Los Angeles-based vegan fast food chain Mr Charlie’s has secured an investment from Carma HoldCo, parent company of sports legends Mike Tyson and Ric Flair’s brands.
Mr Charlie’s Told Me So, home of the McDonald’s-spoofing vegan Frowny Meal, has received a “strategic investment” from Carma HoldCo, the parent company of several brands from cultural icons.
The plant-based fast-food chain, which has locations both in Los Angeles and in San Francisco stateside, as well as in Sydney, Australia, is now eyeing expansion both domestically and internationally via a franchise model.
This will be facilitated by the investment from Carma HoldCo, whose portfolio brands specialise in the cannabis and wellness sector. These include Tyson 2.0, founded by boxing legend Mike Tyson; Ric Flair Drip and Wooooo Energy from wrestling icon Ric Flair; and Evol by the rapper Future.
“Mr. Charlie’s is a natural choice for Carma Holdco, as we diversify into the food industry. I very much believe in the healthy benefits of a vegan diet and was a strict vegan for many years,” said Tyson. “I’m proud to align myself with partners bringing healthy alternatives that taste good to the fast food space.”
A vegan McDonald’s with a strong community mission
Courtesy: Mr Charlie’s
Established in 2020, Mr Charlie’s gained popularity on TikTok, where users dubbed it the “vegan McDonald’s”, thanks to its menu and branding.
Instead of a Happy Meal, diners can choose the Frowny Meal, which includes an Impossible Burger or TiNDLE chicken patty, TiNDLE nuggets, fries, and a choice of drink.
The beef burger menu features Not A Hamburger, Not A Cheeseburger, Mr Chuck, and the recently launched Mr Royale with Cheese (among others), alongside Mr Sunday and Not A Chicken Sandwich as the chicken options. Aside from the latter, all feature vegan cheese. In addition, it has a breakfast menu comprising Mr Muffin – a take on the iconic McMuffin with vegan egg, cheese and mayo – and Mr Muffin Deluxe (which adds a TiNDLE sausage to the mix), as well as tater tots.
The red and yellow packaging is paired with a parody of the famous Golden Arches, with each box featuring a sad face and crossed eyes to feign an ‘unhappy’ brand aesthetic, complemented with the tagline: “Turn that frown upside down.”
But behind the tongue-in-cheek messaging, there’s a serious community-focused mission underscoring the business. Founders Aaron Haxton and Taylor McKinnon have been committed to providing second chances to employees from underprivileged backgrounds, including those overcoming addiction or homelessness.
Mr Charlie’s has previously partnered with the Dream Center, a non-profit that helps homeless and formerly incarcerated people find accommodation and employment. For its Los Angeles eatery, the restaurant chain has hired around 60 workers from the organisation, which helped McKinnon through a dark time once too.
It pays employees above minimum wage, with management-level staff receiving a $300 credit card allowance to build up a credit score. The chain aims to create more jobs through similar collaborations with community organisations as it expands.
“Mr Charlie’s mission to help and hire those from the homeless community is something that I am truly passionate about, and I look forward to helping many people and communities with the expansion of Mr Charlie’s across the globe,” said Tyson, who is vegan and whose wife heads a homeless shelter in Los Angeles to help victims of domestic violence find work.
Mr Charlie’s eyes expansion amidst challenging times for vegan F&B
Courtesy: Mr Charlie’s
Mr Charlie’s says it has several locations lined up in the US, and wants to use the investment to rapidly grow its footprint. To do so, it has developed a franchise model targeting area developers and master franchisees in large US territories, with plans in place for international expansion.
It has leveraged its partnerships with data-driven delivery platforms like Uber Eats and Postmates to use robust market data to pinpoint ideal locations for franchise expansion. This would allow for faster rollouts of new branches, and more effective penetration of local markets.
“This isn’t just an investment in a plant-based food concept – it’s a smart business decision,” said Carma HoldCo CEO Adam Wilks, who has previously worked at Cold Stone Creamery, Pink Berry, Buy N Bulk, and more. “The QSR space is ripe for innovation, and Mr Charlie’s combination of bold brand identity, crave-worthy menu, and scalable business model makes it a compelling opportunity for franchisees. We’re excited to help bring this innovative brand to more markets.”
In a joint statement, McKinnon and Haxton said Mr Charlie’s would be helped by Carma HoldCo’s experience in building disruptive brands. “Both Carma and Mr Charlie’s are about creating meaningful change – whether it’s providing second chances to our employees or delivering plant-based food in a fun and novel way,” they noted.
The investment comes at a time when plant-based and quick-service restaurants have been struggling. Kevin Hart’s fast-casual chain Hart House suddenly closed all its locations last month, joining a trove of other plant-forward Los Angeles eateries that have shut their doors in the past year, such as Vegan Drip Burger, Shojin, Nic’s on Beverly, Flore Vegan, Jewel, and Matthew Kenney’s VEG’D and Plant Food & Wine.
In fact, the Los Angeles Times reported that at least 65 well-known restaurants closed in the city last year, with high inflation rates prompting consumers to spend less on dining out – a recent survey showed that American families spend 10% less of their eating-out budgets than they did in 2022.
Restaurants themselves are also facing thin margins on top of high labour and ever-increasing ingredient costs. In 2023, pound sales of meat analogues dipped by 8% in the US foodservice sector, versus a 4% drop for conventional meat, according to Circana data cited by the Good Food Institute.
Whether they’re backed by celebrities or otherwise, restaurants – especially plant-based ones – face an uphill challenge in the current landscape. Mr Charlie’s would do well to turn the frown upside down.
Umiami, the Parisian startup making whole-cut plant-based chicken, is now called Swap, and has entered the US foodservice sector.
French plant-based meat company Umiami has rebranded to Swap, which it says is “a universal word, easy to understand, and works well for international audiences”.
“Swap perfectly represents our mission: to provide consumers with the opportunity to exchange their usual meat for a delicious and sustainable alternative, without compromising on taste or texture,” said co-founder and CEO Tristan Maurel. “Our new name is a call to action, encouraging consumers to make a positive choice for themselves and for the planet.”
The refresh coincides with the brand’s US launch, where it is targeting flexitarians via restaurants to encourage them to “swap” to a “new kind of chicken”. It has introduced the Swap Chicken, a whole chicken fillet alternative, at restaurants in Chicago.
Umisation tech enables clean-label meat analogues
Courtesy: Swap
The four-year-old startup, which has raised $107M in funding to date, relies on its Umisation texturising platform to produce whole-muscle replicas of conventional fillets like chicken and fish.
This involves a technique that transforms plant proteins into structured fibres without high heat or pressure. “This technology is the result of several years’ research and development, and uses plant matrices to produce a fibrous texture and control the size, direction and thickness of the resulting fibres,” the company told Green Queen last year.
“Umisation is an innovative protein texturing technology that is unique and specific to Umiami. It is the world’s first-ever process to be able to create – on a large scale – plant-based fillets that resemble pieces of animal meat: both in taste and texture,” they added.
The technology also allows the startup to produce plant-based meat with minimal ingredients, with the chicken using eight ingredients and no artificial flavours, colourants or texturisers.
Courtesy: Swap
This will likely resonate with Americans, who are looking for clean-label formulations amid the classification of meat analogues as ultra-processed (despite that label being separate from nutrition). Around 40% of the country’s consumers say they avoid ultra-processed foods and/or plant-based meats.
Meanwhile, half of people in the US now seek out clean-label packaged foods, while health is the major driver of overall food consumption, influencing how eight in 10 Americans eat. On the contrary, a sixth of respondents are dissuaded from trying meat analogues in a restaurant setting because they have too many ingredients.
And April, a decade-long proprietary study revealed that 99% of European manufacturers (like Swap) believe clean-label products are not just an advantage, but a cornerstone of their business strategy. In fact, over the next two years, these products are set to make up 70% of portfolios (up from 52% in 2021).
Swap Chicken on the menus at multiple Chicago restaurants
Courtesy: Swap
Swap’s chicken fillet has 21g of protein per 100g, and can be marinated, breaded, sliced, or cubed to be served either warm or cold. The company says it is also “priced comparably to boneless, skinless chicken breasts”, which enables it to help kitchens reduce both costs and food safety risks.
“We created a product that we believe will unlock the plant-based category for the mainstream consumer. Swap Chicken’s superior taste, clean ingredients and unrivalled product versatility finally enable chefs to recreate traditional recipes using only plant-based ingredients,” said Maurel.
Among the Chicago restaurants Swap has partnered with The Chicago Diner, Spirit Elephant, Soul Veg City, Majani, Duke’s Alehouse, and Clucker’s Charcoal Chicken, while it is also on the menu of SteMartaen Vegan Catering. “We believe Swap Chicken will elevate menu possibilities, making it easier than ever to Swap animal meat for plant protein,” Maurel said.
The company opened a 14,000 sq m facility in the Alsace region earlier this year, backed by local and federal government funding, which can produce 7,500 tonnes of plant-based meat annually, eventually rising to 20,000 tonnes. Swap says the rebranding also allows it to expand beyond chicken fillets to all kinds of meat and fish analogues, broadening its future product development plans.
“Our rapid growth opens up new opportunities for expansion, while staying true to our commitment to simple ingredients and authentic recipes,” said Maurel.
Nil Zacharias, founder and CEO of Plantega, talks bodegas, BECs, New York City, plant-based struggles, and plans to expand across the US.
The first thing I did when I got to New York City was order a burrito.
It was 2pm, so naturally I was craving breakfast. Chorizo from Abbot’s Butcher, a scramble from Zero Egg, nacho cheese from WayFare, some hash browns, some spinach, some avo.
It felt like the Avengers of vegan food, if you will, born out of a truly innovative concept by Nil Zacharias. He is the founder and CEO of Plantega, a company turning bodegas – etched in the fabric of New York City – vegan-friendly.
btterPlantega partners with vegan food producers across the country – from plant-based meat makers like Beyond Meat, Konscious Foods, Umaro, and of course, Abbot’s, to non-dairy innovators such as Miyoko’s Creamery and Follow Your Heart – and uses their products to veganise bodega classics.
Instead of opening brick-and-mortar stores, it equips the city’s existing bodegas with a deli menu that turns a combination of these offerings into NYC favourites – think butter rolls, chopped cheeses, Philly cheese subs, BECs, and breakfast burritos.
Courtesy: Plantega
There are more than 13,000 bodegas in the Big Apple. With many open 24 hours or until late, Zacharias calls them a “lifeline that all New Yorkers depend on”. Mostly immigrant-owned, these independent businesses outnumber grocery stores in several neighbourhoods, and whip up deli classics with not much more than a grill, a fryer, and a deli counter.
Zacharias, a former ad exec and marketing consultant, started Plantega as a pilot programme in three bodegas in November 2020. This was the height of the pandemic, and bodegas’ status as essential businesses became ever more important as restaurants closed. The trial concept featured the hybrid foodservice and retail approach, with branded fridges that stocked the plant-based products, and a deli making use of them in a nostalgic yet novel way.
“We learned very quickly that people loved the sandwiches, and the retail products were a harder sell because of a range of factors, from the shopping habits of consumers to space constraints in the stores,” Zacharias tells Green Queen, “So we abandoned that approach fairly quickly when we officially launched the company later in 2021.”
Initial pushback from cooks gave way to customer uptake
Courtesy: Plantega
For Zacharias, making bodegas inclusive to vegans wasn’t just because there was an inherent lack of such options, but also because he wanted to show that this could retain the cultural meaning of a dish, just with a change of ingredients.
“And I think it really resonated with people because we did not try to do it in a gimmicky way that hijacked the culture,” he says. “Instead, we worked from the ground up to empower the bodega owners to buy into our brand and approach and get their customers to embrace their favourite sandwiches, just made better – with better-quality ingredients, and better health and environmental outcomes.”
How receptive were bodega owners initially? “Our first conversations with bodegas were pretty simple. We asked them if their consumers were asking for more vegan or vegetarian options. The answer was always yes,” he says. “We then followed up with a question about what the plant-based options were on their menu. And they would almost always point to one or two options that usually included a bland veggie sandwich of sorts.”
This is when the Plantega team would show bodega owners the vegan menu, asking them if they’d like to see something like that in their store. “And then it really came down to explaining to them how they would make money doing it and how Plantega functioned as the easy button to add plant-based menu items in their bodegas,” explains Zacharias.
“Once they tasted the sandwiches and grasped what the model really meant, and how Plantega made this very seamless and easy for them, our concept really just sold itself,” he adds.
That doesn’t mean there wasn’t any pushback initially. “In the first year, we really had to work hard to convince bodegas to carry our menu and partner with us,” he recalls. But this was more down to the fact that they wanted a discount on their first order so they could mitigate upfront costs and risks, rather than the fact that bodega owners doubted the concept’s value or demand.
“Because our model involves selling an entirely plant-based menu under the Plantega brand name alongside their regular deli menu, in some cases, we did receive pushback from deli cooks during the first few weeks,” says Zacharias.
“They were usually not happy about having to get trained on a whole new menu and use the plant-based ingredients we supplied for it. Plantega did add a new layer of complexity to their jobs when an order came in for a plant-based sandwich, and not every cook was excited about the extra work.”
Customers, on the contrary, ate it all up. “Most were intrigued by the attractive new menu added at the deli. And the reason we probably faced little to no pushback from them is that they still had the choice to pick anything they wanted from the regular deli menu,” he points out.
“We weren’t forcing them to make a change, but were doing our best with our branding (via posters and attractive signage, as well as strategic placement of our menu) to nudge customers to try Plantega.”
Courtesy: Plantega
The Plantega business model
To take the load of veganising bodegas’ bread and butter items (literally) off of their owners, Zacharias and his team develop the entire plant-based menu themselves, drawing inspiration from NYC deli sandwiches and creating new dishes to showcase the plant-based ingredients as best they can.
“Our in-store menu includes 14 items, and our delivery menus feature 40+ items,” says Zacharias. Plantega supplies all the products to bodegas, organises them on their counters, trains their cooks, sets up the menus and signage, performs quality checks, and markets the stores. It also processes future orders once bodegas sell out of products, and onboards them onto delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub.
