wet market” in Wuhan, China, where humans had direct contact with live animals and dead animal flesh. And like wet markets, squalid abattoirs and meat factories are known to be hotbeds for disease.
According to Public Health England, “Many (60 to 80% [of]) emerging infections are derived from an animal source.” Filthy factory farms, abattoirs, and meat markets threaten the health of every human being on the planet by providing a breeding ground for deadly pathogens like the ones behind COVID-19, SARS, bird flu, and more.
On farms in the UK, stressed animals are crammed into cages or sheds by the thousands and pumped full of antibiotics to keep them alive in filthy conditions that would otherwise kill them. As pathogens flourish in such environments, we’re leaving ourselves vulnerable to further catastrophic disease outbreaks and pandemics.
Humans’ mistreatment of other animals is harming not only them but also us. We can reduce the chances of another pandemic and the tragedy that would come with it by putting plants, not animals, on our plates.
3. You’ll be taking care of the planet.
Animal agriculture is killing our planet. It’s responsible for a greater proportion of greenhouse-gas emissions than all forms of transportation combined, according to the United Nations.
The UN also states that raising animals for food is “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global”. The situation is so dire that the UN is calling for urgent and unprecedented changes now, including to our diet, to limit the catastrophic damage caused by climate change.
Scientists agree that all plant-based foods have a smaller carbon footprint than their animal-derived equivalents, so the easiest way to slow down climate change immediately is to go vegan.
4. Vegan foods are better for your health.
Eating processed meat increases our chances of developing cancer, and research suggests that consuming animals’ flesh, milk, and eggs could be as detrimental to our health as smoking.
On average, vegans are slimmer, trimmer, and healthier than meat-eaters are. Their risk of suffering from some of today’s biggest killers, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and strokes is much lower and their life expectancy is higher. Other animals aren’t the only ones who benefit when we eat vegan – we do, too.
5. You’ll help protect human rights.
While the animals exploited in the meat industry are tormented and butchered, humans in that bloody environment are suffering, too.
Working in an abattoir has been linked to various mental health problems. Records show that many workers grapple with suicidal thoughts and depression. It’s no surprise that this kind of work takes a mental toll – the animals workers are killing are, after all, terrified and fighting for their lives in the same way the cats and dogs with whom we share our homes would.
As one man who works in a pig abattoir put it to The Guardian, “Pigs down on the kill floor have come up and nuzzled me like a puppy. Two minutes later I had to kill them – beat them to death with a pipe.”
Animal rights and human rights go hand in hand. We make a positive impact on both when we choose to be vegan.
6. You’ll help end world hunger.
We produce enough calories globally to feed 10 to 11 billion people, but much of this food is given to animals on farms, not humans in need. Researchers at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment determined that 36% of the calories in crops are fed to farmed animals. They also reported that growing crops for direct human consumption increases available food calories by up to 70% and that the newly freed-up crops would be enough to feed an additional 4 billion people.
Every day, millions of people are going hungry while crops that they could eat are instead being used to fatten animals for meat. When we consume meat, countless individuals are caught in the crossfire. Together, we can create a more just world.
7. Vegan foods are a treat for the taste buds.
From vegan cheeses to meats to mayo, there’s a world of flavour out there waiting to be discovered. When you go vegan, you’ll get to know all sorts of new flavours and delights across all your favourite cuisines. You can either whip something up yourself – by diving into some of our favourite recipes – or choose from the array of takeaway options available.
Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered. With our guide to vegan deliveries, staying in just reached a whole new level of satisfying:
There’s no doubt about it: 2020 has been a time for reflection – a pivotal point in our history when we must learn from past mistakes and commit to creating a better future.
Going vegan is the single best thing we can do as individuals to tackle some of the biggest threats to our world. Let’s do it!
World Vegan Day takes place on 1 November this year as a global celebration of all things plant-based - but it doesn't have to be all about processed meat alternatives. We believe it's also a brilliant chance to try new plant-based recipes with the finest organic seasonal vegetables, fresh from the farm and full of nutrition. Explore our top five vegan recipes and make the most of real plant-based eating this World Vegan Day.
