Plant-Based Victoria Sponge Served At Wimbledon

Victoria sponge is a quintessentially English cake and has long been served at Wimbledon. This year, the tennis championships has changed its recipe, offering up a plant-based version for spectators and players to enjoy.

Traditionally made with jam and cream sandwiched between sponge, caterers at Wimbledon have used Flora spread and coconut cream to replace the cake’s dairy ingredients. The move is part of Wimbledon host All England Club’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2030 in its operations.

“I think it is really important to note that we make these changes based on flavour as well,” Adam Fargin, executive chef of the All England Club, told the Guardian. “So we wouldn’t serve that because it’s plant-based – we believe that it tastes as good as [any] Victoria sponge. It is really important for us that we have that balance between does it taste great and is it great for the environment.”

The hospitality suites at Wimbledon now serve a range of plant-based dishes alongside the Victoria sponge. The menus also highlight low carbon food options, and banana muffins are also being made using banana skins to reduce food waste.

Plant-based tennis

Wimbledon tennis court — Alamy Stock Photo A number of tennis stars who have played at Wimbledon are plant-based

The expansion of plant-based options at Wimbledon will likely be welcomed by some of tennis’s biggest stars who are either vegan or plant-based.

Most famously, both Serena and Venus Williams eat mostly plant-based diets, and Serena has invested in several vegan business ventures as well as starred in an ad for vegan eggs with Jake Gyllenhaal. Polish star Hubert Hurkacz and Novak Djokovic are plant-based, as is Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, who has said that he doesn’t agree with eating animals.