Due to the nature of this model, “the menu has to be consistent at every touchpoint”, says Zacharias. Plantega is currently in 56 bodegas across the city’s five boroughs, and recently opened a flagship kitchen to offer direct delivery and open its model up to corporate catering and large events.
“Because we are so widespread across the city, our primary criteria now is finding a store that’s in a neighbourhood that doesn’t have a Plantega location,” says Zacharias.
Courtesy: Plantega
“We then analyse whether the store has a successful deli business, as well as other factors like storage space for our products, cooperative cooks that are willing to get trained by us, a clean and professional operation, and most importantly, a store owner who understands the nature of our partnership and is committed to working with us to make plant-based food more accessible to their customers.”
So how does the business make money? Plantega takes supply fees and distribution commissions from the bodegas, participation fees from the brands that offer their product, and revenue from delivery sales via bodegas. It will now also generate revenue from the new catering kitchen.
Of course, not everything has worked. The fridges that were part of the pilot in 2020 are now gone, and the menu has been updated to better reflect what its target consumers want.
“One of the most important lessons we learned pretty early in our journey was that trying to educate consumers about the health and environmental benefits of plant-based food as a way to convince them to choose something from our menu didn’t work,” says Zacharias, echoing a rhetoric floated by leading industry executives.
“On the other hand, creating a fun, uplifting, and approachable brand that gets people excited about our food made us a recognised and loved plant-based brand across New York City.”
What’s in it for the plant-based brands?
Courtesy: Plantega
Plant-based meat – and the vegan sector in general – has had it tough over the last two years. Sales have dropped off, as has venture capital, while consumers have expressed dissatisfaction with overprocessing, high markups, and the taste of meat analogues.
Retail sales dropped by 12% in 2023, but in foodservice, the decline was only 6%. Consumers tend to be more receptive to plant-based analogues in restaurants, where the possibility of cooking a vegan burger badly is much lower than at home.
“I think the industry has a trust and discoverability challenge that can be alleviated if we get it right in foodservice,” notes Zacharias. “Foodservice has some inherent advantages that make it more accessible to new consumers. Here, plant-based products are presented in a familiar environment and context, which reduces the barrier to trial.
“Professional cooks get to showcase the products in the way they are intended to meet the needs and specific tastes of their customers. This helps drive consumer trial in a convenient way and can go a long way in making a great first impression about new products, and can change any preconceived notions consumers have of the taste and texture, as well as the functionality of the products.”
He adds: “Working with a range of brands and showcasing them under our platform has been a big part of the Plantega model since we launched.” By partnering with Plantega, these companies open up new distribution and trial opportunities via field marketing activations.
“We’ve not only sourced our ingredients from multiple brands, but have also been intentionally brand-forward in our branding and marketing,” says Zacharias. On the menu, you’ll see the company each product is from, which is complemented by signage around the store sporting brand logos.
“We also host various sampling and community events in NYC throughout the year to showcase our menu items and specifically talk to consumers about the ingredients used and the brands we partner with. Lastly, we create content for our social media channels that feature our brand partners, along with consumer reactions and feedback on their products.”
Zacharias reveals that the bestselling dish on the menu is the chopped cheese sandwich, which pairs the Karana burger with Cultured Cheddar cheese from Stockeld Dreamery. Other popular items include a BEC with Umaro bacon, Zero Egg, and Stockeld Cheddar, turkey/ham cheese subs featuring Prime Roots’s mycelium meats, and the aforementioned spicy breakfast burrito.
Working with so many brands at once may seem challenging, but Zacharias says that hasn’t been the case, because each of the 11 companies brings something different. “They understand that Plantega is a unique platform in a key US market that features their products in a complementary way, unlike any other sales channel,” he says.
“We are driving sales, but we’re also consistently connecting with new consumers who are passionate about our iconic NYC Deli-style sandwiches and discover new and emerging brands as a result.”
Plantega embedded in New York City’s plant-based push
“Bodegas are as much an iconic symbol of New York City as our vibrant parks, subway system, or skyscrapers,” says Zacharias. “In a city where change is the only constant, bodegas have stood the test of time. They’ve witnessed neighbourhoods transform, seen trends come and go, yet they remain steadfast, with deli counters serving up comfort wrapped in wax paper.”
And despite soaring real-estate prices driving some bodegas out of business or forcing owners to pivot to other kinds of retail establishments, he believes “there is no sign that this cultural icon of the city is going extinct anytime soon”.
Veganism isn’t going anywhere either, especially in New York City. Since food makes up a fifth of its greenhouse gas emissions, the local government is working to reduce emissions by a third by 2030. All 11 public hospitals, for example, now offer plant-based meals as the default choice, a campaign that has witnessed great success. The Plant-Powered Fridays campaign at public schools, meanwhile, has led to a 28% reduction in emissions
It’s part of embattled mayor Eric Adams’s drive to green up the city. He follows a plant-forward diet himself, and celebrated his mayoral win in 2021 at a Plantega location. Across the US, 1,400 mayors have signed a resolution to promote a shift to plant-based diets, taking a leaf out of Adams’s playbook.
“It is incredible to see the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy make plant-forward eating such a key pillar in their strategy to increase food security, promote access to and consumption of healthy foods, and support economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and equity in the food system,” says Zacharias.
“I strongly believe that shifting towards a predominantly plant-based food system can have a profoundly positive impact, and I hope what’s happening in New York City encourages other local governments to take similar steps.”
Plantega to expand nationwide
Plantega’s evolution over the last few years has solidified Zacharias’s belief that consumers still want plant-based food, as long as it’s “fun, familiar, and satisfying”.
Among its major growth drivers now is the Plantega Kitchen & Catering division, which he describes as “highly tech-enabled”. It has been optimised for local D2C deliveries, as well as citywide catering clients looking for better vegan options for all meal types.
“Recognising that a significant number of meals in New York City are consumed within private institutions such as corporate offices and event venues, Plantega sees a tremendous opportunity to amplify our impact,” notes Zacharias.
Courtesy: Plantega
“This launch is timely as the return-to-office trend drives a catering boom in workplaces, and the climate crisis makes it imperative for organisations to reduce their food-based carbon emissions,” he adds. Perhaps most notably, he says the kitchen will “serve as a blueprint for our plan to scale the Plantega brand and operations outside of New York City.”
That’s part of the business’s five-year plan. “I foresee quick, comforting New York Deli-style sandwiches becoming a national phenomenon, and Plantega – with our authentic brand story having started in the deli counters of bodegas around New York City – being the brand that makes it happen,” outlines Zacharias.
“Plantega’s Chopped Cheese, Bacon, Egg & Cheese and other sandwiches will be sold in multiple cities across the US, through our own kitchens and via licencing partnerships,” he adds. “People will eat our food primarily because they love how it tastes and how the Plantega brand makes them feel. The fact that everything is plant-based will just be an attribute that makes it even better.”
Connecticut-based Wayback Burgers’s franchisee in Asia has opened a 100% plant-based chain called Next Restaurant in Japan, with major expansion plans in sight.
Fast-casual chain Wayback Burgers is going all-in on Asia’s hunger for plant proteins, establishing an all-vegan restaurant concept championing plant-based meat in Japan.
Wayback Burgers Asia, the Japanese master franchisee of the US hamburger chain, has opened Next Restaurant in Tokyo, which it describes as a first-of-its-kind concept in the city designed to overcome the ever-changing barriers of the foodservice sector.
The chain operates mainly as a takeaway and delivery site, with only limited seating for dine-in options. The restaurant operates a shared kitchen to prepare dishes from different restaurants, with visitors able to choose items from multiple menus at the same time.
Next Restaurant’s model to expand globally
Courtesy: Wayback Burgers Asia
Wayback Burgers is a 33-year-old chain with over 170 locations in more than 20 countries using the franchise model. The chain has an extensive menu of beef burgers, chicken patties, shakes, and more, it does have a couple of meat-free options, using Impossible Foods and Gardenburger’s analogues.
The company opened its first site in Japan in 2022, but has now expanded its operations with the 100% plant-based concept of the Next Restaurant. “The traditional restaurants are now facing high procurement costs, labour shortages [and] general inflation, and consumers [continue to demand] high-quality, healthy foods while seeking better value for money,” said Wayback Burgers Asia CEO Koichi Ishizuka.
“Next Restaurant’s multi-brand restaurant model shares the same kitchen for better food preparation efficiency, and the pick-up and delivery concept allows us to operate within a small location.”
At Next Restaurant, customers can order from a range of vegan bento boxes, with options like foie gras kalbi, short ribs, pork and ginger, and a beef bowl. The eatery also keeps to its parent company’s hamburger legacy, with menu items like short rib or pork-ginger rice hamburgers, as well as a minced meat cutlet.
Moreover, Next Restaurant offers gluten-free pasta and doria (a type of rice gratin) tossed in tomato, bolognese or carbonara sauce, alongside entire menus for cheesesteaks and pizza (with flavours like tuna mayo, bulgogi, curry, and Margherita).
Wayback Burgers Asia has further created a vegan and gluten-free smoothie brand called Niseko & Smoothie, which uses fresh produce from farms in the town of Niseko, Hokkaido.
“It is franchisable and expandable to accommodate various existing restaurants’ menus,” Ishizuka said of the business model. “We are setting a new post-Covid restaurant business mode from Tokyo and expanding internationally.”
Japan’s growing appetite for alternative protein
Courtesy: Yano Research
As Ishizuka alluded to, Wayback Burgers Asia is now exploring domestic and international franchise partnerships to take Next Restaurant global. Its second franchised eatery is set to open this fall too, in Kumamoto on Japan’s Kyushu island.
It comes amid a time of growing need for plant-based and other alternative proteins in the country. Japan has a net-zero target of 2050, with a shorter-term goal of cutting emissions by 46% by the end of the decade. But its current policies have been deemed “insufficient” by the Climate Action Tracker. And last year, research suggested that 45% of the country’s protein supply needs to come from alternative sources by 2060 if it’s to decarbonise.
A 2021 poll found that 53% of its population primarily viewed plant-based meat as having “low calorie and fat values compared to regular meat”, and just over a third (37%) viewed these products as “sustainable”. Around the same time, another survey found that less than 20% of consumers in Japan were aware of plant-based foods.
But things are changing now. This May, one study showed that three in four Japanese citizens had heard about or seen plant-based meat, with 21% displaying a broad understanding of these products. It also found that one in five respondents had tried meat analogues.
Showcasing long-term trends, a survey last year suggested that the number of vegans and vegetarians had gone from 4.8% in 2017 to 6.5% in 2023. Likewise, while only 16% of Japanese consumers were consciously lowering their meat consumption in 2017, this swelled to 26% last year.
These habits are part of the reason why alternative protein think tank the Good Food Institute opened its latest office in Japan earlier this month, noting the country’s ability to cater to Asia’s “skyrocketing meat demand in a more secure and sustainable way”.
Kimiko Hong-Mitsui, interim director of the office, told Green Queen: “Just as Japan developed and exported the cutting-edge technologies that brought solar power and other renewables to the world, we now have an opportunity to pioneer the next generation of alternative proteins – the food equivalents of clean energy.”
McDonald’s France is introducing vegan nuggets made from Beyond Meat, its first plant-based option, offered at the same price as conventional chicken.
Fast-food giant McDonald’s is finally offering a plant-based option in France, its biggest market outside the US.
The chain will launch Veggie McPlant Nuggets tomorrow at all its 1,500+ outlets in the country, extending its Europe-wide partnership with US vegan leader Beyond Meat. They will be available in four-, six-, nine- and 20-piece servings and as part of various meal deals, all at the same price as conventional McNuggets.
Unlike previous veggie launches, the vegan chicken nuggets are a permanent menu addition at McDonald’s France, and are designed to attract vegans as well as flexitarians looking to diversify their protein intake.
McDonald’s looks to build on France’s changing dietary habits
Courtesy: McDonald’s France
The vegan McNuggets are a result of a “close collaboration between Beyond Meat and McDonald’s”. They’re made from a base of pea protein and coated in a blend of wheat and corn flours lightly salted with pepper and celery.
“We chose to innovate with a first offering based on plant proteins, directly inspired by one of our iconic products,” said McDonald’s France CMO Jean-Guillaume Bertola. “With the Veggie McPlant Nuggets, we are responding to the increasing desire of French consumers to diversify their protein intake while never compromising on taste.”
The national rollout was based on consumer tests conducted by McDonald’s, which “yielded very satisfactory results, particularly regarding quality and flavour”, according to Bertola.
“The response was unanimous, there was a real craze from our consumers who found a strong resemblance to the iconic nugget,” he told Le Figaro. “We are rather confident about the success of the product,” he added, noting that the meat-free nuggets have “performed very well” in Germany since their early 2023 launch there.
McDonald’s holds the largest share of France’s increasingly popular fast-food market. In fact, the country has been labelled as the chain’s biggest market after the US. So the launch of a vegan version of one of its most popular products is a marker of the country’s changing dietary habits, and McDonald’s wish to capitalise on the transition.
In 2023, an EU-wide survey revealed that nearly six in 10 consumers in France had reduced their meat intake in the preceding year. And federal data shows that French people are eating 6% less meat per capita than they did 20 years ago, though overall consumption has still risen.
Currently, its citizens eat over 700g of meat per week, more than double what’s recommended in Eat-Lancet’s Planetary Health Diet, and 100g higher than the national dietary guidelines. Health and climate experts have been calling for the national recommendations to cut weekly meat consumption by 25% to 450g in the upcoming update.
And despite the high amounts of meat the French eat, 57% of them say they’d back government policies that cut back on animal protein for human and planetary health.
Beyond Meat’s European success with McDonald’s
Courtesy: McDonald’s
The launch of the Veggie McPlant Nuggets marks an extension of the successful partnership between McDonald’s and Beyond Meat in Europe. While the McPlant burger – made using Beyond Beef – hasn’t quite worked out in the US, it has thrived across the Atlantic.
Beyond Meat has suffered a rocky couple of years in terms of sales – for example, it posted an 18% decrease in annual revenue in 2023. Despite that, international sales actually grew by the same percentage, largely thanks to the McDonald’s partnership.