Sweet potato and lentil bake
With their rich sweet flesh, sweet potatoes are a vibrant and versatile replacement for potatoes or squash in scores of dishes. They have a light spiciness to their flesh which marries well with the harissa and cumin in the lentils of this dish.
British-grown greens and coconut dal
A colourful, creamy dish which makes the most of our best British-grown greens and finished with a sprinkling of hot chilli and toasted coconut chips. Spinach, cabbage or chard can all be used, as well as spring greens if they are available.
This is a Moroccan style dish, lightly spiced with a slight chilli heat. Celeriac has a fragrant, nutty, celery-like taste is great at soaking up surrounding flavours. Celeriacs are notoriously knobbly so we’d advise ditching the peeler in favour of a sharp knife for this one.
Broccoli, tofu and udon bowl with miso, parsnip and peanuts
Miso is a fermented rice or soybean paste and is a fundamental building block of Japanese cuisine. It has a deeply savoury flavour and tastes hugely restorative. You can try and eat this with a fork and a spoon but the best way is with chopsticks, sucking up the noodles over the bowl and slurping the broth.
Quinoa has been much heralded in the last few years. It has a very mild bitter edge to its taste but generally makes a great bass note to a whole ensemble of ingredients. We’ve chosen the earthy flavours of beetroot and cauliflower, some pepperiness from the watercress, sweet fruit, crunchy seeds and a sharp tart kick from the orange and balsamic.
“Unlike other platforms – like Just Eat, Uber Eats or Deliveroo – we do not overcharge our partners. This means our partners get to reinvest their profits back in their businesses.”
An online vegan cruelty-free food delivery platform, Get Vegan Grub, formerly known as IndieHob, has debuted across the UK.
The initiative, described as an ‘ethical alternative to Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat’, has been conceptualized by entrepreneur Prashant Kumbhat.
In an interview with Elsa Eats,technologist Kumbhat, who moved to Manchester two years ago, he said he started this business “to create a safe space to connect vegan/veg consumers and traders.”
According to Khumbat, he wanted to create an ethical platform to reach out to local partners rather than high street restaurants and chains, and “help small indie food businesses to sell online with ease, and to have a space where they could showcase their talent.”
Get Vegan Grub
The Get Vegan Grub platform allows businesses several benefits, including taking pre-orders and live orders, and managing their menus. The platform also streamlines the processes of advertising and taking orders.
Customers can place orders on Get Vegan Grub from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp.
The platform has no joining fees or monthly fees. Chefs only have to pay a small commission when they sell.
Image: Get Vegan Grub
“Unlike other platforms – like Just Eat, Uber Eats or Deliveroo – we do not overcharge our partners. This means our partners get to reinvest their profits back in their businesses.”
“We give them our business even if it costs a bit more,” he continued.
“It’s no secret that big corporations are slowly eating their way into local markets by providing deep discounts, funded by VCs, and killing small local players in the process. We went vegan for a reason, and we refuse to play by mainstream rules.”
With Get Vegan Grub now partnering with a UK-based company, vegan meals can be delivered across the country. Partner chefs registered on the platform will have the choice of delivering food on their own or work with the delivery partner.
A sustainable model
Speaking about his plans for the future, Khumbat said: “We’re very young, and there’s still much to be done. We strive to continue working towards our goal of being cruelty-free in every aspect of our business, and to create a sustainable model that others can follow.”
From chocolate to chutney, we take our pick of the new vegan goodies, gifts and stocking fillers to look out for this Christmas
Source: Rubies in the Rubble
Rubies in the Rubble Relish Gift Set
This gift set from sustainable condiment maker Rubies in the Rubble features three of its bestselling relishes: Chilli Onion, Classic Apple and Pear & Fig. As well as being suitable for vegans, all three variants are gluten-free, nut-free and made from fruit and veg that would have otherwise gone to waste. According to the brand, it is the “perfect stocking filler for any foodie or eco-warrior friends”, and is available on Amazon, Farmdrop, Milk & More and Rubies’ online store (rsp: £12).
