From veganfoodandliving.com
Wagamama has removed the Vegatsu and other vegan dishes from its menu, to the disappointment of many fans. Is the chain ditching its plant-based pledge?
Wagamama has come under criticism from vegans who have voiced disappointment over their favourite dishes being cut from the chain’s menu, saying the changes betray the restaurant’s original sustainable ambitions.
Among the plant-based dishes axed from Wagamama’s menu options are the Vegatsu (the vegan alternative to the brand’s flagship katsu curry dish), vegan K-dogs, and vegan chicken.
The news comes after Wagamama pledged in 2021 to ensure 50 per cent of its menu would be plant-based, positioning itself as a leader in the UK’s vegan dining scene.
Wagamama now looks set to abandon the bold plant-based pledge, with the chain confirming it recently “made a number of updates” and removed a “small number of dishes, both vegan and non-vegan,” while insisting its top vegan sellers remain.
Additionally, the company has deleted its “Plant Pledge” page, which now redirects to a 404 error, suggesting the sustainability target has been quietly dropped.
‘Step backwards’
TikTok creator @vegansoph shared a clip about the menu, accompanying it with a caption that said: “In case you missed it, Wagamama released a new menu and (unsurprisingly) the vegan options were significantly reduced.
“Bye-bye vegan chicken, vegatsu and corn dogs. Considering they were the first UK chain restaurant to offer equal parts plant-based dishes and meat dishes, this is incredibly disappointing.”
The caption continued, “As a vegan influencer, I’ve noticed the decline in vegan options in restaurants and supermarkets. Yes, I always encourage shopping small and supporting independents, but when big names take away vegan options, they’re also taking away the opportunity for non-vegans to choose plant-based meals.”
Among the disappointed viewers who took to the comments section, one wrote: “Getting rid of vegatsu seems strange. Surely [it] was their biggest vegan seller?!”
Another added: “Vegatsu is my absolute favourite and the vegan chicken was incredible… lowkey such a betrayal.”
And a third said: “Well that’s disappointing news. It’s frustrating seeing the lack of options these days. And the options available are so poor it’s really a step backwards.’
Why did Wagamama ditch the Vegatsu?
In response, a Wagamama spokesperson told the Manchester Evening News that its best-selling vegan dishes have remained on the menu.
They added that the chain is committed to developing “new and exciting plant-based dishes” for its future menus.
“We made a number of updates to our menu in October, launching several new items, both vegan and non-vegan, to keep our offering fresh and exciting,” they said. “These include our new vegan katsu udon, a new bao bun range, and bento boxes for kids.
“As part of this refresh, we also removed a small number of dishes, both vegan and non-vegan, to ensure our menu continues to evolve in line with what our guests want most.”
Addressing its vegan offering, they added: “We continue to offer a wide range of vegan options. All of our most popular vegan dishes remain on the menu, with our top five vegan dishes accounting for 78 per cent of all vegan sales, and we’ll keep developing new and exciting plant-based dishes as part of future menu updates.”
https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/wagamama-vegatsu-vegan-options-menu-cuts/
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