Vegetarian advances

The demand for vegan and vegetarian options continues to make an impact on café and coffee shop menus; the cost-effective emphasis in these cost-conscious times for savvy operators being on making such choices have appeal to all.

National Vegetarian Week

Hot on the heels of the Veganuary – which saw many people adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet during January - comes National Vegetarian Week (15–21 May 2023), and it will be bigger and better than ever, say its organisers, the Vegetarian Society, with “a very clear focus on the climate crisis”, they say.

The Vegetarian Society is a campaigning charity with the aim of bringing the benefits of plant-based eating to all. It campaigns to make the changes happen that need to happen - changes to help people, to help the planet, and to help animals.

The dedicated week will highlight how switching to veggie meals can reduce carbon footprints and help the planet (keep up to date with the latest news about the week at www. nationalvegetarianweek.org).

Richard McIlwain, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, says: “The very first National Vegetarian Week ran in 1992, the same year as the Rio Earth Summit which saw the creation of the first ever UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Thirty years later, we are still battling to reduce emissions and yet every single one of us can take meaningful action by simply reducing or cutting out meat from our diets.

“In 2022’s campaign, we inspired people to switch over 70,000 meat-based meals for veggie and plant-based dishes, saving over 100 tons of carbon, equivalent to the emissions released by driving a car around the earth’s equator over 16 times!

“For 2023 we want to reach out to even more people encouraging a greater number of businesses, schools, local authorities, supermarkets and individuals taking part in the week. People often don’t think their own actions can make much of a difference. But by joining the many thousands of people signing up for the week, we aim to demonstrate how, together, individual efforts can lead to real and meaningful change.”

National Vegetarian Week 2022 saw record-breaking attempts, celebrity supporters and fantastic planet-friendly recipes. It also had a range of businesses across the UK getting involved and, for the first time, was supported by local authorities, many of which have declared climate emergencies.

The National Food Strategy says the UK should eat 30% less meat by 2030. For people who eat meat every day, this can be achieved by going meat-free on just two days a week, they propose.

MORE COST-EFFECTIVE FOR OPERATORS

“There’s been a huge growth in awareness of - and interest in - vegan, vegetarian and free-from foods over recent years,” confirms Gordon Lauder, MD of frozen food distributor Central Foods.

“The growth in the plant-based trend has been particularly spectacular. This is partially being driven by an increasing number of people who are giving up meat and dairy products entirely, but in the main it’s being fuelled by those who are reducing their consumption, so-called flexitarians. Kantar research (Take Home Purchased Panel, Meat Alternatives and Plant-Based Dairy we 240121 vs.4YA data) indicates there is at least one member following a meat-avoidance/reduction diet in each UK household, with 12.5% identifying as flexitarian.

“A poll by YouGov also recently revealed that 9% of Britons have taken the Veganuary pledge at least once, which is estimated to be about six million people. In total, 85% of non-vegan past participants said they had reduced their consumption of animal products since doing Veganuary.

“But we are now also seeing other factors come into play, which are leading to a reduction in meat intake for consumers and is also affecting the composition of menus across the food service sector in cafés and other venues. The ingredients of plant-based dishes can be more cost-effective than meat-based meals and this is becoming an increasingly important consideration at the current time, with spiralling costs for businesses. Vegan mince, for example, can be significantly cheaper than standard beef mince and provides a greater yield so it’s a great meat swap in many popular dishes such as lasagne, chilli or Bolognese. In addition, as well as helping to take the pressure off budgets, offering plant-based options fits with the growing narrative around sustainability.”

Central Foods’ KaterVeg! vegan mince, for example, is both plant-based and gluten-free, point out the company, making it suitable for coeliac customers. Dual criteria ingredients and dishes are increasingly playing an important role on menus as they help to avoid menu proliferation by providing options to suit a wide range of dietary requirements.

“The secret is to serve vegan menu items that are so tasty they will also appeal to meat reducers, who are driving a big part of the increasing demand for plant-based options. As well as helping to avoid menu proliferation, it will also be useful in overcoming some of the staffing and supply challenges that operators are currently facing in the kitchen,” adds Gordon Lauder.

“Despite perceptions that young people are driving the vegan trend, research from Kantar also shows the over 45s account for over two thirds of the growth over the last four years. As people look more closely at managing their health following the pandemic, this age group will undoubtedly continue to be keen advocates of vegan options so café operators should take this into account when menu planning.”

NO LONGER A TREND, BUT BEHAVIOUR

With aspirational meat reducers making up 55% of the meat free market (Blue Yonder, Brand Growth System: Initial deep dive – January 2021 – data), meat free eating is no longer just a trend, it’s a consumer behaviour, claim the well known sector ingredient supplier, and brand, Quorn.