Source: Doisy & Dam
Doisy & Dam
Vegan chocolatier Doisy & Dam has launched its first festive range into Ocado, Holland & Barrett, Boots, WH Smith Travel and Whole Foods. It features three products: dark chocolate orange Jingle Ballers (rsp: £2), dark chocolate Truffles (rsp: £5) and a Christmas Mix selection box (rsp: £10), which contains 10 packs of treats from the brand’s range including Ballers, Buttons and D&D’s.
Source: Jacksons
Jacksons of Yorkshire Festive Bloomer
As with the rest of its range, Jacksons’ Festive Bloomer is free from dairy, palm oil and soya. The white sage & onion bread, which the brand says is “perfect for the ultimate Christmas sandwich”, launches exclusively into Waitrose in November (rsp: £1.39/400g).
Source: Nomo
Nomo Caramel Choc Drops
Made from creamy vegan chocolate and filled with smooth, gooey caramel, Nomo’s new dairy-free treats are also made without nuts and gluten. They are available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Amazon and the brand’s online store (rsp: £5).
Source: Mindful Bites
Mindful Bites Cantucci Biscotti
Premium plant-based brand Mindful Bites is expanding its range of festive treats with two cantucci biscotti. The traditional Italian biscuits will go on sale in M&S, Ocado, Whole Foods and Selfridges in Almond and Chocolate variants. They will be joined by a new organic version of the brand’s Veganettone, which launched last Christmas.
Source: Biscuiteers
Vegan Biscuiteers
Iced biscuit delivery service Biscuiteers will offer vegan alternatives for the first time this Christmas. The brand’s Happy Christmas Luxe Tin (rsp: £45) and letterbox biscuits (rsp: £25) in penguin, Christmas pudding and snowglobe designs (pictured) will all be available with a plant-based recipe.
Source: Mummy Meagz
Mummy Meagz
A range of festive chocolate from vegan confectioner Mummy Meagz will be available exclusively from Holland & Barrett this Christmas. Among the seven-strong line-up will be a Hot Chocolate Bursting Bauble (rsp: £2.99/40g), Salted Caramel Fondant-Filled Jolly Snowman (rsp: 99p/30g), Orange Choccie Bar (rsp: £1.99/43g) and Advent Calendar (rsp: £4.99/120g).
The popular British vegan cheese—made by dairy company Norseland—is making its first international debut at retailers across Canada, with further plans for expansion in the works
United Kingdom-based dairy brand Norseland is expanding distribution of its popular Applewood Vegan cheese to Canada—its first international market. The new vegan cheese will be available at a variety of retailers in Canada, including Denninger’s Foods of the World in Ontario, Pusateri’s Fine Foods and Longos in Toronto; and Loblaws, which operates more than more than 2,400 stores across Canada.
In 2019, Norseland launched Applewood Vegan (its first vegan cheese) which sold out at 40 percent of the ASDA stores where it was stocked within one day, necessitating increased production of the coconut oil-based cheese. This summer, the brand expanded its plant-based offerings with the launch of a vegan version of its jalapeño-spiced Mexicana cheese, along with slices of Applewood Vegan.
“We are thrilled to get our first orders for Applewood Vegan outside the UK just shortly after we celebrated the first year since the launch of the award-winning cheeze. We are also in talks with other food retailers in Canada about stocking Applewood Vegan,” Lisa Harrison, Senior Brand Manager of Applewood Vegan, said. “The word is spreading across the world that Applewood Vegan really is the tastiest of vegan cheezes that melts and tastes like traditional cheese and is a truly healthier option. We are confident that these will be the first of many international orders.”
Applewood Vegan also secured its first listing in a European country at a new vegan restaurant, Eden Jaxx, based in Copenhagen. On the heels of announcing that Applewood Vegan now accounts for 20 percent of all sales of the Applewood brand, Norseland will soon launch Applewood Vegan Grated, a grated version of the popular vegan cheese.