The vegan meat maker’s CEO, Ethan Brown, told investors that the business had witnessed “continued traction at McDonald’s across countries such as Austria, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, UK, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Switzerland”.
With the vegan McNuggets, Beyond Meat’s link-up with McDonald’s is entering France, joining a Veggie lineup comprising burgers such as the McVeggie, Veggie Curry, and Honey Mustard Veggie, as well as the Caesar Salad Veggie. But none of these existing options are suitable for vegans, so the plant-based nuggets are a first for the fast-food chain’s French operation.
This comes amid a resurgent plant-based industry in the country. Just last week, the EU’s top court ruled against a ban on the use of meat-related words on plant-based packaging, a piece of legislation originally proposed by the French government (which was suspended by the nation’s highest administrative court).
This came at the same time France’s most popular plant-based meat export, La Vie, closed a €25M funding round, introduced vegan meatballs, and debuted its first national TV ad. And months earlier, despite all the kerfuffle, plant-based food was all the rage at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
American comedian Kevin Hart’s plant-based restaurant chain Hart House suddenly closed all its locations last week.
Hart House, the Californian vegan fast-food eatery by comedian Kevin Hart, unexpectedly shut the doors of all its four locations on September 10.
“To our team, guests, and community, who helped make the change we all craved,” the chain wrote on Instagram. “A Hartfelt goodbye for now as we start a new chapter.”
CEO Andy Hooper confirmed the news to Eater Los Angeles, but the reason for the closure of the two-year-old chain is still unclear.
Hart established the venture in 2022, two years after publicly announcing that he was following a plant-forward diet, cutting out red meat, fish and seafood after a serious accident. “I founded Hart House to create a good experience that combines the joy of coming together over food with the power of purpose,” he wrote on the restaurant’s website, which still remains up with no reference to the closure.
Hart House’s competitive prices and in-house plant-based meats
Hart House opened its first location in Westchester in August 2022, followed by a second store in Monrovia in November. The chain’s flagship store was opened in May 2023 on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, while a fourth outlet was opened in University Park South a month later.
“If I can give people a place to have the option that’s placed smack dab in the middle of where your McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, and Burger King [are], people may see a Hart House and say: ‘I’m going to go plant-based today,’” Hart told The Hollywood Reporter in 2022.
To set up the business, Hart teamed up with investor Michael Rubin and chef Mike Salem, who helped launch the Impossible Whopper during his time at Burger King.
Known for its competitive pricing, the chain sold chicken sandwiches, burgers, and nuggets for under $8, with combo meals costing less than $15. Meanwhile, fries, salads and tater tots were available for less than $3, and milkshakes for under $6.
Despite Hart being an investor in Beyond Meat, appearing in marketing campaigns at the time, he and his team decided against using branded plant-based meats, instead developing its own range of proprietary analogues in-house.
But the fast-food chain – which outlined its ambition to be the future of quick-service restaurants – has now closed. Why that happened, and what happens to it next, is unclear.
In a statement sent to Eater Los Angeles, Hooper said: “The response to the product has been incredible, and we thank our committed team, our customers, and our community partners for helping make the change we all craved, and for their unwavering support of Hart House.”
Courtesy: Hart House
High costs and low sales key challenges for vegan restaurants
Hart House’s closure comes amid a turbulent time for plant-based restaurants in South California, and in the US as a whole.
Within Los Angeles, Vegan Drip Burger, Shojin, Nic’s on Beverly, Flore Vegan, Jewel, and Matthew Kenney’s VEG’D and Plant Food & Wine are among the plant-forward restaurants that have shut down this year alone. Even Shake Shack closed five stores in the LA area earlier this month.
This is part of a wider trend – according to the Los Angeles Times, at least 65 well-known restaurants closed in 2023. High inflation rates have squeezed consumer wallets, prompting them to spend less on dining out. A recent survey showed that American families spend 10% less of their food budget on restaurants than they did in 2022.
At the same time, restaurants themselves are facing thin margins, and high labour and ingredient costs. In 2023, pound sales of meat analogues dipped by 8% in the US foodservice sector, versus a 4% drop for conventional meat, according to Circana data cited by the Good Food Institute.
Plant proteins also suffer from a major price gap, which has been accentuated by the cost-of-living crisis – despite the cost of meat climbing faster than plant-based alternatives, the latter are still 38% more expensive. This has also pushed some formerly meatless restaurants to add meat to their menus, like Sage, Hot Tongue Pizza, Elf Cafe, Burgerlords, and Margo’s in Los Angeles.
That said, in California, the number of fast-food jobs has reached an all-time high, despite the mandated minimum wage increasing from $15.50 to $20 in April.
But as Hart’s restaurant closes, another celebrity-backed eatery is about to open its doors this winter, with siblings Billie Eilish and Finneal O’Connell partnering with restauranteur Nic Adler to set up Italian diner Argento in LA’s Silver Lake area.
US fast-food chain Shack Shack has added the Veggie Shack burger to the menu at all Hong Kong and Macau stores for a limited time.
The Veggie Shack is coming to Hong Kong and Macau, as Shake Shack continues to roll out the whole-food burger across Asia-Pacific, following launches in Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
Made from 11 vegetables plus grains like farro and quinoa, the vegetarian burger has been in the making for six years. It’s paired with American cheese, pickles, crispy onions, and ShackSauce, all housed between the chain’s signature potato bun.
The chain wants to diversify its offerings to appeal to both meat-eaters and vegetarians. While the patty itself is plant-based, other elements – like the cheese, sauce and bun – are not. So at the moment, to make it vegan, the bun can be swapped for a lettuce wrap and the other elements can be removed.
Green Queen’s Sonalie Figueiras tasted the patty at a launch event in Hong Kong yesterday. “After trying (and failing) to taste the patty three different times during a California trip last year, my expectations were high. But this totally delivered,” she says.
“Tasty and very vegetable-forward, the Veggie Shack feels almost healthy, which is not typical of a burger chain. It’s a game-changer for the Hong Kong market.”
The HK$66 ($8.45) Veggie Shack will be available from September 12 to November 3 at all its 7 locations in Hong Kong and its Macau outlet. On launch day, the company is offering the burger for just half its price (HK$33/$4.23), while touring the city with a van.
Courtesy: Sonalie Figueiras for Green Queen
Shake Shack celebrates veggie burger with truck tour
The Veggie Shack has been under development in Shake Shack’s Innovation Kitchen in New York City since 2018, with an iteration of the burger first launched in the US in May 2023.
The meatless burger is being introduced to the Asian market this year, with the QSR chain releasing it on the menu in Singapore in April. This was followed by the Philippines in August, and Thailand last weekend.
As in these other regions, the Veggie Shack is a separate menu item in Hong Kong and Macau and is cooked on the same grill as meat.
Unlike competitors McDonald’s and Burger King, whose vegetarian burger launches featured patties made by leading plant-based meat brands like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and the Vegetarian Butcher, Shake Shack’s 11-vegetable base is made up of portobello mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, sweet potato, carrot, celery, leek, roasted red onion, roasted garlic, cabbage, beet and chives, complemented with whole-food ingredients like sunflower seeds and miso, alongside the quinoa and farro.
In addition to the Veggie Shack, the restaurant chain has brought out a limited-edition Earl Grey Shake, which comprises thick vanilla custard and is tipped with shortbread cookies, whipped cream, and a sprinkle of freshly soaked tea.
Courtesy: Shake Shack
On launch day, a Shack-Van will be making its way through Hong Kong, starting at Central Pier at 11:30am, moving to Tsim Sha Tui at 1:30pm, and finishing at Kwai Fong at 4pm. Alongside the Veggie Shack, the food truck will feature lemonades and vouchers for free fries, as well as some goodies.
Shake Shack has also partnered with Simran Savlani, founder of local condiments brand A Spark of Madness (famous for its Hong Kong chilli crisp) and its eponymous vegetarian cookbook, who will host a Crinkle Cut Fries Jamming station on September 21 and 22 at IFC Mall and Harbour City, respectively. The experience will be open to guests who purchase both the Veggie Shack and Crinkle Cut Fries, with visitors getting to try Savlai’s line of sauces.
Keeping up with consumer trends
In its 20th year now, Shake Shack has taken a different route from fast-food counterparts like McDonald’s and Burger King, opting to develop whole-food patties in-house instead of collaborating with plant-based meat brands like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods.
The chain has tested different versions of its vegetarian patty in certain New York City locations since 2018. And it trialled a Vegan ShackBurger (with plant-based cheese and ShakeSauce too) at certain UK stores in 2020, before rolling out a Crispy Shallot Burger with a base of roasted mushrooms, onions, miso and bulgur wheat.
All these efforts play into consumers’ growing demand for whole-food options. Perhaps the most prominent example of this interest is Beyond Meat’s move into veggie sausages in July. With health at the forefront, Asian consumers want more whole foods too.
“Here’s hoping it inspires other chains to make their menus more inclusive,” Figueiras said of the new burger. “Many people love Shake Shack: teenagers, little kids, families – and those groups need options for the vegans and flexitarians among them.”
In Thailand, where the Veggie Shack is now available, 44% of consumers would like to replace meat with traditional plant proteins like beans, tofu and legumes, versus 29% who would prefer plant-based meat. Similarly, 47% say they’d rather eat whole-plant foods than meat analogues.
Courtesy: Shake Shack
Likewise, in China, “vegetables that are high in protein, iron, and calcium are particularly appealing to consumers”, according to a survey by ProVeg. Marketing campaigns and strategies that clearly highlight the nutritional value of fresh produce (as well as meat and dairy analogues) were earmarked as a powerful way to attract more plant-based eaters.
Currently, there are no confirmed plans for the Veggie Shack in mainland China, but its rollout across Asia-Pacific is promising. The company has been experimenting with various climate and health-forward trends. It began trialling Zero Acre’s Cultured Oil in two New York City locations last year, as sentiments cool on seed oils.
The company also debuted a plant-based chocolate milkshake and chocolate custard in partnership with NotCo, the Chilean food tech startup that counts Enlightened Hospitality Investments (EHI) – the growth equity fund by Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer – as an investor. (Neither of these offerings are available in Asia-Pacific.)
EHI also co-led a $25M Series A round for Pinky Cole’s cult-favourite plant-based burger chain Slutty Vegan in 2022 – it now has 11 locations and is opening its latest one in the world’s busiest airport later this year.
Driven by the restaurants and corporate catering, foodservice sales of plant-based meat and dairy in the Netherlands grew by 111% and 82%, respectively, in the past two years.
In 2023, the number of meat analogues sold in Dutch foodservice channels was double the amount two years prior, just as conventional meat saw volume sales decline by 2%, according to Foodstep data analysed by ProVeg Netherlands.
Between 2021 and 2023, the volume sales of plant-based meat grew by 111%, on the back of sustained popularity in restaurants and corporate catering. Dairy alternatives, meanwhile, saw unit sales increase by 82% in the same period.
These new figures mean vegan analogues accounted for 4.3% of the overall meat market and 7.4% of the dairy sector – for the first time, the share of these products in foodservice is higher than in the retail sector.
When looking at the data longer term, the volume sales of conventional dairy have shrunk sharply, according to ProVeg Netherlands. The organisation suggests the segment never recovered from the foodservice dip experienced by the entire industry during the Covid-19 lockdowns, which saw many restaurants close both temporarily and permanently. Sales of these products have only reached 78% of pre-lockdown levels.
On the other hand, plant-based dairy has become more popular. Milk alternatives alone saw a 92% rise, and their popularity in the quick-service sector was thanks to the 123% hike in volume sales of plant-based barista milks. These products made up two-thirds (68%) of all ‘frothable’ milk sold in sandwich shops, snack bars and cafés.
But there is a caveat – most QSRs and coffee shops use whole milk instead of specially crafted barista milk. So when accounting for this, nearly 20% of milk used in this foodservice segment is plant-based. And this is dominated by oat milk, which is responsible for 12% of the share.
Meanwhile, margarine and butter alternatives saw a smaller growth of 7% between 2021 and 2023, but already account for 63% of the market. Vegan cheese and ice cream, however, has a long way to go: despite volume sales rising by 113% and 227%, respectively, these products still only make up 0.9% and 0.4% of cheese and ice cream sold to the foodservice sector in the Netherlands.
The largest growth for plant-based products in this period came from the cooking cream segment. Accounting for 12% of the overall market, volume sales of vegan cooking cream skyrocketed by 320%. The volume share of these products is even larger in the education (37%) and corporate catering (21%) sectors.
“Most products still have a long way to go. But plant-based cooking cream is already well on its way to becoming just as ubiquitous a plant-based basic product in catering as margarine,” said Martine van Haperen, foodservice expert at ProVeg Netherlands.
Caterers turn to exclusively plant-based options
Courtesy: The Vegetarian Butcher
When it comes to plant-based meat, bitterballen (Dutch croquettes) have witnessed the biggest rise (201%) between 2021 and 2023, while croquettes have grown by 50% in volume sales. The market share for meat analogues is highest in the education sector (9.5%) – here, vegan versions account for 22% of all bitterballen sold.
Likewise, traditional plant proteins have become more popular too, with legumes growing by 33% in Dutch foodservice. Lentils (69%) saw the biggest rise, followed by chickpeas (67%) and other beans (25%).
Vegan mayo and fries sauce represent another food group with explosive growth, with sales up by 244% and accounting for 3.5% of the overall market. In corporate catering, though, their share is already at 8%.
“What these products have in common is the high one-on-one replaceability with the animal alternative,” explained van Haperen. “More and more caterers only offer vegetable cream, mayonnaise or bitterballen. That is much easier and more environmentally friendly than offering animal and vegetable options separately, especially because the consumer hardly tastes the difference.
She added that the high volumes can be attributed to the strict sustainability targets of Dutch foodservice companies – 16 caterers have committed to have at least 60% of all proteins sold be plant-based by 2030, an effort led by animal rights group Wakker Dier. These include Van Leeuwen Catering, Vermaat Groep, Albron, Hutten and Compass Group.
Driven by the restaurants and corporate catering, foodservice sales of plant-based meat and dairy in the Netherlands grew by 111% and 82%, respectively, in the past two years.
