By Richard Thorpe, Ornua Ingredients Europe
O
Riding the Crest of the
ur eating habits are constantly changing.
Then there’s technology. Advances in producing plant-
Some things are suddenly flavour of the
powered ‘equivalents’ of our more traditional dishes are
moment, and then fall out of favour almost as
opening up an astounding new collection of ingredients
quickly. Think prawn cocktails. And fondues.
and meals, making the vegan option on menus as varied
Other foodie fashions tend to come and stay the course.
and as appetising as every other category of food.
The British appetite for Indian and Chinese food for
Add it all up and it’s easy to see why no fewer than
example. Burgers, Fish & Chips, Street Food...in fact, fast
500,000 participants signed up for 2021’s ‘Veganuary’
food in general. And, of course, the Pizza.
challenge...a whopping 25% year-on year increase.
But no matter how popular these everyday food favourites have become, their steady advance to the top of
But here’s the thing...
our meal and menu choices is being spectacularly eclipsed
Check out your supermarket shelves. The sheer amount of
by the meteoric rise in demand for plant-based food.
space now given over to plant-powered food is expanding
It seems only minutes ago that vegan food was considered by many as niche. Fringe. Faddy. Something worth a try but not always leading to a new way of life.
so quickly it can sometimes be hard to keep up. And yet, if you talk to the people popping these items into their baskets, a significant percentage won’t be vegans at all. They’re simply part of our ‘new world’ where
How things have changed!
we choose to mix our diets, often electing to have two or
Plant-based eating is now the fastest growing food trend of
three days a week of vegan eating, simply for the impact it
the 21st century, leaving all other growth patterns firmly in its
can have on our health, or the environment, or both.
wake. As for why this phenomenon has suddenly burst into life...well, that’s down to a whole host of interlocking factors.
Pizza heads the charge
Healthy eating is a major contributor, with plant-based
Think about it. Pizza is the world’s favourite food. No big
diets considered by many as the perfect complement to a
surprise when you consider every pizza base is a starting
healthier approach to living.
point for the imagination to run riot. Which makes it manna
The environment plays an increasingly important role
from heaven for creating plant-based options.
too. Growing numbers – particularly among 5 to 16 year
But if there’s one thing guaranteed to deliver the perfect
olds, see plant-based eating as a critical factor in changing
vegan pizza experience, it’s the perfect vegan ‘cheese’.
our approach to caring for the planet and reducing the
And if there was any doubt, take a look at the projections
impact other diets may have.
for the growth in global vegan cheese sales.
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Fastfood Professional • December and January 2021-22
December and January 2021-22 • Fastfood Professional
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