Veganism and Vegetarianism has been predicted to be one of the biggest trends of 2019 by industry leaders and culinary experts as the debate surrounding consumption of animal products widens.
As you may have read in our previous blog, The Vegan Society has said that demand for meat-free food increased by a staggering 987% in 2017, and the trend shows no signs of stopping. Food delivery service Just Eat named Veganism a top consumer trend in 2018 due to a 98% increase in ‘healthy food ordered’, and according to Uber Eats’ food trend report for 2019, takeout is getting healthier (and more photogenic) than ever.
It is interesting that food delivery companies have predicted this to be a top seller, not just restaurants and supermarkets, but why is vegan food getting so popular?
The environmental benefits of a healthier diet are increasingly being highlighted in the media, along with a bigger spotlight on animal welfare. Couple this with a wider range of more accessible food available, and you have the perfect ingredients for this super trend.
Global buyers and experts from Whole Foods Market revealed in their fourth annual trends predictions announcement several innovative ways that consumers are using food to become more environmentally ethical, such as choosing eco packaging, faux meat snacks and pro-biotics.
As supermarkets have jumped on the trend, these foods can now be easily sourced, making it even easier for the traditional consumer to change their eating habits. US chef Derek Sarno last year joined forces with Tesco to bring his passion for ‘sexy vegan food with a healthy twist’ to the UK. Appointed Tesco’s Executive Chef-Director of Plant-Based Innovation, he brought dishes such as the BBQ pizza, carrot pastrami wraps and mushroom bolognaise to the forefront. In the period from January to June 2018 2.5 million vegetable meals were sold.
But choice doesn’t stop at supermarkets. Increasingly we are seeing more Vegan restaurants in the UK, with The Guardian revealing it’s top choices here: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/nov/08/best-vegan-restaurants-uk-readers-travel-tips
We visited the award-winning Manchester Vegan restaurant Allotment last month and tasted creative dishes on their tasting menu such as Tai squash pie and aubergine tagine which we delicious.
Chef Matthew Nutter, who was named Chef of the Year at Manchester Food and Drink Festival awards in 2017, has won huge acclaim since launching The Allotment and we can certainly see why.
Vegan (and vegetarian) food definitely appears to be on the rise, and as a top trend of 2019, we can expect this to no longer be a niche diet and integrated into mainstream dining more than ever.
We would love to hear your thoughts!