In 2023, the number of meat analogues sold in Dutch foodservice channels was double the amount two years prior, just as conventional meat saw volume sales decline by 2%, according to Foodstep data analysed by ProVeg Netherlands.
Between 2021 and 2023, the volume sales of plant-based meat grew by 111%, on the back of sustained popularity in restaurants and corporate catering. Dairy alternatives, meanwhile, saw unit sales increase by 82% in the same period.
These new figures mean vegan analogues accounted for 4.3% of the overall meat market and 7.4% of the dairy sector – for the first time, the share of these products in foodservice is higher than in the retail sector.
When looking at the data longer term, the volume sales of conventional dairy have shrunk sharply, according to ProVeg Netherlands. The organisation suggests the segment never recovered from the foodservice dip experienced by the entire industry during the Covid-19 lockdowns, which saw many restaurants close both temporarily and permanently. Sales of these products have only reached 78% of pre-lockdown levels.
On the other hand, plant-based dairy has become more popular. Milk alternatives alone saw a 92% rise, and their popularity in the quick-service sector was thanks to the 123% hike in volume sales of plant-based barista milks. These products made up two-thirds (68%) of all ‘frothable’ milk sold in sandwich shops, snack bars and cafés.
But there is a caveat – most QSRs and coffee shops use whole milk instead of specially crafted barista milk. So when accounting for this, nearly 20% of milk used in this foodservice segment is plant-based. And this is dominated by oat milk, which is responsible for 12% of the share.
Meanwhile, margarine and butter alternatives saw a smaller growth of 7% between 2021 and 2023, but already account for 63% of the market. Vegan cheese and ice cream, however, has a long way to go: despite volume sales rising by 113% and 227%, respectively, these products still only make up 0.9% and 0.4% of cheese and ice cream sold to the foodservice sector in the Netherlands.
The largest growth for plant-based products in this period came from the cooking cream segment. Accounting for 12% of the overall market, volume sales of vegan cooking cream skyrocketed by 320%. The volume share of these products is even larger in the education (37%) and corporate catering (21%) sectors.
“Most products still have a long way to go. But plant-based cooking cream is already well on its way to becoming just as ubiquitous a plant-based basic product in catering as margarine,” said Martine van Haperen, foodservice expert at ProVeg Netherlands.
Caterers turn to exclusively plant-based options
Courtesy: The Vegetarian Butcher
When it comes to plant-based meat, bitterballen (Dutch croquettes) have witnessed the biggest rise (201%) between 2021 and 2023, while croquettes have grown by 50% in volume sales. The market share for meat analogues is highest in the education sector (9.5%) – here, vegan versions account for 22% of all bitterballen sold.
Likewise, traditional plant proteins have become more popular too, with legumes growing by 33% in Dutch foodservice. Lentils (69%) saw the biggest rise, followed by chickpeas (67%) and other beans (25%).
Vegan mayo and fries sauce represent another food group with explosive growth, with sales up by 244% and accounting for 3.5% of the overall market. In corporate catering, though, their share is already at 8%.
“What these products have in common is the high one-on-one replaceability with the animal alternative,” explained van Haperen. “More and more caterers only offer vegetable cream, mayonnaise or bitterballen. That is much easier and more environmentally friendly than offering animal and vegetable options separately, especially because the consumer hardly tastes the difference.
She added that the high volumes can be attributed to the strict sustainability targets of Dutch foodservice companies – 16 caterers have committed to have at least 60% of all proteins sold be plant-based by 2030, an effort led by animal rights group Wakker Dier. These include Van Leeuwen Catering, Vermaat Groep, Albron, Hutten and Compass Group.
A report card of the top 25 food and beverage chains in the US ranks them on their progress towards plant-based menus – the results are dire.
McDonald’s generated a lot of headlines last month after its US president said the McPlant had failed after being tested in two American cities, and there were no plans to bring it back.
So it’s no wonder that despite being the world’s largest food chain, its climate progress is alarmingly bad – a large reason for which is the sheer amount of beef it buys and sells. But it’s not the only company leaving a lot to be desired when it comes to vegan options.
A new report by World Animal Protection reveals that most of the top chains in the US are failing to embrace meaningful commitments to address their carbon-heavy menus, or a ‘plant-based by default‘ approach – where vegan dishes are the primary option, and animal-based products are presented as alternatives.
The Moving the Menu 2024 scorecard assessed the five most popular chains in five categories: burgers, chicken, sandwiches, coffee and beverages, and Latin- or Mexican-inspired. McDonald’s, KFC, Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, Subway and Taco Bell all received the lowest grade – in fact, only nine companies (36%) received a score other than F, and even then, five of them got a D mark.
The highest-scoring company was Chipotle, followed by Peet’s Coffee and Starbucks.
“Chain restaurants play a pivotal role in the daily food decisions of many American families,” said Annette Manusevich, farming campaign manager at World Animal Protection. “Despite the urgent need to shift to more plant-based diets and the growing consumer demand for ethical and environmentally friendly food choices, most leading chains like Taco Bell and McDonald’s are failing to make the grade.”
Coffee and Latin American companies shine – the rest not so much
Courtesy: World Animal Protection
When it came to numbered rankings, seven of the chains scored a zero (from a possible total of 220), including three each in the burger and chicken categories. This includes McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Sonic Drive-In.
Burger King was the only burger chain to not receive an F grade (representing very poor progress), instead getting a C (making some progress) with a score of 65, the fourth-highest on the list. This is thanks to its offering of the Impossible Whopper, which it has continued promoting and keeping on its menu. Carl’s Jr/Hardee’s escaped a zero with a score of 20, but still received the bottom grade.
Things are even more problematic in the chicken category, with all five chains – Popeyes, KFC, Chick-fil-A, Wingstop and Raising Cane’s – getting an F grade (the latter three scored zero).
Similarly, only Subway avoided an F in the sandwich sector, getting a D (little progress). Arby’s scored zero, while Jimmy John’s, Jerry Mike’s and Panera all scored five. Subway’s limited progress comes from offering select plant-based menu options.
Companies in the Latin American cuisine sphere fared much better. Chipotle received a B grade (good progress) with a score of 145, thanks to its large selection of vegan by default options, extensive advocacy of the benefits of plant-based, and more transparent supply chain reporting than the rest. While Del Taco got an F, Qdoba, Moe’s and Taco Bell received D grades, since they have some plant-based menu items (or those that can be modified to be vegan).
Coffee was the best-performing sector. Peet’s had a score of 120 (B grade) for its default vegan options on both food and drink menus, and supportive policies for plant-based consumption. And with a score of 90, Starbucks obtained a C grade – while it has a variety of plant-based by default beverage options, its food offerings need updating. Meanwhile, Tim Horton’s received a D grade, while Dunkin’ and Dutch Bros were in the lowest tier.
Consumer trials have shown that with a default plant-based model in place, 81.5% of consumers would choose the meat- and dairy-free options, cutting emissions by 24%.
‘Time for restaurants to step up’
Courtesy: Chipotle
Animal agriculture is responsible for up to 20% of global emissions. Meat production alone emits twice as many greenhouse gases as plant-based foods. And despite taking up 80% of the world’s agricultural land, livestock farming only supplies 17% of its calories and 38% of its protein.
“Establishing and promoting innovative plant-based by default menus is critical for shifting our food system away from the destruction and suffering inherent in factory farming, and [to] move us towards a more sustainable future,” said Manusevich.
World Animal Protection’s report calls on food chains to position plant proteins as integral to achieving climate goals, and invest in creating adding and promoting plant-based by default menu options (which would be permanently and widely available).
Companies must also make public commitments to reduce animal product purchases by 25% by 2030 (from a 2020 baseline), and identify opportunities to incorporate more alternative proteins in their supply chains, like fermentation-derived and cultivated proteins.
Finally, it asks companies to adopt benchmarks to measure and annually report their progress toward setting their sourcing and sustainability commitments.
“The plant-based sector presents an opportunity for restaurants to create innovative menus that resonate with their customers while promoting sustainability and moving the world away from cruelty,” the report stated. “Despite some chains testing new plant-based menu items on a limited basis, few restaurant chains are fully investing in heavily plant-based menus.
“As the plant-based sector continues to grow and other innovations emerge, restaurants must make these products available and promote their benefits to customers. It is time for restaurants to step up and lead the way towards a more compassionate and sustainable future in the food industry.”
Popular plant-based chain Slutty Vegan has begun construction for its forthcoming location at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is set to open by the end of the year.
Pinky Cole’s Slutty Vegan is coming to the world’s busiest airport. Passengers travelling through the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will be able to dine at the plant-based fast-food eatery by the end of 2024.
The restaurant chain – which is also headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia – has begun construction on what looks like a large site at the airport’s Concourse B, Cole announced last week on Instagram.
“I literally started in a shared kitchen 6 years ago and now Slutty Vegan will be the FIRST EVER vegan restaurant in the busiest airport in the world,” she wrote. “Slutty Vegan and a full bar in CONCOURSE B sounds like flights will be missed.”
Slutty Vegan’s Atlanta airport location fills a large hole
The new location will also feature a bar, and was first teased in September last year. Cole announced the move on Instagram after winning a bid for the site at the international airport.
“I have the most ICONIC announcement of my professional career,” wrote Cole. “Slutty Vegan will be a PERMANENT LOCATION in Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport! WE JUST WON THE BID.”
She added: “Y’all, this is the busiest airport in America, and my restaurant will be there!”
Hartsfield-Jackson has been the busiest airport every year since 1998 (barring the pandemic-hit 2020), and welcomes over 104.6 million passengers annually. But while it has restaurants that offer vegan-friendly food, including P.F. Chang’s, Lottafrutta and Grindhouse Killer Burgers, this will be the first time it will have a fully plant-based restaurant.
Slutty Vegan’s outpost will also become one of the only 100% vegan eateries at airports across the world. Los Angeles International Airport previously had a Real Food Daily location, but it has now closed.
“Given that Atlanta Airport is the busiest airport in the country, with high foot traffic, we expect it to be one of our busiest locations,” Slutty Vegan founding partner and chief revenue officer Jason Crain told Food Chain Magazine in February. “We are thrilled to be at the forefront and showcase what Atlanta has to offer through our vegan menu.”
While having a location at an airport has its challenges, it’s a shrewd move on Slutty Vegan’s part. Most travellers are routinely disappointed at the lack of diversity and quality of meat-free options at airports, yet everybody eats during their journeys. A 9,000-person global survey this year found that only 2% of passengers never eat or drink at the airport.
It also revealed that the popularity of sit-down dining and bar options has increased, with 41% preferring this option. That bodes well for Slutty Vegan and its bar.
Cole, a former TV producer, first founded Slutty Vegan in 2018 as a food truck, two years after her previous restaurant in Harlem, New York was destroyed by a fire. Her first brick-and-mortar location opened its doors just outside of Atlanta in 2019, and in the years since, she has built it into one of America’s most popular vegan chains.
In 2022, the business raised $25M at a $100M valuation, led by Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer’s Enlightened Hospitality Investments and Essence Ventures CEO Richelieu Dennis’ New Voice Fund. The capital was to be used for Slutty Vegan’s expansion to 20 locations – at the time, it had five restaurants, and it now has 11 currently in operation.
The eatery chain is known for its extensive social media marketing and brand partnerships. It hosts residencies in different cities throughout the year, and announced two collaborations in the last week alone. Along with Bar Vegan, its sister bar chain, Slutty Vegan teamed up with whole-cut meat producer Chunk Foods to add a brisket sandwich and 4oz steak entrée to the menu at some of its locations.
Additionally, it extended its ongoing link-up with shoe designer Angela Simmons, bringing Vegan Fried Oreos to select locations, featuring a mix from their original collaboration, Angela’s Cakes.
Slutty Vegan – known for menu items like the One Night Stand bacon cheeseburger, Hollywood Hooker cheesesteak and fries with its signature Slut Dust seasoning – has made a name for itself through provocative and highly effective marketing.
“You want to be able to tell a story to the people who are watching. Telling their story will make people come into your business and support it. That’s the reason why we get people to come through the doors and support our brand,” Cole told Forbes in May.
This approach is what has made the chain stand out where others have failed. For example, despite being the world’s largest restaurant chain, McDonald’s said its McPlant trial had failed in the US, blaming a lack of demand. But some have argued that its marketing and rollout left a lot to be desired.
“The McPlant is at best, boring. At worse, worthy. Let’s remember the average American has never heard the term ‘plant-based’,” Jennifer Woollford, founder of marketing community Neon Leaders, who has held executive roles at Mars and Perfect Day, told Green Queen last month.
“So what are they expected to feel about a McPlant, especially one with a green leaf on the box? Compare [this] to Slutty Vegan – full of energy, excitement and building an experience out of eating plants.”
Panda Express has brought back the vegan version of its flagship orange chicken with Beyond Meat, a welcome move for the latter’s foodservice struggles.
It took over 7,200 signatures on a 16-month-long petition for Panda Express to realise that enough people wanted its plant-based orange chicken back.
So finally, three years after what became one of the fast-food chain’s most successful regional launches ever, the Beyond Original Orange Chicken has returned to its US menu.
The vegan dish will be available at around 300 Panda Express locations nationwide. Like the first time, this rollout is on a limited-edition basis, although the companies suggest that “if consumer enthusiasm continues, there’s potential for expansion into additional Panda Express restaurants”.
Why Panda Express brought the Beyond Orange chicken back
Courtesy: Panda Express
“Panda Express have discontinued serving the Beyond Meat orange chicken, the only vegan/vegetarian entree option. They have said this was due to the entree being a limited-time item, but the popularity should make them change their minds. Now, millions of people will not be able to have a full meal other than sides at Panda Express. The people are outraged,” read the Change.org petition.
A little history lesson: the orange chicken was first launched at Panda Express in 1987 and quickly became a favourite. It now makes up roughly a third of the chain’s business. Think about that. That’s one dish.
So when the Beyond Original Orange Chicken was introduced, there was a frenzy. On launch day, Panda Express sold 1,300 lbs of the dish in New York City and Southern California. Stores in the latter area actually sold out of the initial rollout within two weeks.
