87 CURRYlIFe OUTPUT 012021 05/01/2021 18:12 Page 50
T
Veganuary
2 02 1
oP FIVe TReNdS By Louise Palmer Masterton Stem & Glory
CURRY LIFE
FEATURE
I
50
n the space of just one year to Nov 2020, Deliveroo reported a 115% increase in demand for plant-based meals. In my hometown of Cambridge, where Stem & Glory was the only vegan place in town in 2017, we now have five all-vegan outlets, including two vegan burger joints. All are busy, which is testament to the popularity of the movement. A movement that surely only those in denial about the unsustainability of animal consumption can ignore or pass off as a ‘fad’. With Veganuary upon us, it’s a good time to look back at the vegan trends of 2020, and to look ahead to 2021, which many people predict will be even more stratospheric in terms of growth. 2020 wasn't only the year of plantbased meat launches, it was also the year that all the major UK supermarkets introduced or expanded their own vegan ranges, and the year that, through sheer demand, all UK food outlets were compelled to have greater plantbased offerings. As a vegan person however, I do think there is a long way to go, both in terms of quality and quantity. I find myself walking out
of most mainstream shops empty handed, as I still cannot find what I am looking for. Which for reference is something healthy, super tasty and with attention to balanced nutrition. All too often a vegan offering is still just a bunch of vegan ingredients lumped together with not much thought, and no attention to flavour. With that in mind, I wonder how many of the plethora of plantbased meat products that are on the shelves now will still be there at the end of 2021? Early adopters of these products are no doubt already onto the next thing. So where is it we see new products starting to gain ground, and where do we see vegan products in the UK heading in 2021?
Vegan Seafood Even more of an oxymoron that vegan meat, vegan seafood has become a fast-moving trend all over the world. I was in Amsterdam in the heady days of Feb 2020. We were on a food tour as part of the Global Restaurant Investment Forum and landed at a place called ‘Vegan Junk Food Bar’. Another oxymoron really, as although they do serve a lot of
Vegan cheese board vegan junk (also known as ‘dirty vegan’), it was there I had my first experience of vegan ‘sashimi’. ‘Vegan sashimi’, what sorcery is this?’ I hear you cry. The first thing to note is that it really really looks like raw fish. I admit I had very low expectations of the first piece I put in my mouth. These however were immediately dispelled. It was quite tasty, served with a sweet soy dip, and very moreish. I am not really a fan of plant-based meat, but I would eat this again. Which is a perfect segue to our next top vegan trend for 2021
Healthier Fake ‘Meat’ We have come a long way in terms of plant-based meat, cheese and seafood replacements, but let's face it, these are all processed, and do not contain the same nutritional profile as their animal counterparts. Take the vegan sashimi product for example. Raw fish is an extremely light and healthy product, high in protein and healthy fat, and very low in carbohydrates. The plant-