Dating tool Veggly now counts members in 181 countries, with 40,000 users in the United StatesDating app Veggly now boasts more than 200,000 members in 181 countries—representing an eight-fold increase from its 25,000 users in 2019. Created specifically to match vegan and vegetarian users, the app also reached a milestone of achieving 500,000 “Veg Matches” (where users match with each other), a number Veggly founder Alex Felipelli expects to reach one million by early 2021. At 40,000 users, the United States has the most Veggly members in any single country.
“We are 100 percent dedicated to helping this community grow as much as possible and will do our best to make sure every herbivore on our app finds love,” Felipelli said. “We will continue to reinvest in the platform and make improvements every week. We’re always keen to receive feedback from our users, so let us know how we can be better and how your experience is going.”
Launched in 2017 in the Apple App store, Veggly is modelled after dating app Tinder and includes similar features such as the ability to swipe right if you like a potential match and swipe left if you don’t. To date, Veggly has been translated into Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Italian, Danish, and Polish, with more languages to come.
What better way for the weekend to waft in than with the scent of these pancakes, to be devoured with a dollop of tahini yoghurt and handful of blueberries?
M Making pancakes sends a smell signal shooting through the house to say that fun is afoot and the weekend has begun. They are an invitation for the family to linger in pyjamas and moonwalk through the kitchen while listening to Stevie Wonder (or the Frozen soundtrack on repeat, as in our house). Bananas are the best friend of anyone who cooks for and with kids, mashable with little hands, creamy and binding too. Combined in this recipe with some store-cupboard staples – oat milk, maple syrup and tahini, they’ll have little and large hands alike reaching out for more. Happy weekend.
Banana pancakes with maple and tahini yoghurt
Prep 5 min Cook 30 min Makes 16, to serve 4
For the yoghurt
190g coconut yoghurt 2 tbsp light tahini 1 tbsp maple syrup, plus extra for drizzling
For the pancakes 2 ripe bananas (about 160g peeled weight) 250g self-raising flour 2 tbsp golden caster sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1 pinch fine sea salt 350ml whole oat milk Coconut oil, to fry Blueberries, to serve
Make the tahini yoghurt first by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Have a taste, add a little more maple syrup, if you wish, and put to one side.
To make the pancakes, put the bananas in a bowl and mash until fairly smooth. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, sea salt and milk, and whisk together.
Turn the oven on low, to keep your pancakes warm.
Warm a nonstick pan over a medium heat and add a knob of coconut oil. Once melted and sizzling, carefully wipe away any excess oil with paper towel and add a couple of tablespoons of the batter per pancake – depending on the size of your pan, you may be able to cook up to four at a time. As soon as you can see bubbles, after two to three minutes, gently turn over with a spatula and cook on the other side until golden.
Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven, and repeat with the rest of the batter, adding a little coconut oil (and wiping away the excess) for each batch.
Serve the pancakes with a dollop of tahini yoghurt, a handful of blueberries and an extra drizzle of maple syrup.
With the spooky season just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about baking some ghoulish delights. And with the increase in the number of people going vegan why not try this scarily tasty recipe for dairy-free Halloween brownies?
Prep time: 45 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
For the ghosts:
1 pack Violife Creamy Original (£2.50 RSP, available at Asda, Coop, Tesco, M&S, Waitrose & Ocado)
1 bag white vegan marshmallows
1 Tbsp Vanilla essence
100ml coconut cream
2 Tbsp Agave syrup
For the brownies:
140g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
200g caster sugar
80ml vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g vegan dark chocolate, melted
240ml coconut milk
75g vegan chocolate chips
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20X20cm tin with baking paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and whisk to mix.
Add oil, vanilla, melted chocolate and coconut milk. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add chocolate chips (keeping some for the ghost decorations) and mix gently.
Pour batter into the baking tin and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl whisk the Violife Creamy with the coconut cream, agave syrup and vanilla essence.
When the brownies have cooled down, cut into equal squares. Place a marshmallow on each square, using a little bit of the Creamy mixture as ‘glue’.
Using a spoon, pour the creamy mixture over the marshmallow, resembling a ghost shape. Use the remaining chocolate chips to decorate with eyes and mouths.