After a national rollout to over 2,300 locations, Panda Express finally ran out of the stock and gradually ended the offering. People were not happy.
“I am vegetarian and I am addicted to this chicken I have been craving it like crazy and it is madness that they don’t have it on the menu anymore,” one fan said on the petition. Another added: “IM VEGAN AND WANT ORANGE CHICKEN.”
“We’ve never received so many social media comments for guests begging for us to bring a dish back,” a Panda Express spokesperson told Fast Company. “It’s our #1 most requested dish on social media.”
Beyond Meat and its foodservice record
Courtesy: Panda Express
The return of the Beyond orange chicken is a certain win for the plant-based meat company. Both the business and the industry it’s in have taken their fair share of knocks in the last couple of years: Beyond Meat has had eight consecutive quarters of losses, while retail sales of plant-based meat fell by 12% in the US last year.
For Beyond Meat, foodservice has always been tricky. We’re here a week after McDonald’s US president said the company had no plans to bring back the McPlant – which uses Beyond Beef – after a trial run failed in “two very different markets” in San Francisco and Dallas.
In 2021, Beyond Meat announced a deal with Yum! Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell. It developed vegan chicken nuggets that were trialled and taken off the menu after a couple of months (they returned for another temporary period).
Del Taco took off Beyond Meat from its menu last spring after four years, citing “low sales” (though the partnership has been retained and new options are being explored). Carl’s Jr has also pulled back the number of stores it offers Beyond Meat options in.
So Panda Express’s move is important for Beyond Meat – whose US foodservice sales took a 16% hit last quarter – and encouraging for the plant-based sector, which is going through a consolidation period, according to Andy Jarvis, director of Future of Food at the Bezos Earth Fund, which is pouring $100M into research centres for alternative proteins.
“We’re in this for the long term, to make this succeed over the next two decades,” he told Green Queen in an interview this week. “It’s a tough time for the sector. But it’ll pull through.”
A McDonald’s executive has said that the McPlant hasn’t been successful in the US, and the company will look to focus on chicken instead of bringing the plant-based burger back.
McDonald’s has no plans to bring back the McPlant in the US for now, after unsuccessful tests in two very different markets, the chain’s US president Joe Erlinger said.
Speaking at the Wall Street Journal‘s Global Food Forum in Chicago yesterday, he suggested that the fast-food giant is focusing on “serving more of what consumers want”.
Asked about when the McPlant would return on the US menu, Erlinger said: “We actually tested the McPlant, and I asked the team to test the McPlant in two very different markets. And so they chose San Francisco and Dallas, and I said: ‘Perfect.’”
But he added: “It was not successful in either market, and so I don’t think the US consumer is coming to McDonald’s looking for the McPlant or other plant-based proteins.”
Erling said this was a trend McDonald’s would “continue to monitor”, but is currently making investments in products with chicken. “The bigger trend around protein consumption is really around chicken, and we think we’re poised to serve that trend well,” he said.
“This isn’t a consumer demand issue, it’s a marketing malpractice one,” argued Jennifer Woollford, founder of marketing community Neon Leaders and co-author of food marketing newsletter Unstuck. She is an industry veteran who has worked in executive roles for Mars and Perfect Day. “Consumer demand has to be created, and that’s the job of marketing.”
McPlant’s lopsided fortunes in the US
Courtesy: McDonald’s
McDonald’s US began testing the McPlant – which used Beyond Beef as part of a three-year deal – in 2021 in eight locations. Some stores were recording up to 500 sandwich sales a week, representing around 70 per day. On the back of this success, it initiated a wider rollout to around 600 locations.
But things didn’t pan out the way either company would have hoped, with the expansion resulting in lower per-store sales of the vegan burger. By August 2022, the McPlant was off the menu in America.
This development became more and more surprising as time passed, considering the McPlant’s thriving success outside the US. When it was launched in the UK and Ireland in 2022, it was so popular, McDonald’s introduced a Double McPlant months later.
Successful trials in Germany and the Netherlands also led to a nationwide rollout – the latter saw the fast-food chain add four new vegan products last year (including a McPlant variant), which were listed before beef on the menu.
In fact, Beyond Meat has credited its distribution deal with McDonald’s as a driver of its European growth. The plant-based meat maker’s international sales were up by 18% last year, largely thanks to this partnership in Europe.
Speaking to investors, Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown highlighted that the business had witnessed “continued traction at McDonald’s across countries such as Austria, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, UK, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Switzerland”.
So why does the McPlant work in Europe? “Firstly, you have a different consumer start-point. This is where plant-based is starting to gain traction, has stronger awareness, and consumers are open-minded to it, so the branding of McPlant can work,” explained Woollford, noting how Burger King’s flagship vegan offering in Europe is called the Plant-Based Whopper.
“Secondly, they are doing some damn good communications,” she said of McDonald’s Europe. “See the ‘Famous Order’ menu being introduced for the first time at McDonald’s Germany and… unique McPlant menus for the rollout. A lot more interesting than a green leaf shoot.”
No McPlant keeps McDonald’s emissions goal in limbo
Courtesy: McDonald’s
The difference in the McPlant’s success in the two regions can be attributed to local meat consumption habits. Americans eat three times more meat than the global average, and this is showing no signs of stopping. After all, 74% don’t associate meat with climate change. On the other hand, the number of people following a plant-based diet reached a decade-long low last year.
In Europe, while not a massive improvement, 49% of respondents take sustainability into account when making food choices, and 51% are eating less meat. But in both markets, taste and health are overtaking sustainability as consumption drivers – and barriers – for plant-based foods.
But people are unsatisfied with plant-based options at restaurants, which is evident in the fact that while dollar sales only dipped by 1% in foodservice last year, the only channel buying less vegan proteins was the restaurant industry – fast-food chains spent 10% less on these.
A recent survey suggested that in a restaurant setting, taste (54%) is the biggest reason deterring Americans from choosing meat analogues, followed by texture (42%) and price (33%). The latter is something Erlinger touched upon too when explaining the focus on chicken. “Some of it’s driven by affordability,” he said. “Chicken is less expensive to produce, and so for a consumer that’s looking for more affordable food, chicken is a great option right now.”
Courtesy: PBFA
Returning to the environmental aspect for a second, McDonald’s focus on increasing chicken products while keeping plant-based at bay does not bode well for the climate. The company will argue that poultry has a much lower footprint than beef, but it’s not as simple as that.
As we previously calculated, in 2021 McDonald’s emissions across its supply chain were 57.4 million tonnes of CO2e, equivalent to 11.2 million homes’ annual energy use and 12.8 million cars being driven for a year, and higher than the emissions of Greece, Peru or Israel. This was a 30% increase from 2017, a striking figure when you consider that the company wants to reduce its emissions intensity (per tonne food and packaging) across its supply chain by 31% by the end of the decade (from 2015 levels).
So for the world’s largest restaurant chain to renege on a product that is much better for the environment – meat emits twice as many greenhouse gases as plant-based foods – is a super size defeat for Big Food’s climate commitments.
What McDonald’s can learn from Burger King
Courtesy: Burger King
While the Beyond Meat patty was plant-based, the McPlant itself wasn’t in the US (thanks to the addition of dairy cheese). This alienated any vegans who wanted to try the burger, and may have led to its poor sales (especially since the McDonald’s fries in the US aren’t vegan either). In Europe, for example, all McPlants are suitable for vegans.
But then again, fellow plant-based manufacturer Impossible Foods has taken a similar approach with its rival partnership for Burger King’s vegan Whopper, which has cheese and special sauce. The former also supplies to Starbucks for a meatless (but non-vegan) breakfast sandwich. Both these partnerships have been successful.
She credits the success to having a clear target consumer. “With the Impossible Whopper, it’s unmistakable. They are giving Whopper consumers a choice of how to enjoy the delicious promise of a Whopper – be that beef, fish or vegetable.”
Woollford said McDonald’s made two key missteps in the US. The first was a lack of a clear consumer target. “Are they trying to bring new consumers into McDonald’s, or encourage their existing consumers to try plant-based?” she outlined.
The second was the inability to build desirability for demand growth. “The McPlant is at best, boring. At worse, worthy. Let’s remember the average American has never heard the term ‘plant-based’,” she explained. “So what are they expected to feel about a McPlant, especially one with a green leaf on the box? Compare [this] to Slutty Vegan – full of energy, excitement and building an experience out of eating plants.”
Mia, one of Bangkok’s newly crowned Michelin-starred restaurants, is catering to vegans and vegetarians with dedicated tasting menus. But you won’t find any plant-based meat here.
Bib Gourmands are a big thing in Bangkok. It’s a Michelin marker of places with great food without the prohibitive prices of the high-end, starred eateries the tyre manufacturer has become famous for. It’s a sign of pride in the Thai capital, something I discovered during my three weeks there earlier this year.
A bunch of the Bib Gourmand places cater to vegans – from perhaps the most famous Pad Thai restaurant in the world, to a mango sticky rice stall – but if you’re after luxury dining as a plant-based eater, the options are few and far between.
At Soi 26 in Sukhumvit – Bangkok’s bustling district lined with malls, street food, the metro, red lights, and bars – Pongcharn ‘Top’ Russell and Michelle Goh are hoping to change that. At Mia, one of Thailand’s newest Michelin-starred restaurants, the emphasis is on inclusivity… and vegetables.
Courtesy: Mia
The fine-dining establishment gives an Asian tint to European cuisine, and has three tasting menus: one for meat, one vegetarian, and one vegan. “[Ever] since we were doing a tasting menu, we’ve always had a vegan menu,” Goh tells me. “And the reason for that is, I used to go out with my friend who was vegan and we would go to non-vegan restaurants, and I always felt like what they were able to offer her was a very small selection. And it was kind of sad.”
So catering to different diets was top of mind for Goh, who hails from Malaysia and is the country’s youngest woman to earn a Michelin star, and Russell (an alum of London’s Gauthier Soho). The idea was to have a place where non-vegans could come with vegans and “still have a fantastic experience”.
What a Michelin-starred vegan tasting menu looks like
Mia’s eight-course vegan menu starts with a small bite, followed by four snacks, bread, two cold starters, a hot starter, two mains, a pre-dessert, a dessert, and finally, bite-sized petit fours. Some highlights include Campari spritz granita, printed-open ravioli, and a signature Snickers bar.
Courtesy: Mia
The current main course is a roasted Jerusalem artichoke with a truffle-ponzu dressing. “We want to have something that is more meaty for our main course,” explains Goh. “We roast a whole Jerusalem artichoke and what you get is that really earthy flavour, and we pair it with the truffle dressing to amp up the umami and earthy tones.”
She adds: “But we also have some fresh herbs that go on top, so we use watercress to add the peppiness… some radicchio to add bitterness, and… some prune puree on top to add sweetness. “So when you have it all together, it’s kind of like a heavier, meatier dish without having any meat in it.”
One of Goh’s favourite dishes on the menu is the Snickers bar, given her love for a chocolate-peanut-caramel profile. “We make a coconut dulce de leche as our caramel base, [which is] just a reduction of coconut cream with coconut sugar, and then it gets reduced into this kind of toffee texture,” she says.
Courtesy: Mia
“We pair that with our homemade peanut cream, so it’s like peanut butter but we make ours in-house. After that, we have a chocolate crumble made from dark cocoa powder, and also some peanut maltose. We take maltodextrin – which is like a starch – and we emulsify that with our peanut-infused oil to give it that really roasted peanut flavour, and that acts as our crumble.
“After that, we have our candied peanuts. And the last thing on top is our dark chocolate sorbet. [This] is made only with water, a little bit of glucose, 70% dark chocolate and also some cocoa powder.”
Vegetables over meat analogues
Goh believes guests can expect a full Michelin-star fine-dining experience, “regardless of the fact that this is a plant-based menu”. “We have had quite a few people come in who are not vegan and have tried our vegan menu, and have felt that it was like any other fine-dining tasting menu out there… You really, really don’t feel like you’re missing out,” she says.
Courtesy: Diego Arenas
The menu is based on seasonal produce, and changes three to four times a year. So for the spring season, there’s a taco with green asparagus, a white asparagus-macadamia tart, a grilled fennel steak, and the artichoke main. “We find what is seasonal at the time, and then we try to highlight those fruits and vegetables in a way that it’s the main focus of the dish, and we find complementing flavours to go along with that,” says Goh.
As evidenced by the ‘meaty’ Jerusalem artichoke, the spotlight on vegetables was a conscious decision. “It’s just a personal preference, but I don’t really like a lot of meat substitutes. And also, I feel from a fine dining perspective, meat substitutes don’t really add value to a dish,” she explains. She and Russell endeavour to prepare vegetables in a way that’s “unique, delicious, hearty”, and doesn’t feel like just “a plate full of garnishes”.
Courtesy: Diego Arenas
While offering meatless menus is a good sign of inclusivity, having meats like foie gras or caviar doesn’t bode well with the planet. “We are by no means going for a Green star,” Goh says when I mention the climate aspect. “But we do try to make more conscious decisions in our restaurant to limit food waste and… farming practices. Although it is not our main goal, it is something we do try to improve wherever we can. However, we are still a modern European restaurant, so I don’t really see us never using foie gras again.”
Catering to consumer trends
But has Mia noticed a greater demand for plant-based options from its patrons? “People are starting to become more health-conscious and more environmentally conscious, and because of that, a lot of people are switching to plant-based diets,” says Goh. “That’s why we have seen quite an increase in our demand for it.”
The lack of plant-based meat also speaks to consumer trends. A 1,500-person survey by Madre Brava in January found that while 72% of Thai people are aware of traditional plant proteins like tofu and seitan, much fewer (43%) know about meat analogues. And of those who do, 63% believe meat alternatives are healthier, but 70% find them too processed.
Courtesy: Mia
So presenting vegan tweezer cuisine in an accessible and familiar way is key for restaurants like Mia. The poll also showed that the often-higher price of meat analogues is a barrier for 64% of the respondents. By eschewing these products, Mia is able to offer its vegan tasting menu for a lower price than the one with meat.
The plant-based tasting menu ฿4,450 ($121) plus taxes, while the meat-based option sets you back ฿4,850 ($132). The price difference comes from the presence of expensive animal products like caviar, beef and foie gras on the latter. “Our plant-based menu does feature a lot of imported vegetables and fruits, which do contribute to the price as well,” says Goh.
