For years veganism has been a minority within a minority but as people become more ecologically minded about where their food and drinks are sourced from, producers all over the world have seen an increased demand for vegan-friendly products in their ranges.
The number of Vegans in the UK is set to skyrocket 327% by the end of 2020 and around 2.2 million people will adopt veganism, increasing the population to around 2.9 million people.
According to analysts, young women are driving the growth of vegan movement which stems from Instagram influence and people campaigning for animal rights, but recent surveys show a range of different reasons behind the rise in veganism.
Whilst animal welfare is the main driver with almost 55% of people going vegan based on this motive, over 30% of people have removed meat and animal products from their diet for health reasons – a vegan diet is richer in certain nutrients, including fibre and antioxidants.
Almost 35% of people are vegan for the environmental benefits – cutting out meat and dairy products from your diet can reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by 73%.
To meet the growing demand for plant-based products, stores are continuously growing their vegan ranges in a bid to become the best vegan retailer.
“Wholesalers must expand their offerings in order to participate in this lifestyle trend and adapt their ranges to demonstrate that they are willing to appeal to a whole new demographic, comments Jessica Smith, Marketing Executive at Continental Wine and Food (CWF). “One way for wholesalers to maximise their sales on their vegan offerings relates to the way products are positioned in-store.”
There has been long deliberation about whether or not vegan products should be merchandised alongside animal products within supermarkets; however having meat and non-meat products together can be a stimulant for a meat-eater to try vegan products as a substitute, and additionally makes the products easier to find – everyone knows where the meat and fish products are located within supermarkets, so why not place the plant-based alternatives next to them for ease.
“Price will also be a barrier for many customers – a lot of products have penetrated the market with very high price-points and vegan alternatives to meat-based meals are often more expensive, so take pricing into consideration when you are stocking your shelves,” adds Smith.
The UK meat-free market is estimated to grow from £559m in 2016 to £658m in 2021 as vegans and vegetarians look to set to make up a quarter of the British population in 2025, and flexitarians just under half of all UK consumers.
The vegan alcohol market has exploded in the last few years with improved sourcing, clearer labelling and even dedicated Vegan ranges saturating the alcohol industry which is in-keeping with the rapid growth of consumers moving towards more plant-based lifestyles.
CWF produces The Straw Hat which is the UK’s Number 1 British Wine brand and has been Vegan since 2017.
As of 1st January CWF’s red, white and rosé British Wines have been registered with The Vegan Society and the official logo will be now be featured on both the front and back labels.
“Given the recent lifestyle movements of Veganism going mainstream, we really wanted to proudly showcase that we are in fact animal friendly and acquiring this new accolade has allowed us to target a whole new demographic who perhaps didn’t know beforehand that our products were vegan, but now purchase them because of this reason,” Smith explains.
CWF also produces Silver Bay Point which is a lighter British Wine with only 79 calories per glass and has also been registered with the Vegan Society.
The product within the bottles is exactly the same, just with a couple of tweaks to the label.
The trend for plant-based eating has taken the UK by storm and the popularity of vegan food shows no sign of abating. In fact, what was one a nice trend is now a mainstream lifestyle choice, with the market predicted to be worth a staggering £1.1bn by 2023 (Mintel).
With 66% of consumers opting for, or open to, meat-alternative dishes and 29% of consumers looking for vegan options when dining out of home, a well thought out vegan offering can prove to be a lucrative line of revenue.
“Therefore, it’s vital that wholesalers invest in their vegan offerings to ensure they are helping their customers meet the rising demand,” says Kate Sykes, Marketing Manager, Lantmännen Unibake UK.
According to research by Lantmännen Unibake’s Gourmet Burger Bun brand, Americana, despite the desire for vegan cuisine reaching an all-time high, the present offering is falling short of consumer expectations.
Neglecting plant-based offerings can seriously affect sales. In fact, 62% of consumers do not feel that meat-free burgers match the quality and variety of meat-based counterparts, so it is essential that wholesalers stock gourmet buns so operators can avoid their customers feeling short changed.
The fact that only 24% of consumers would currently rate the vegan offering in bars, pubs and restaurants at four out of five stars or above clearly highlights the need for operators to up their vegan game and enhance their menus.
As buns make up 69% of a burger it’s vital that wholesalers stock a range that means foodservice operators can pay just as much attention to the quality of the buns as they do the patties.
“Premiumising vegan burger ranges with gourmet burger buns is a simple way for wholesale outlets to cater to this demand while achieving great profit margins,” suggests Sykes. “Wholesalers can help create premium burger menus by stocking Lantmännen Unibake UK’s Americana range of vegan-friendly gourmet burger buns.”
Any successful range relies on following trends and listening to consumer demand for premium products and vegan ranges are no exception. Outlets that fail to raise the bar on their vegan menus will see customers voting with their feet and those that rise to the occasion will reap the rewards.