The sellout vegan option even won Best Vegan Sandwich in PETA’s Vegan Food Awards 2020, which came as no surprise to Subway fans.
Now, the chain has launched a new menu offering to ‘make any sub a salad or wrap’, including the Meatless Meatball Marinara and newly rebranded ‘Plant Patty’, increasing its plant-based choices.
The menu will also include a new plant-based icon to make it easier for customers to identify the vegan options on the menu and make greener choices.
This menu launch comes alongside new salad boxes which are made from sustainable packaging, supporting the brand’s commitment to reducing its single-use plastic.
Replacing the old plastic salad bowls with new cardboard boxes will remove 461 tonnes of single-use plastic from the brand’s supply chain across the UK and Ireland. Now you can order healthy food and reduce your plastic consumption – what’s not to love!
The full plant-based menu, easily identifiable by the new plant-based icon, includes*:
Meatless Meatball Marinara Sub, Wrap or Salad
The newly named Plant Patty Sub, Wrap or Salad (previously known as the Vegan Patty Sub)
Lidl have launched a vegan turkey sandwich this year, and we can't wait to try it
Budget supermarket Lidl has surprised vegans this Christmas with a new vegan sandwich.
The new Vegan Feast Sandwich will feature vegan ‘turkey’, vegan mayonnaise and cranberry sauce – the perfect lunch to get us in the mood for Christmas this year.
This budget sandwich will hopefully encourage even the fiercest non-vegans to try something plant-based this Christmas, with its cheap and cheerful price tag of £1.69.
Lidl is not the only supermarket with a new vegan turkey sandwich this year, as the Co-op announced back in August that it was launching a Vegan No-Turkey Lunch (£3) as part of the Gro range. This sandwich contains all the elements of a Christmas dinner rolled into one: vegan turkey made from soya protein, vegan bread sauce, roasted carrot and parsnip, cranberry sauce, sage and onion stuffing and vegan mayonnaise.
This new sandwich from Lidl adds another exciting vegan treat to the outstanding vegan options for Christmas. Vegans will certainly not be left out this year!
“Holidu, the search engine for holiday rentals, has analysed data from Happy Cow to find out which cities boast the greatest number of vegan-friendly restaurants and cafés in relation to the size of the population in each city.”
2020’s top 10 most vegan-friendly cities in the UK have been ranked by Holidu, ‘the search engine for holiday rentals’. The findings are based on the amount of vegan-friendly restaurant and café options available in relation to each city’s population size.
Coming out on top for the second year in a row is Brighton, with 9.14 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
The seaside city is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the UK, as Oxford, which came in second place, offers only 5.81 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
Image: Vittorio Caramazza / shutterstock.com
English cities on the list
Other cities from across England that made it into the top 10 include Cambridge in fourth place, York in fifth place, Newcastle in sixth place, Norwich in eighth place, and Nottingham in ninth place.
Image: Pajor Pawel / shutterstock.com
Cambridge narrowly missed out on coming third, While York and Newcastle only have a difference of 0.07 in vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
Oxford’s second place ranking came as a surprise to Holidu as it “was never known for being a particularly vegan-friendly place”, but they say the city “has really upped its game recently”.
Scotland and Wales make the top 10
Cities from both Scotland and Wales made the list, with Edinburgh in third place, Glasgow in seventh place, and Cardiff in tenth place.
Image: Philip Birtwistle / shutterstock.com
Both Edinburgh and Cardiff’s numbers were very close to the cities that placed directly above them, while Glasgow is technically tied with Newcastle, as both have 4.56 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
Northern Ireland and London not ranked
The only country in the UK that did not have any cities make it into the top 10 was Northern Ireland. The list is largely dominated by English cities, with only a few Welsh and Scottish entries.
One of the more surprising outcomes of this study was that London was not ranked, despite boasting a variety of vegan options. However, this is likely due to the extremely high number of residents living in the capital, as well as the fact that it’s the UK’s largest city.