She adds: “What we would like to highlight is the true flavour and complexities that we’re able to extract from cooking fruits and vegetables in such different ways.”
McDonald’s is trialling a new line of dairy-free ice creams in select UK restaurants, with a potential nationwide launch slated for 2025.
Another vegan McFlurry is here – sort of.
McDonald’s has just launched the Scoop, a dairy-free ice cream range certified by the Vegetarian Society. It’s available in two flavours: Choco and Strawberry.
The new desserts – made from rice milk – are being rolled out as part of a trial in the UK. If successful, we could see the Scoop permanently at locations nationwide.
But that’s not all: the fast-food giant is also trialling the McFreezy, a frozen ice dessert that resembles a Calippo ice pop.
Where will McDonald’s vegan Scoop ice creams be available?
The vegan Scoop ice creams will be available at 52 locations to start with, all in the northwest of England. These include select stores in Manchester, Oldham, Failsworth, Stockport, Salford, Bury, Ardwick and Rochdale, among others.
McDonald’s describes the ice creams as “deliciously smooth and creamy”, which will be served in a tub just like a McFlurry, sans the toppings. They’ll cost £1.59, and the trial runs from June 12 to September 3. The aim is to launch the Scoop across the UK in 2025 – that is, if the ice cream machines aren’t broken.
Alongside rice, the plant-based ice creams are made from a base of coconut oil, glucose syrup, sugar and dextrose, with emulsifiers, thickeners and flavourings rounding out the ingredient list.
While the serving size of the vegan desserts is unclear, the chocolate-flavoured Scoop contains 94 calories per portion, 4g of fat (3.3g of which is saturated fat), and just under 8g of sugar. In comparison, a Mini Maltesers McFlurry has 133 calories, 5g of fat (3.4g saturated) and 17g of sugar.
Meanwhile, the McFreezy combines fruit juice and purée and is available in orange or mango-pineapple flavours. Apart from concentrated juices and purées, they contain stabilisers, citric acid and flavourings.
These will be available in 187 McDonald’s locations in the northwest (including Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Merseyside), and select locations in Ireland.
McDonald’s dairy-free performance in the spotlight
Courtesy: McDonald’s/Jakub Gojda
Vegan ice cream has had a rocky few years in the UK. Yearly sales in retail were already down by 2% in 2022, and this followed the withdrawal of products by multiple companies. Ben & Jerry’s took its Peanut Butter & Cookies off shelves, for example, while Oatly discontinued its entire line of oat milk ice creams in the UK.
“We launched an ice-cream tub which has been successful, was on sale in many markets, and does very well for Oatly,” a brand spokesperson told FoodNavigator. “But it didn’t hit the milestones we expected from a UK perspective.”
From a foodservice perspective, how McDonald’s vegan ice cream fares will be interesting to see. This is not the first time the fast-food behemoth has introduced a dairy-free ice cream. In 2022, it launched vegan versions of the iconic McFlurry in Germany in two flavours (including a KitKat version).
While those flavours are no longer on the menu, McDonald’s Germany continues to offer the range. Its plant-based McFlurry is now available in a plain chocolate flavour, and there’s also a dairy-free chocolate McSundae.
Germany and the wider European market have been successful for McDonald’s vegan offerings, with the McPlant burger (made with Beyond Meat’s beef) continuing to gain popularity, unlike in its home market in the US.
Within the UK, the McPlant is joined by a Vegetable Deluxe burger, a Spicy Veggie wrap, and Veggie Dippers as meatless options. The Scoop and McFreezy mark its first foray into the non-dairy world in the country.
People’s decisions when eating out are heavily impacted by the dining environments they’re in – here’s how foodservice operators can nudge plant-based choices.
A host of trials recently have shown the power of behavioural science in the food system’s fight against climate change. Some foodservice operators have chosen to make plant-based the default option, for example; others have moved away from words like ‘vegan’ or ‘plant-based’.
All these interventions have varying degrees of success, but studying different behavioural science techniques can help outline robust strategies that encourage low-carbon eating habits in restaurants, colleges, offices and hospitals, among other places.
In 2020, the World Resources Institute (WRI) neatly distilled 57 of these strategies into a playbook to help foodservice operators nudge diners to pick plant-based dishes. As part of its Coolfood initiative to help reduce foodservice emissions by 25% by 2030, the playbook was used by companies collectively serving eight billion meals a year annually. As a result, the members of the Coolfood pledge have cut per-plate GHG emissions by 10% since 2020 already.
But as more research has come out, WRI has compiled those insights to update its foodservice playbook, which now has 90 techniques. Of these, 18 are ‘priority’ techniques that have been found defective and feasible in trials, and operators can adapt without hesitation.
The new priority list is shorter than the 23-strong list in the first iteration of the playbook. But the latest strategies are organised into six categories, as opposed to five. Price now joins the “6P framework”, which retains the previous segments of product, presentation, people, promotion and placement.
WRI decided to add the price category because the one focused on promotions was overly long, and a distinct subset of approaches involving price modification had emerged. Price techniques involve redesigning the cost of plant-rich dishes, plus new ways to incentivise diners to choose these options or otherwise disincentivise selection of meat dishes,” the report states.
Here are the highlights from WRI’s low-carbon foodservice playbook 2.0.
Blended meat, flavour focus and chef support
Courtesy: World Resources Institute
Some of the highest-ranking techniques in the new playbook fall into the product category, which involves techniques that involve modifying the food being served. Increasing the variety and ratio of plant-rich dishes on offer has been found effective in over two dozen trials collectively, while enhancing the appearance of these options and arranging them so that the most appealing ingredients are visible are highly effective too.
Improving the flavours and texture of dishes is crucial, too. For most people, while health has become an important consideration, taste still drives consumption habits. “Products tasting great is, I would say, a necessary condition for change to happen,” says Sophie Attwood, senior behavioural scientist at WRI, and one of the report’s authors.
“One common option is to replace a portion of the beef content with mushrooms, with the ratio of 70% meat to 30% mushrooms already trialled with success in food service,” the report suggests. “Meat will remain the main focal taste of the dish, and diners will likely not notice the difference, all while a significant reduction in GHG emissions can be achieved.”
One of the highest-rated suggestions comes from the people category (which targets foodservice employees), and involves giving chefs access to tools and ingredients that can help them prepare appealing plant-based dishes. This received a 12.44 expert score out of a maximum of 14 – but it wasn’t one of the promising techniques as there have been no trials to support this theory.
However, there have been two studies where chefs have been trained to cook and prepare plant-rich dishes, which has high potential. “It’s in recognition of the importance of chefs to the sustainable food movement by creating healthy and sustainable dishes the diners actually want to buy,” says Attwood. “This is really the cornerstone of the whole movement.”
Carbon labels and the importance of language
Courtesy: World Resources Institute
How dishes are labelled and communicated to consumers is a key theme of the playbook. This is highlighted by the promotion category, which includes communication, marketing, advertising and campaign approaches. Using marketing materials to promote the benefits of plant-rich diets across flavour, environment and local touchpoints has high potential, as does creating social media groups for diners to share ideas and reviews.
The messaging focus continues with the presentation techniques too (which involve modifying the language, imagery and layout of menus, signs and labels). One of the most trialled and successful interventions is to add carbon labels on foodservice menus.
“Key considerations when adding environmental labels to menus include ensuring that the labels will be understood by diners, communicate relevant information, and do not misrepresent the true impact of different foods across multiple environmental outcomes (e.g., biodiversity, GHG emissions, land use, water use, etc.),” the report suggests. “At present, there is no frontrunner in terms of optimal label design, although certain characteristics, such as the colour green, are received positively by customers.”
Meanwhile, there’s a spotlight on the type of language used on menus, with WRI advocating to remove unappealing terms like ‘meat-free’ or ‘vegetarian’, and instead use indulgent and selective language to describe plant-based dishes (such as ‘chef’s special’ or words describing umami flavours). Multiple studies have shown that people are discouraged from labels like ‘vegan’, and the foodservice playbook confirms their inefficacy.
“The language that we use to describe food can have a powerful influence on how we subsequently experience it. Research shows that certain language works particularly well to evoke mental simulations (or ‘mental images’) of what a dish will be like to eat. If these simulations are positive, they can tempt diners to change their choices by creating desire for plant-rich options,” says the playbook.
Terms like ‘healthy’, ‘light’ or ‘low-calorie’ aren’t too effective either, but flavour descriptors and indulgent wording go a long way. “Enjoyable, figurative language (i.e., use of wordplay, idioms, rhymes, or metaphor) can also have a similar, positive effect.”
The other two Ps of the framework are placement (food displays and physical environment) and price. In the former category, integrating plant-based meat into the same sections as conventional meat is an effective strategy – but so is introducing a dedicated section for plant-rich foods. In terms of price, the most effective way to nudge low-carbon behaviours is to run cross-product promotions involving plant-forward dishes with drinks, sides or desserts.
“Chefs, culinary directors, marketers, and nearly anyone involved in shaping a dining environment has a big hand in also shaping what foods customers choose to buy, everywhere,” says WRI president and CEO Ani Dasgupta. “In the grand scheme, that can make a significant contribution towards accelerating our transition to a healthier and more sustainable food future.”
This year’s Met Gala featured vegan products from Impossible Foods, Neat, Stockeld Dreamery and Tindle Foods, showcasing plant-based indulgence to the world’s most influential celebrities.
The Garden of Time was this year’s theme for the Met Gala, and actors, artists, models, influencers and all kinds of celebrities showed up in attires that spanned from gorgeous, to curious, to wild.
But true to the theme, the garden was also present in a way with the food served at the show. Hopes weren’t high when Anna Wintour banned garlic, onions and chives from this year’s event, presumably so everyone doesn’t have “bad breath”. “Those are three things I’m not particularly fond of,” she said ahead of the event.
It’s been reported that high-end cuisine was the name of the game at the Met Gala on Monday, with a fancy spring vegetable salad to start with, followed by a beef filet for the main, and almond cremeaux shaped like an apple for dessert.
But if you ask me, the best bits were before and after the actual gala. At fashion’s biggest show, some of the plant-based world’s biggest brands showed up too. It was out with haute cuisine, in with pure vegan indulgence.
Here’s how vegan food made a splash at the 2024 Met Gala.
Impossible’s indulgent sliders and BBQ nuggets
Courtesy: Impossible Foods
It was a big night for one of the premier plant-based meat producers, Impossible Foods, which kicked off its latest marketing drive at the Live from E! red carpet. Its new ads were aired during the pre-show broadcast at The Mark hotel, a smart choice given the Met Gala over-indexes on vegans.
But it wasn’t just the ads – Impossible Foods was also serving food to attendees on the red carpet, and it was all about plant-based indulgence.
The clue was in the name, with the brand showcasing its Indulgent Burger, its premium beef patty launched last year, which is thicker, juicier and meatier than its signature burger. Upon launch, the company said 82% of taste-testers found this burger as good as or superior to conventional beef – so it made sense to exhibit the product among some of the most influential people in the world.
Courtesy: Impossible Foods
The Indulgent Burger was part of a slider that was lined with a brie and truffle aioli – it’s unclear whether this was plant-based, but since the brand’s target audience isn’t vegan anyway, that would be in line with its marketing strategy.
Impossible Foods also served its famous chicken nuggets, but these were also dressed up – in a passion fruit BBQ sauce no less. Both the nuggets and burgers were served alongside what looked like edible flowers to honour the Garden of Time theme, but the former also came in a specially branded green box that read: ‘Garden of Meat’.
Courtesy: Impossible Foods
After the event, Impossible Foods CEO Peter McGuinness called it an “important opportunity to build awareness as we roll into the summer grilling season”.
Stockeld Dreamery, Neat and Tindle turn it up at the afterparty
Met Gala afterparties are some of the most exclusive in the fashion world, and three brands got together to satiate the cravings of the, erm, inebriated attendees at one of the many, many parties.
At Casa Cipriani South Street, fast-food chain Neat was invited to hand out its plant-based cheeseburgers and hot dogs to the guests. Swedish brand Stockeld Dreamery joined in to help out, given its vegan Cultured Cheddar cheese tops the patty on Neat’s burger.
Courtesy: Impossible Foods
Another one of Neat’s collaborators, Singaporean startup Tindle Foods, brought out its vegan chicken tenders. “They went like crazy. We had to keep bringing out trays because they’d be gone in seconds,” the company said in a video montage.
The vegan junk food was served at a party that included Leonardo DiCaprio, Camila Cabello, Lil Nas X, SZA, Lizzo, Jaden Smith, Cardi B, Usher, Serena Williams, and Offset.
Courtesy: Impossible Foods
“This ended up being a huge win for the plant-based space as celebrities were spotted with Neat Burgers, Stockeld and Tindle flags all night long,” Stockeld Dreamery founder Sorosh Tavakoli said.
“If there’s a better way to make plant-based foods sexy, let me know.”
In the US, some caterers are ramping up their response to climate change, while others are employing greenwashing tactics – a new scorecard ranks the country’s foodservice sector on sustainability goals.
Is your caterer really sustainable, or is it all just a façade? It’s a question that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) contends with in its latest Protein Sustainability Scorecard, which ranks the efforts of foodservice companies to lower their impact on the environment and animals.
“The HSUS Protein Sustainability Scorecard was created to provide the public and customers with a hard look at what companies are actually doing to keep their promises,” said Kate Watts, director of foodservice innovation at HSUS.
The animal rights organisation surveyed 50 catering companies in the US about their purchasing and menu practices, gathering data about their sustainability goals and what they’re doing to meet these targets. The scorecard focused on three key metrics – transparency, goals, and a plan of action – and found that while some foodservice operators boast impressive climate strategies, they aren’t walking the talk and implementing any action.
The food system is responsible for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, of which 60% is attributed to meat production. This is twice the amount of emissions associated with plant-based foods, and shifting to these is much more impactful than using ‘lower-carbon’ meat. In fact, HSUS notes that a transition to plant-derived food is the “most impactful way” food companies can lower their carbon footprint, water and land usage, prevent deforestation, preserve natural habitats, and improve food security.