“We conducted research on 2,000 UK adults who identify as flexitarians and found that over 40% eat meat free/plant-based half of the time when eating out of home. Alongside this, quality, value for money and variety of meat free options were the top three influencers on where they choose to eat (3Gem UK 2,000 UK adults who identify as flexitarians survey, October 2021),” says Phil Thornborrow, foodservice director at Quorn Foods.

“Diners are demanding more vegetarian and vegan options on menus that have exciting and fresh ingredients, and still have all the same taste and protein attributes as meat dishes.

“Taste is still the key consideration when creating meat free dishes, and this is increasingly important in this current climate, when eating out is more of a luxury than in recent years. If no such options are included, customers, and more importantly the whole group they are with, will seek out other places that cater to their needs.”

Particular trends that look to continue into 2023, the company also report, include ‘comforting carbs’, generously overfilled open sandwiches and messy burgers loaded with bold flavours and fillings, making for an appetising visual array of colours and textures, as well as tasting great. The desire for more flavour and a choice continues to grow, as travelling remains a challenge. Thus, diners are seeking bold flavours, even experimenting with meals that offer a fusion of different cuisines.

Quorn mycoprotein is the superprotein at the heart of all Quorn products. It absorbs flavours, so it’s a great choice when adapting recipes to meat free, without the compromise on flavour, claim the brand. It is nutritious and sustainable like no other protein, they also claim, making it easier for chefs to add dishes to menus that taste great and have a positive impact on the planet at the same time. Versatile, it can be used easily and creatively by chefs to create a variety of meals from different cuisines, with pub classics such as pies, roast dinners, pasta dishes, street food, breakfast and brunch, all offering opportunity.

“A staple meat free protein choice can really easily help operators can tap into the wants and needs of consumers,” Phil Thornborrow continues.

“Our research with 2,000 UK adults who identify as flexitarians found that the burger is still the top choice of meat free meal when flexitarians dine out, but there is a growing desire for more chicken like dishes, such as wings, strips and tenders.

“Relaunched last year, ChiQin is a new concept designed specifically for hospitality which makes it easy for chefs to build in their diners’ desired menus. ChiQin includes Quorn’s first wing products, Quorn Buffalo Wings (ve) and Quorn Crispy Wings (ve), which join the Buttermilk Style Chicken Burger (ve) and Quorn ChiQin Fillet (ve).”

Dan Wilson, development chef at The New World Trading Company, home to venues like The Botanist and The Furnace, picked up Chef of the Year Award at the 2022 Street Food Championships using two of Quorn’s bespoke to foodservice Quorn ChiQin products.

Dan’s Korean ChiQin Burger wowed the judges and featured Quorn’s ChiQin Fillets and ChiQin Crispy Wings, an Americana Brioche Bun, Lee Kum Kee’s Vegetarian Stir-fry Sauce with Pepsi Max, radish, coriander, cucumber, gochujang sesame oil and furikake rice seasoning.

NEW LAUNCHES

Artisan bakery, The Original Cake Company, has created two new vegan cakes to help café operators capitalise on Veganuary and beyond; cakes being synonymous with café menus and having strong appeal across the age groups and range of dietary requirements.

The company’s handmade, triple-layered Lemon & Blueberry and Oreo Cookies & Cream sponge cakes are the latest additions to their range of fresh-baked artisan cakes and have been developed in response to growing demand from cafés, hotels and restaurants for innovative and indulgent vegan options, the firm report.

“Veganuary is a huge and very popular movement and as a result, our café customers are increasingly asked by their customers for vegan cakes to enjoy with a cuppa or as a little taste of luxury after a meal,” says Dan Swanwick, sales manager of The Original Cake Company’s wholesale division, Café Direct.

“We created these two new cakes to satisfy the growing consumer appetite for vegan options but also to give operators the opportunity to maximise sales during Veganuary and beyond.

We’re confident these will have year-round appeal for anyone seeking to extend their menus with some really delicious plant-based options.”

The Original Cake Company’s Lemon & Blueberry Cake comprises a lemon and blueberry sponge filled with lemon frosting and blueberry jam, and finished with hand piped lemon frosting, lemon icing drizzle and a sprinkle of citrus peel.

The Oreo Cookies & Cream cake is a vanilla sponge baked with dark Belgian chocolate chunks, filled with a cookies and cream frosting and topped with Oreo biscuit pieces, chocolate sprinkles and a dark Belgian chocolate drizzle.

Both 10” cakes can be cut into 14 generous portions and are available from The Original Cake Company’s wholesale division Café Direct, which now offers a 24-hour turnaround from order to delivery across Lincolnshire and further afield into Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire.

The company have now been baking cakes for more than 50 years and are based in the heart of Lincoln. All its cakes are produced the old-fashioned way, by hand, by a team of talented bakers led by managing director Simon Woodiwiss and his business partner Karol Kaminski (operations director). They employ 35 people, supplying retailers including Harvey Nichols, Liberty London, The Sandringham Gift Shop and the Houses of Parliament.