The top 10
Here is the full list of the UK’s top 10 vegan-friendly cities in 2020 as ranked by Holidu:
1. Brighton – 9.14 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
2. Oxford – 5.81 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
3. Edinburgh – 5.50 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
4. Cambridge – 5.39 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
5. York – 4.63 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
6. Newcastle – 4.56 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
7. Glasgow – 4.56 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
8. Norwich – 4.21 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
9. Nottingham – 3.99 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
10. Cardiff – 3.77 vegan-friendly restaurants per 15,000 residents.
Rudy's Vegan Butcher promises to sell wide range of plant-based cuts of fake meat both in person and online as sustainable diet trend grows, but will its European counterparts be able to offer their own veggie 'burgers'?
The UK's first vegan 'butcher' is set to open in London next month, when plant-based fast food outlet Rudy's opens the doors to a permanent shop in Islington selling fake bacon, chicken, and turkey made from soya and seitan.
Opening to coincide with World Vegan Day on 1 November, Rudy's Vegan Butcher promises to sell homemade, plant-based cuts of pastrami, burger patties, 'cheeze sauce' and chilli-con-carne to take home and cook, as well as faux meatballs, roast turkey, pulled pork, chicken pate, and 'lobstah'.
Ahead of opening the firm has also launched an online store offering delivery nationwide for products which include plant-based sausages, scrambled eggs, black pudding, smoked ham, peperoni, and salami.
To celebrate the launch, which builds on the firm's existing vegan diner in Camden, Rudy's is giving away more than 5,000 slices of free 'baycon' to customers who visit the store on its opening day, it said.
The move comes amid surging consumer demand for plant-based food in recent years, as public awareness over the environmental, climate, and health impacts of meat and dairy increases. A 2018 poll of 2,000 UK adults found more than a quarter identified as 'meat reducers' in their diets, a trend that is widely expected to grow.
This week fast food chain Subway also expanded its range of vegan sandwich options in response to growing customer demand, while last week Hillingdon Hospital in west London became the UK's first to install a vending machine giving NHS staff access to hot vegan meals.
Meanwhile, the global alternative protein market is expected to grow from $1.1bn in 2020 to $17.9bn by 2025 - in part accelerated by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on meat supply chains - with major firms such as Unilever, Tesco, and Nestle all ramping up their investments in plant-based food offerings.
However, not everyone is happy about the growing trend towards alternative, plant-based 'meat'. The EU is set for a crunch vote this week on whether to ban terms such as 'veggie burger' and 'veggie sausage' in Europe, amid claims from the meat industry that the terms should only apply to animal-based products.
Some farmers and meat lobby groups have accused plant-based food producers of "cultural hijacking" for using terms such as 'burger' and 'sausage' to describe vegan and vegetarian products, amid fears the plant-based diet trend is harming sales of meat in Europe. But opponents of the ban refute the meat lobby's claims of consumer confusion over use of the terms, and argue such a move would contradict the EU's aims to encourage consumers towards more sustainable diets and lower emission lifestyles.
2019 was known as the ‘Year of the Vegan’. In the past five years, the number of vegans in Great Britain alone quadrupled, with more than 6% of Brits now identifying as vegan.
With the movement becoming mainstream, the vegan food industry has been a booming business, with the big food chains following suit. Most recently, Qatar Airways announced it would be offering a la carte vegan options in business class. However, despite this increased demand, flying as a vegan passenger is still quite a challenge.
With many airlines, you have to book your meal a number of hours in advance. It’s also advisable to double-check upon your arrival at the airport to make sure your special meal request went through properly.
Sounds simple enough, right? Well, airlines also have different meal codes, which can add to the confusion about what you’re actually ordering:
VGML — Vegetarian Vegan Meal. This meal will be completely free from all animal products including meat, dairy, eggs and honey. However, this will typically come with the same bread as everyone else, which is often not vegan, as well as butter and a standard cow’s milk for your tea or coffee.
VLML — Vegetarian Lacto-Ovo Meal. A traditional vegetarian dish with no fish or meat, but it may contain other animal products such as eggs, dairy and honey.