This is perhaps why the companies receiving the highest scores are increasing their plant-based offerings and/or cutting their animal protein purchases. A few operators, however, don’t take the issue as seriously or prioritise it at all.
The sustainability winners
Courtesy: ISS Guckenheimer
For the third year in a row, ISS Guckenheimer ranked top of the sustainability charts, with 51% of its meals being plant-based on average. The company plans to extend that to 55% by next year, and has an additional goal to reduce animal protein purchases by 2027, and cut GHG emissions by a quarter by 2030.
Guckenheimer has developed PowerPlant, a toolkit to help make plant-based foods its core menu element. Moreover, it completed a Virtual Culinary Workshop with HSUS, trialling at least four vegan menu options each week for five weeks, following which, chefs who completed the training became Plant-Based Ambassadors to educate future chefs in plant-based cuisine. It’s also part of the Beans is How coalition, which is aiming to double the global consumption of legumes by 2028.
Metz Culinary Management and Sodexo came joint second in the Protein Sustainability Scorecard. For the former, 31-35% of the dishes it serves are vegan, with the target of reaching 50% by 2025. Similarly, 26-30% of the meals served by the latter are plant-based, with a commitment to have 33% vegan menus by next year, and 50% on its US Campus segment and for its corporate dining service the Good Eating Company.
Next up is HSS, the only other caterer to receive an A+ on the scorecard. Like Sodexo, between 26% and 30% of all its meals are plant-based, with the goal of getting 50% of its retail menus to be vegan. Fresh Ideas (31-35% of vegan meals with a 50% target for 2025) and Elior (21-25% of plant-based dishes with commitments to increase to 30-50% across various segments) round out the top five with a ranking of A.
Creative Dining Services and Whitsons received B+ scores, while companies including Aramark, Epicurean and Southwest Foodservice Excellence earned a B.
The greenwashing losers
Courtesy: AI-Generated Image via Canva
Compass Group, the world’s largest foodservice company, received a lowly C+, with the ratio of plant-based to total meals unknown (given it didn’t confirm the 31-35% figure reported). While applauding its marketing initiatives, HSUS said the catering giant refuses to set clear targets on shifting menu practices in line with its climate goals, and recommends it to be more transparent to avoid the appearance of greenwashing.
Fellow C+ graders Café Services and Food for Thought Enterprises receive similar advice. Meanwhile, companies including Pomptonian Food Service and Parkhurst Dining received a D+ score, and Imagine Culinary Group, Taher and HMSHost were among those who got a D.
The list of companies with an F grade was the longest, with 21 caterers failing to make sustainability efforts and being accused of greenwashing. This was largely because none of these companies submitted the reports requested by HSUS, which used publicly available information to compile their scores – these include Thompson Hospitality, Trinity Services Group, OrganicLife, Safe Dining Services, AVI Foodsystems, and Brock & Company.
To its credit, Healthcare Services Group (which also received an F), responded with interest in collaborating with HSUS this year to set and update its sustainability targets, which couldn’t be rolled out in time for this year’s survey.
“The HSUS Protein Sustainability Scorecard was created to provide the public and customers with a hard look at what companies are actually doing to keep their promises,” said Watts. HSUS recommended that all F graders update their websites for full transparency, and implement public and measurable plant-based goals and timelines.
“This scorecard shines a spotlight on the companies that are committed to real change and those that do not or choose to operate without transparency,” said Karla Dumas, a registered dietitian and vice president of farm animal protection at HSUS. “Coming from the industry myself, if I were hiring a food service caterer, I would be paying attention to this list.”
By David Fechner, research fellow, social marketing, Griffith University; Bettina Grün, associate professor, Institute for Statistics and Mathematics, Vienna University of Economics and Business; Sara Dolnicar, research professor in Tourism, School of Business, University of Queensland
Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that choice, you decide to order a traditional meat or vegetable dish. That’s a common decision.
The Australian plant-based meat industry has grown significantly in recent years and has been projected to become a A$3 billion industry by 2030. Yet most consumers still hesitate to order a plant-based meat dish in restaurants.
In our new study, we asked 647 Australians why they don’t order plant-based meat dishes when dining out.
It turns out not everyone shares the same reasons. We found six types of diner who avoided these dishes.
Type 1: environmentally conscious, plant-based meat eater
The environmentally conscious plant-based meat eater doesn’t have any issues with meat alternatives. In fact, they enjoy experimenting with plant-based meat products at home. They have their favourite brands but also dislike certain products.
To avoid eating a product they don’t like, they prefer ordering traditional vegetable dishes when dining out. They are more concerned about protecting the planet than their own health.
Courtesy: Planted
Type 2: health-conscious, plant-based meat supporter
Type 2 is similar to type 1, except type 2 diners care about being fit and healthy. They prefer to “just eat the vegetables they use to make the fake meat”, as one study participant told us, because they think meat alternatives contain too much sodium, soy, fat, sugar and genetically modified ingredients.
Type 3: curious plant-based meat avoider
The curious plant-based meat avoider typically orders a meat dish and occasionally a vegetable option. They sit on the fence when it comes to plant-based meat.
While they are curious to try it, they aren’t familiar with it and don’t want to risk disappointment. As a type 3 diner told us: “If I were offered a sample, I would be more inclined to try it but […] the risk of it being disappointing doesn’t justify the cost.”
Type 4: sceptical plant-based meat avoider
Like the curious plant-based meat avoider, type 4 diners order more meat than vegetable dishes. They believe meat alternatives are unhealthy because “reading the back of plant-based meat packages will typically reveal a plethora of chemicals”. They don’t trust the technology used to create plant-based meat.
They also do not support the idea of mimicking meat with plants and giving these products names similar to animal meat such as burger or steak.
Courtesy: Pixelshot via Canva
Type 5: indifferent meat lover
The indifferent meat lover doesn’t have any issues with plant-based meat. Yet they wouldn’t consider ordering a plant-based meat dish. Eating meat is an integral part of their restaurant experience and they “wouldn’t know how you’d mimic meat sliding off a bone”.
Although most of their family and friends also order meat dishes, they have no problem with restaurants offering meat alternatives if they are clearly labelled and don’t limit meat options. They believe eating meat is natural, summed up by one who said: “There is a nutritional requirement for animal meat inherent in humans.”
Type 6: critical meat lover
The critical meat lover dislikes everything about plant-based meat. They don’t understand why anyone would replace meat with a plant-based alternative, nor why it is important.
“Several times I have eaten this garbage […] and thoroughly regretted it.”
Why does this matter?
As David Attenborough says: “We must change our diet. The planet can’t support billions of meat-eaters.”
Occasionally ordering a plant-based meal instead of a meat dish can greatly reduce the environmental footprint of the global food system. Animal agriculture accounts for 56% of food-related greenhouse gas emissions but produces only 18% of calories and 37% of protein.
Plant-based alternatives to chicken, pork and beef emit, on average, 43%, 63% and 93% less greenhouse gas emissions.
This means a family of four ordering plant-based meat burgers instead of beef patties saves carbon emissions equal to driving from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
Courtesy: Wagamama
5 ways restaurants can promote plant-based meat dishes
Restaurants are the perfect tasting ground to introduce diners (especially curious and sceptical plant-based meat avoiders) to meat alternatives. Here are five simple things restaurants can do to promote plant-based meat dishes:
hand out free samples to reduce the fear of disappointment
serve plant-based meat by default to break meat-ordering habits, as a Brisbane pub has done
describe plant-based meat with indulgent words and avoid using unappealing language, such as the word vegan
provide health information to overcome the belief that meat alternatives are unhealthier than meat, which is often not true
integrate plant-based meat dishes into the full menu rather than listing them in a separate vegetarian section.
French food tech startup La Vie has expanded its foodservice footprint via a deal with Pizza Hut France, which will see its plant-based ham be available on demand for all of the chain’s menu items for 2024.
When Pizza Hut France tweeted on Monday that it was replacing its conventional ham with La Vie’s vegan version, it felt like another April Fool’s joke. That was the consensus on the social media platform too, until the startup responded with: “It’s not a joke.”
It definitely ruffled some feathers, with one user finding the ‘joke’ not funny and saying they’ll boycott the brand, and another – presumably a ham lover – warning the pizza chain it has just lost a customer.
But there was a catch: while Pizza Hut France did switch out all its animal-derived ham with the pea protein ham, it was only doing so for one day. So if you ordered a dish with ham from the restaurant chain yesterday, you ate La Vie ham.
Courtesy: La Vie/Pizza Hut
Starting today, conventional ham is back on the menu, but La Vie’s isn’t going away anywhere, with Pizza Hut making it available as an on-demand option for all its dishes for the rest of the year. And the best part? There’s no extra cost for swapping the hams – Pizza Hut France is offering La Vie without any upcharge.
“Pizza Hut France continues to innovate and doesn’t hesitate to break new ground,” said the company’s regional CMO, Emilie Genty. “Once again, Pizza Hut France is thinking big by collaborating with La Vie, to offer a plant-based alternative to ham on all our ranges: our Pizzas, our Melts, our Pastas, and our starters!”
Jambon végétal on your Pizza Hut order
La Vie says the partnership is built on shared values of conviviality, originality, and deliciousness, and is an extension of the brand’s successful foodservice partnerships. Its flagship bacon rashers and lardons have been a permanent fixture on Burger King menus since May 2022, and the ham was featured in a plant-based version of the iconic jambon beurre by vegan bakery Land&Monkeys.
But this marks the first time La Vie has teamed up with a pizza chain, allowing customers from across the dietary spectrum – vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians and meat-eaters – to integrate a plant-based meat analogue into their pizza orders. Pizza is highly popular in France, one of the leaders in terms of per capita consumption. In fact, in 2015, it tied with the US as the largest pizza consumer in the world.
La Vie’s products have already been available at over 4,600 retail stores and 3,000 restaurants across Europe, and its entry into Pizza Hut’s 126 stores in France continues its mission of a responsible food system transformation. It is already featured as default on menu items like Croq-Monsieur Melts and garlic breads, and pastas, as well as the Queen, Texan BBQ, Jambon Beurre (ham and cheese), and yes, even Hawaiian pizzas.
Courtesy: La Vie/Pizza Hut
Its CMO Romain Jolivet cites a 2024 YouGov survey that revealed one in five French youngsters don’t eat meat, chiefly due to ethical and environmental reasons. “Fast food, being a pillar of the dietary habits of this generation, has already started to make the shift,” he said. “The evidence is with Burger King’s veggie offer representing 20% of sales, but that’s not the case in the pizza sector.”
He added: “That’s why we decided to accelerate the movement in our mission to convince the French to adopt a plant-based diet, while fully preserving gustatory pleasure, with our products rich in plant proteins and made in France, with Pizza Hut France taking the bet to offer all its ham pizzas with the La Vie plant-based alternative to meet this growing demand.”
La Vie originally launched its vegan ham in September, on the back of selling 2.5 million SKUs in the previous 18 months. What stood out immediately was the ingredient list, which comprised just seven ingredients: pea protein (making up 90% of the total composition), soy protein, natural flavourings, radish juice concentrate, salt, acidity regulator (potassium acetate) and vegan lactic acid.
Fast-growing La Vie aids Pizza Hut’s much-needed vegan expansion
The vegan ham is a nutritional powerhouse, with one serving offering 19.5g of protein and only 0.7 grams of saturated fat – compared to 21g of protein and 1g of saturated fat for the country’s market-leading conventional ham. This will appeal to French consumers, for whom, health is the main purchasing driver for plant-based meat alternatives, according to a large pan-European survey last year, where 51% said it was key.
But an even bigger motivation is the flavour, important to 52% of French consumers. Their concerns will be eased by the (favourable) controversy La Vie has attracted – it was the recipient of a cease-and-desist letter by the pork lobby, which accused it of unfair competition, stating that its plant-based bacon lardons were too similar to their conventional counterparts.
The same poll also suggested that 57% of French consumers reduced their consumption of meat last year. It came against the backdrop of France’s factory farming push and anti-vegan labelling law, which has prohibited plant-based companies from using 21 words like ‘steak’ or ‘beef’, as well as 120 other terms such as ‘cooked fillet’ or ‘poultry’, on product packaging.
However, a coalition of businesses led by vegan whole-cut chicken maker Umiami filed an urgent suspension request in late March asking for the decree to be held back, which is set to come into effect within the next few weeks if there are no responses from the government or the courts. La Vie is part of this group.
Courtesy: Pizza Hut
The Natalie Portman-backed startup has weathered the plant-based meat storm – whether it’s sales declines, negative media coverage or a venture capital drain. It completed an oversubscribed €2M crowdfunding round last September, following a record-breaking €25M in Series A round in January 2022. And in the first half of 2023, it witnessed a staggering 379% growth compared to the same period in 2022.
Pizza Hut, meanwhile, has expanded its growing vegan footprint internationally by incorporating La Vie’s ham into its menu. The chain uses Beyond Meat’s products and offers Violife’s vegan cheese in the UK, for example (the latter is also available in Germany), and introduced vegan wings in its Australia outposts last year.
That said, an analysis of fast-food menus in nine countries by ProVeg International found that plant-based menu items represent just 8% of Pizza Hut’s overall range, and 5.2% of its mains, placing it fourth on the vegan-friendly list of the Big Five fast-food chains. However, the report did note that the pizza chain is making an effort to offer vegan options, adding that integrating them into the general menu will likely appeal to a wider range of customers, including flexitarians and omnivores.
Offering La Vie’s ham on its dishes is one big step in that direction.
University College London (UCL) and its caterer CH&CO have partnered with Reewild, an app that allows users to track and reduce their carbon footprint from food, making it the first university to trial such an initiative for students.
An extension of its Sustainable Food Policy, and part of its 2030 net-zero target, UCL has introduced a dietary carbon-tracking pilot for students to lower their climate footprint via the Reewild app.
It’s the latest in a growing list of moves to decarbonise the university’s food and catering systems. At least half of the food on offer through its caterer CH&CO is vegan or vegetarian, while all food prepared in-house has been carbon-accounted and labelled with emissions information to provide transparent information to students and staff.
