UK Restaurants ‘Scrambling To Meet’ Skyrocketing Demand For Vegan Food

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2 Minutes Read

Vegan jackfruit pizza from Pizza Express - Media Credit:

Restaurants are ‘scrambling’ to meet skyrocketing demand for vegan food, according to animal rights charity PETA.

In response, the charity has launched a guide to help restaurants, pubs, caterers, and other food-industry insiders expand their vegan repertoires.

Vegan offerings

The Guide to Introducing Vegan Options will address key issues hospitality figures must address, including ‘Quick Switches for Menu Favourites’, ‘Why Offer Vegan Options?’, and ‘Hidden Ingredients’.

According to PETA, it also offers suggestions for ‘veganising’ traditional dishes, including ‘fish’ and chips made with battered tofu.

The guide also highlights some popular vegan options already on offer, including PizzaExpress’ pulled-jackfruit pizza and Wagamama’s Vegatsu curry.

Tasty vegan dishes

“Huge numbers of Brits are seeking plant-based foods, and offering tasty, innovative vegan dishes is the easiest way for restaurants to cash in,” PETA Director of Vegan Corporate Projects, Dawn Carr, said in a statement sent to Plant Based News.

“There are plant-based versions of nearly every animal-derived food, so it’s time to look beyond houmous and sorbet. From helpful tips to inspiring ideas, PETA’s guide will help those in the food industry put their best animal-friendly foot forward.”

The charity adds that vegans also have ‘significantly lower carbon footprints than meat-eaters do, as animal agriculture is a major producer of the greenhouse-gas emissions that cause climate change’.

Vegan food is 2019 ‘trend’

A 2018 survey by catering equipment retailer Nisbets predicted vegan food would be a top restaurant trend in 2019.

Around 850 chefs, catering managers, business owners, and kitchen staff were quizzed for the poll, which said diners are increasingly turning towards vegetarian and vegan options.

“It appears from the research that chefs believe consumers are more conscious about what they are eating, both from a health perspective and a sustainability point of view,” Jo Smith, Web Content & Merchandising Manager, from Nisbets said in a statement sent to Plant Based News.

“It is imperative that foodservice operators maintain a strong connection with the consumers they serve and continue to meet their needs as tastes and demands vary throughout the year.”

You can download the guide here

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