Wholesale outlets can tap into consumer desire for personalisation by offering a choice of gourmet buns from the Americana range to accompany their vegan burgers. With the exception of the Brioche Bun, the whole Americana range is suitable for vegans. The range includes the Americana Glazed Bun, Americana Grill Marked Bun, Americana Kaiser Cut Bun and Americana Gluten Free Gourmet Poppy Seed Bun.
In line with the consumer trend for vegan and vegetarian food retail and foodservice outlets are increasingly catering for consumers who want to cut out or reduce eating animal products.
It is easy to think that vegan and vegetarian diners want the same thing, however foodservice operators will be asked to cater for both groups so wholesalers need to think vegan AND vegetarian and stock accordingly, comments Tom Styman-Heighton, Development Chef at Funnybones Foodservice. “Many vegetarians will expect a dish to include dairy products like vegetarian cheese and yogurt, and are happy to eat eggs and honey – indeed these products help to make vegetarian food a particularly tasty choice. Vegans however will not eat any animal products.”
Caribbean foods are very fashionable, and as a specialist wholesaler Funnybones offers a number of vegan dishes which feature Jamaican flavours and ingredients. They include an authentic Callaloo Dutch Pot Stew which is made with coconut milk, the traditional dish Rice and Peas and two types of fried plantain, Ripe or Green.
Funnybones’ Cassava Fries are a gluten-free, vegan Caribbean alternative to potato chips. The company also sells a vegan Jamaican patty filled with stew peas which is a traditional dish made with kidney beans and a coconut sauce.
Demand for Jackfruit products has soared. This hitherto niche fruit which has a meat-like texture which soaks up any flavours, was until recently, relatively unknown in this country. Jackfruit is sometimes called the miracle fruit because it offers so many nutritional benefits. The fruit is very large and contains many seeds that are rich in iron, calcium, protein, potassium and vitamin B.
The flesh is delicious once cooked and shredded, crumbled or minced before being made into any number of dishes. It has a satisfying, meaty texture that makes a great vegan substitute in savoury dishes in its young green state, while the fully ripe fruit has a sweet flavour that is delicious in puddings and desserts.
Funnybones sells the fruit ready to use in cans, in two varieties. Jackfruit in Syrup is suitable for dishes such as cakes and jellies. And for savoury dishes like vegan pulled pork, vegan burgers and nachos, there is Young Green Jackfruit in brine, which can be used to make a whole host of tasty dishes.
With demand growing so quickly it is lucky that Jackfruit is easy to grow, and apart from tasting delicious, it is good for the planet too. The trees are resistant to high temperatures and drought and as they are naturally resistant to pests they don’t need any artificial pesticides.
With vegan dishes on menus up 54.8% year on year (MCA), everyone involved in the food industry is thinking about how best to cater for vegan customers.
This new and often youthful group of consumers are driven by ethical and health considerations. Caring for the environment, for animal life and for their own health is behind the motives of many who follow this diet, and for the same reasons, many more consumers are choosing to eat less meat and animal products and eat vegan on an occasional basis.
This fast-growing group of consumers are joined by those who are drinking less alcohol or giving it up completely – there is definitely a trend towards adopting a healthier lifestyle.
“As retailers, caterers, chefs and other operators adapt and respond to the demands of the modern consumer, wholesalers need to ensure that they also make the right decisions when it comes to stocking the in-demand products,” says Matt Grenter, Foodservice Sales Manager, Brioche Pasquier.
“Wholesalers need to consider offering plant-based alternatives to every staple product such as bread, milk, eggs, cheese, ice cream, chocolate etc,” suggests Grenter.
In addition to these basics, there is an increasing demand for foods like vegan sausages, burgers and ready meals like spaghetti with vegan Bolognese, or vegan Chilli.
Brioche Pasquier’s Biscotte range gives chefs the opportunity to offer their customers an interesting vegan version of many popular bread or cracker products, that will also please the meat eaters.
Offering versatility, taste and texture the Biscotte range includes different shapes and varieties which have been baked specially to meet different culinary uses.
Brioche Pasquier bake two types of French style Biscotte, one from French bread and one from brioche – it is the French bread varieties that are suitable for vegan diners as they contain no eggs or butter. Both types are baked twice, so they are deliciously crunchy and make a great alternative to crackers or rolls for lunch or with savoury or sweet toppings at any time of day.
For caterers who have to prepare fiddly canapés for different diets, Brioche Pasquier Mini Toasts are a great time saver. These small squares of biscotte can be prepared with a variety of toppings and will retain their crunch. This means that caterers can provide for most dietary choices with one canapé base.
Ficelles de Pain are a long, thin shape with a flat top which makes them perfect for dipping. The neutral flavour is particularly good for parties and events served with a selection of dips – some vegan, some not – such as smoked mackerel pate, beetroot hummus or a baked Camembert.
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