VOML — Vegetarian Oriental Meal. These are typically found on Asian airlines and are nearly always vegan and prepared in an Oriental style in dishes such as vegetables with rice. This option also tends to be gluten-free.
AVML — Asian Vegetarian Meal. This is most likely not vegan, as it typically includes spiced vegetables (which may contain ghee), as well as dairy products, such as paneer cheese.
VJML — Vegetarian Jain Meal. A very safe option for vegans as this meal will be in accordance with the Jainism religious principles. This means it will only contain fruit and vegetables that grow above the ground, and no animal products.
RVML — Raw Vegetable Meal. If you’re looking for a vegan dish, you can’t go wrong with this option, as it will exclusively be a selection of raw fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, that often means the blandest, too.
FPML — Fruit Platter. For any fruitarians out there, this is the one for you.
These codes are the basic principles, but do all of these options vary significantly between airlines or are they consistently applied? Are there some carriers that are better than others to fly with if you are a vegan?
Editor’s note: Check with your airline before flying for modified menus due to COVID-19.
Emirates
In a study conducted by Vegan World News, Emirates rated as the best option for vegan travellers. Even non-vegan passengers are known to get food envy about the airline’s vegan dishes. In January, Emirates reported that requests for vegan meals increased by more than 40%, an indication of the demand for the alternative.
Emirates’ VGML options range from vegetable curry with rice to vegan lasagne, and even vegan pancakes. Since the carrier noticed an increased demand for vegan options, it also added a nut-based vegan cheese to some flights, with more than 40,000 lbs of it having been served since April 2018. Be cautious though, as some passengers have reported that the roll and butter that come with the RVML meal have not always been vegan.
With Emirates, all special meal requests must be booked at least 24 hours in advance of your flight. In addition, Emirates says that on shorter flights, some special meals may be unavailable in economy. You can view the carrier’s full special meals terms here.
British Airways
British Airways states that it “cannot offer every special meal type on all flights, and there may be flights where we cannot supply your chosen meal”. Social media reports suggest that BA’s vegan and veggie options aren’t the best. Plus, some passengers have reported that they’ve received a ‘vegan meal’ only to find non-vegan ingredients in some of the options.
This could be extremely distressing for most vegans, and even potentially dangerous for those with intolerances. As such, it might be necessary to err on the side of caution when flying with BA as a vegan. There may be hope for the future though, as BA had plans (pre-COVID) to roll out new catering concepts in all cabin classes by 2020. Some recent reviews already seem more positive, with vegan travellers being served options such as grilled tofu with veggies, or granola with soy milk for breakfast.
Special meals must be requested at least 24 hours before departure. You can view the carrier’s full special meals terms here.
Virgin Atlantic
With high ratings for both vegan food and healthy dishes, Virgin seems to be a great choice for inflight meals. Vegan reviews include statements such as, “one of the creamiest (vegan) bowls of porridge I’d ever had”, and an “incredible warm potato salad”. Virgin has also been known to offer vegan snacks such as an aubergine wrap with chips.
In March of 2019, Virgin Atlantic announced that it was removing ingredients that it deemed unsustainable from its inflight menus. It’s removed beef and palm oil and soy thus far as part of its partnership with the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA).
You must book your meal at least 24 hours before your flight departs (48 hours if you’re requesting a Kosher meal). Additionally, Virgin says that special meal requests only apply to your main meal and do not include snacks and condiments. You can view the carrier’s full special meals terms here.
Qantas
Qantas flights are said to have exceptional vegan food available on both intercontinental and domestic flights. Special meal options have been known to include pasta with tomato sauce, stir-fried vegetables with noodles, white bean and pumpkin curry, rye rolls and fresh cakes.
Qantas says that special meals must be requested at least 24 hours prior to departure. Additionally, the carrier says that special meals are not available in domestic economy when only refreshments are served. You can view the carrier’s full special meals terms here.
Bottom Line
Flying as a vegan can still be a challenge, but it is improving. Some airlines are leaders in the space when compared to others. The best advice for vegan travellers is to approach a flight well-prepared, taking your own food with you as a fall-back to eat if necessary. Some easy travel options include bananas, nuts, dried fruits, protein bars, vegetable sticks or even oatmeal cups that require just hot water.
According to reports, the blast killed 200, injured 5,000, and made as many as 300,000 'temporarily homeless'
Million Dollar Vegan has helped provide 2,000 plant-based meals to those displaced and injured from the Beirut explosion.
The charity has partnered with Lebanese Vegans and animal-rights activist Seb Alex – and aims to distribute food to up to 5,000 families in Lebanon.
200 killed
On August 4, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of the city of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, exploded.
According to the BBC, the blast killed 200, injured 5,000, and made as many as 300,000 ‘temporarily homeless’.
‘Struggling families’
“I would not be able to carry out this campaign if it wasn’t for the amazing community of activists in Lebanon, the people behind the scenes. You all know who you are and I’m so happy you exist,” Alex wrote on Instagram.
“Together, we have distributed more than a thousand ready meals and during the next days over 800kg of boxes full of rice, lentils, pasta, tomato sauce, bulgur, vermicelli, beans, chickpeas, juice, and water will be given out to struggling families.”
“Thank you to everyone who has supported this ongoing relief effort,” Million Dollar Vegan added.
The EU should thwart the meat industry trying to ban certain labels on veggie products
The meat lobby may be powerful, but is it entitled to cultural ownership of the burger? The European parliament is to vote on whether to ban terms such as veggie burger and veggie sausage, as well as “cheese-like” and “yoghurt-style” for plant-based alternatives to dairy products. The meat industry complains of “cultural hijacking” by vegetarian/vegan products leading to consumer confusion and proposes that “names currently used for meat products shall be reserved exclusively for products containing meat (including) steak, sausage, escalope and burger”. This includes chicken and there’s already a ban on plant-based products being labelled “milk”. One suggestion is for plant-based sausages and burgers to be called “tubes” and “discs”. As in: “I must remember to pick up some Linda McCartney tubes later.” Yummy!
Photograph: count_kert/Getty Images/iStockphoto
This shows how rattled the meat industry is by the popularity of vegetarian/vegan food. It fails to understand that people eschew meat products for complex reasons (animal welfare, environment, health) and are unlikely to suffer from “consumer confusion”. Sure, I’m a lifelong vegetarian and have an axe to grind, but still, I’ve never accidentally bought meat. In 2019, the House of Lords select committee heard that fewer than 4% of people had mistakenly purchased a vegetarian product.
Meat producers point out that not all meat alternatives are healthy and can be high in salt, sugar and additives. Fair point - I’m all for rigorous regulations for all foodstuffs. Nor is this about vegetarians/vegans existentially hankering after food that resembles meat. All that wondering over how, even though we don’t eat meat, fish or chicken, we are still conditioned to need it represented (faked) on the plate. In truth, those vegetarians/vegans who eat meat substitutes (and not all do) aren’t yearning for the real thing. It’s just easier sometimes to replicate classic meals with meat substitutes, to cobble together “burger and chips”, “sausage and mash” or “Thai chicken curry”. Indeed, if you take nothing else away from this column, please understand that some vegetarians/vegans are bad cooks, and lazy with it, just like many meat-eaters. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
This is why it’s bizarre to watch the meat industry making what amounts to a conceptual power grab. Sausages, burgers, steaks, escalopes and the like are essentially food shapes and food shorthand, all of which has been around for so long it is the property of anyone who eats, not just people who opt to eat meat.
Put like this, why would anyone bother arguing about what goes into a sausage shape or a burger shape? Would anyone care to copyright the teabag (slap a ban on impertinent fruit infusions?). Whatever decision is made, dictating that certain food shapes or dishes are only made with animal flesh seems like cultural hijacking. The meat industry can keep its meat, but burgers belong to everyone.
‘Beetroot has been found to be a powerful antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties and also vascular-protective effects which have been repeatedly shown in multiple studies. This has led to the increased popularity of beetroot in the management of cardiovascular disease’, Matt said.