The Reewild app will complement these initiatives, and to encourage students to lower their climate footprint, it will incentivise them with a loyalty scheme that rewards them with free coffee and meals if they choose plant-based options.
Vegan diets have been shown to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution and land use by 75%, and research suggests that replacing just half of our meat and dairy consumption with plant-based alternatives can double the benefits for the planet (including halting deforestation and improving food security).
“Whilst we are making significant operational progress in sustainability at UCL, we recognise the importance of empowering our community to make more sustainable choices, and our partnership with Reewild and CH&CO reflects this commitment,” said Jason Clarke, assistant sustainability director at UCL. “Through initiatives like this, we’re fostering a culture of sustainability within our university.”
UCL employs carbon tracking app similar to calorie counting
Courtesy: Reewild/Canva
The app will allow UCL students to discover the climate impact of millions of products. They can log the foods they’ve consumed in a personalised carbon footprint tracker akin to calorie-counting apps like MyFitness Pal. The inspiration from those services is clear, with the app setting a daily carbon budget in line with global climate targets in the form of a Carbon Calorie Goal.
Students will receive recommendations for swaps to more sustainable products. And to incentivise them to continue reducing their footprint, they’re rewarded with exclusive discounts and promotions from eco-friendly partner brands, and free food at UCL cafés and dining halls.
All this will no doubt help reduce UCL’s overall carbon footprint. Prospective analysis by a postgraduate researcher at the university in 2022 revealed that the food-related emissions from its built environment faculty The Bartlett would be nearly halved if it switched from a meat-based to a vegetarian service.
The study noted the importance of communication and education about plant-based eating for staff and students alike, to raise awareness about the impact of their food consumption. “When people understand the impact of their choices and realise that plant-based eating does not mean missing out on flavour and tasty food, they are more likely to choose and welcome food that is not only delicious but is also the best for the planet,” it stated.
UCL’s own interpretation of IPCC data has found that if all its departments – 12 of which contributed to the Lancet Countdown – switched to 100% vegetarian catering, its food emissions would be reduced by around 40% To enable students to make more informed choices, the university has been using carbon labels on food since 2021.
Its efforts have been recognised through a number of accolades, including the joint one-star Fairtrade University and College Award in 2022, three out of three stars from the Sustainable Restaurant Association Food Made Good award, the Times University of the Year honour for its sustainable East Campus in 2023, and First-Class Honour in the University People and Planet League.
The push for plant-based university catering
Courtesy: University College London
The partnership is key to CH&CO’s net-zero commitment for 2040 as well. “Our ultimate goal is to have the customers’ first choice also be the most sustainable one on the menu and increasing engagement between our customers and the environmental impact of the food they eat is integral to that,” said CH&CO’s head of sustainability, Clare Clark.
It’s reflective of the larger movement within the catering industry to lower its carbon footprint. In the UK, public sector caterers introduced the 20 Percent Less Meat campaign in January 2020, aiming to reduce the amount of meat in the billions of meals they serve in schools, universities, hospitals and care homes each year.
French caterer Sodexo – which operates at 476 UK and Ireland sites – has pledged to make 33% of its menus plant-based by 2025, as part of its wider net-zero target for 2040, which it now says is running ahead of schedule. In 2023, 11% of all its meals sold in these markets were meatless. And Compass Group, the world’s largest catering company, has said it will replace 40% of animal proteins with plant-based by 2030.
UCL has been employing a form of choice architecture to nudge more planet-positive eating habits. Vegetarian meals are offered as standard in event catering (with meat dishes available on request), while meatless options – which are priced to be cheaper – are advertised before meat-based meals on campus.
There’s evidence that such initiatives work. In the US, dietary change think tank the Better Food Foundation has developed a DefaultVeg policy, which was piloted by Sodexo with the help of behavioural science non-profit Food for Climate League in three US universities last year. The trial found that this could reduce meat consumption at college campuses by up to 82%, and lower emissions by 24%. The success of the intervention has led Sodexo to roll out the programme to nearly 400 sites now.
UCL’s commitment to carbon labelling also has precedent. In November, Compass Group-owned Chartwells Higher Education announced it had noted an increase in students looking for climate-friendly meals in US universities and colleges since the introduction of carbon labels on its menus. This was done via a partnership with food sustainability research firm HowGood – other such services include Planet FWD, My Emissions, Foodsteps, and Klimato.
Last year, over 650 academics and campaigners penned an open letter to UK universities demanding a switch to 100% vegan catering menus, comparing the shift to fossil fuel divestment commitments by 101 institutes in the country. So far, apart from UCL, the students’ unions of the University of Stirling, Birmingham University, Queen Mary University, London Metropolitan University, Kent University, Cambridge University, and Newcastle University have all voted to introduce 100% plant-based menus.
Partnering with services like Reewild will help this cause. “Through collective action, we’re confident that the Reewild app can instigate the change we need to reduce our impact on the planet, one meal at a time,” said Reewild co-founder and COO Kim Nicholl.
A recent trial revealed that serving plant-based options by default in college and university campuses can present significant benefits for the environment – the people behind the study explain why.
Last year, catering giant Sodexo revealed the results of an intervention study at three college campuses in the US. Led by behavioural science non-profit Food for Climate League (FCL) and dietary change think tank the Better Food Foundation, the trial explored what would happen if cafeterias offered plant-based dishes as a default option over meat-centric ones.
The researchers found that, when only vegan dishes were presented to college students – with a separate sign informing them that they could order a meat-based one instead – there was a significant uptick in the adoption of plant-based foods, a decrease in meat consumption, and an improved climate footprint.
With an estimated 235 million students eating around 148 billion meals each academic year, the greenhouse gas emissions add up. But if you serve them vegan food by default, it can result in as many as 81.5% more students eating plant-based meals in cafeterias, which in turn can reduce 23.6% of GHG emissions.
This is because meat’s emissions are twice as high as plant-based foods, with research suggesting that the latter can reduce emissions, water pollution and land use by 75% compared to meat-rich diets. “Having plant-based foods isn’t a buzz or a trend, it’s a need and a demand that we deliver with creativity and flavour,” Sodexo’s US Campus CEO, Brett Ladd, said at the time.
“We also recognise that reducing our animal-based food purchases is a key part of our carbon reduction strategy,” he added. “Having the plant entrée as the default demonstrated that people are open to trying and enjoying plant-based options with the added benefit of helping the planet.” The caterer has committed to making 50% of its campus menus plant-based by 2025, as part of a wider net-zero strategy for 2040, which it says is running ahead of schedule.
How default plant-based options change eating habits
Courtesy: Food for Climate League
The trial was carried out in three universities: Tulane University in New Orleans, Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. The researchers assessed one dining hall station, that contained eight pairs of dishes (one plant- and meat-based each): the control day saw both options being presented side-by-side, while on the intervention day, only the plant-based dishes were put out, with students needing to request the meat version if they wanted.
During the design phase of the intervention, Foor for Climate League collaborated with Sodexo and the Better Food Foundation to identify test sites with a range of demographics, develop a recipe rotation specifically for the test, and keep the testing timeline to under one semester. “We also opted to test defaults at dining hall stations that already serve entrées containing meat in order to reach the widest number of students,” explains FCL design researcher Stephanie Szemetylo.
The research was the latest in a host of choice architecture studies, but was described as the first of its kind, given it covered multiple universities in an all-you-can-eat setting. In absolute terms, there was a 58.3% combined increase in the number of plant-based dishes served across the three campuses. On average, the take rate of vegan dishes jumped from 26.9% to 57.6% on days when they were the default option, but at Tulane and Lehigh, the change was even more pronounced, with the figure climbing up to 81.5%.
The researchers took into account a spillover effect, which indicates that students who would have visited an intervention station on a control day avoided it on the plant-based default day in search of meat options elsewhere in the dining hall. But even if all of them got a meat-based meal, there would still be around a 21% reduction in meat dishes served overall as a result of the intervention.
Why default plant-based options in cafeterias work
Courtesy: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
So why does this work? “There are many aspects to our environments that impact our decisions, whether we are aware of them or not. Editing the choices you present to people, and how they are presented, can impact the choices they make,” explains FCL founder Eve Turow-Paul.
Reflecting on the study, she notes: “We showed that a very slight change in the way menu options are offered can have a major impact on food choices, ultimately leading to selections that are better for the planet. In addition, this change was, for the most part, celebrated by both patrons and the serving staff.”
Szemetylo adds: “Most importantly, the success of defaults relies heavily on the proper implementation of the intervention by dining hall operators, line cooks, and servers. With incorrect implementation, the impact of the default on dish choice vanishes.” At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, for example, there were inconsistencies in implementation, which meant that there was barely any improvement in plant-based intake (it went from 26.3% to 27.2%).
There has also been a lot of discourse around using the term ‘plant-based’ versus ‘vegan’. In 2018, research revealed that for the 2,201 Americans surveyed, ‘vegan’ is the most unappealing descriptor for groceries, chosen by 35%. A year later, analysis showed that terms like ‘plant-based protein’ (56%) and plant-based (both 53%) are much more appealing than descriptors such as ‘vegan’ (35%).
“The goal with any food label is to be as inclusive as possible,” explains Szemetylo. “A very small percentage of the global population is vegan. A larger portion of the population will eat foods that are plant-based. And an even larger population will eat foods considered to be healthy, sustainable, or just plain delicious.”
She continues: “It’s important to consider your audience when labelling foods. At a college campus, ‘plant-based’ may perform well, while in other settings, it may ostracise many… Generally speaking, we recommend focusing on flavour over all else. ‘Vegan’ speaks mostly to those who hold that identity and seek visual cues on menus and food products to identify what is animal-free. Unfortunately, that term may turn off those who are not vegan, as it can signal that the menu option is not intended for them.”
‘Underseasoned tofu’ a thing of the past
Courtesy: Tulane University
Turow-Paul suggested that foodservice and campus chefs are very interested in decarbonising their menus, but there are a few key hurdles. “Often, sustainability advocates – from corporate offices to government agencies – are siloed in their work. We need all staff to see sustainability as their responsibility, whether it’s in their titles or not,” she says.
“Second, while there are many how-to resources on ways to make these changes, the motivation and emotional engagement are often missing, which is a challenge that FCL’s work aims to tackle. Third, the resources are limited, especially on-site staff, so any support we can provide to make this easy for them will help.”
But despite openness from staff and students alike to shift towards plant-forward choices, the study found that eating and serving meat continues to be the social norm in campus dining, signalling an untapped opportunity for interventions – like defaults – to change consumption behaviour. Szemetylo believes that “the myth that sustainable meals don’t taste good” is holding decarbonisation efforts back.
“Often, we speak with chefs who think that in order for their food to be climate-friendly, it has to be less flavorful, and that ultimately, people won’t want to eat it. Nothing could be further from the truth,” she states. “Eating more sustainably means greater diversity in ingredients that are full of flavour. We need to move past this idea that we’re asking everyone to serve under-seasoned kale and tofu.”
Embrace cultures, understand audiences, and educate staff
Courtesy: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
FCL has developed a follow-up pilot to its research, which comprises motivational training for front-line staff and an implementation toolkit for foodservice operators. “We have already secured some initial funding, but are looking for an additional $80,000 to get this work off the ground, and another $120,000 to run the pilot, analyse the results, and widely disseminate our findings and tools,” says Turow-Paul. “Beyond that, we are always looking for implementation partners, be they foodservice operators, city leaders, consumer packaged goods companies, retailers, and more.”
Szemetylo explains that leaders across business, public policy, and institutions must begin to understand and leverage the role of food in mitigating emissions and improving human health. “We need all kinds of people to understand the success of this simple yet effective behaviour change strategy – from eaters, to plant-based advocates, behaviour change researchers, food industry decision-makers, and anyone who is interested in encouraging sustainable food choices.”
The study identified key opportunities for foodservice operators. Adopting a plant-based default serving approach even at just one station can improve the sustainability credentials of their sites, but engaging staff early to facilitate more accurate implementation, and leveraging their relationship with diners is key. The researchers also confirmed that gender plays a role in meat consumption norms, with women more open to adopting plant-based options – so understanding audiences is key.
Plus, caterers can increase satisfaction with vegan dishes by leveraging local food culture and maximising verbal and visual dish appeal. For example, the meals used in the trial include lentil patties with mushroom Valencia casserole, tofu bulgogi rice bowls, sesame-ginger tofu tikka masala, veggie burritos, and lentil, olive and mushroom spaghetti.
Sodexo has begun implementing a shift to plant-based defaults in its universities, having built the Plants-by-Default model into its core station’s pre-selected menus from the fall 2023 semester, which are provided to over 400 university dining operations. “We undertook this study to help nudge Sodexo’s own operations to adopt plant-based defaults more widely across our operations, and we are already seeing the direct large-scale impact on institutional dining that we set out to achieve,” said Lisa Feldman, director of culinary services at Sodexo.
“Foodservice leaders need to integrate defaults as part of their climate action plans and decarbonisation targets,” says Szemetylo. “To do so – and I cannot stress this enough – we need to support on-site staff in the implementation. Every site has its unique culture and constraints that influence how defaults can translate.
It’s critical to engage with on-site staff to share the purpose of defaults, co-create solutions with them to implement defaults in ways that provide the least amount of disruption to day-to-day operations, and build intrinsic motivation so that onsite staff can become sustained stewards of these strategies.”
Burger King has made all plant-based products and meals cheaper than meat across its German operations to encourage increased vegan consumption. It will develop a new flower-shaped patty with The Vegetarian Butcher to differentiate beef burgers.
Burger King Germany has made a groundbreaking move to make veganism more accessible to customers, with all plant-based dishes now cheaper than those containing meat.
It has unveiled a new motto, ‘Plant-Based for Everyone’, to coincide with the announcement, which will see the markup for its vegan items like the Whopper, chicken nuggets and Long Chicken sandwich be reduced by 10 cents.
It’s a landmark decision: the fast-food chain says it has the largest vegan range in German QSR, with a meat-free (sometimes vegetarian) alternative to almost every menu option. The price cuts play into consumer trends in the country, with a large EU-backed survey last year revealing that 39% of Germans find plant-based alternatives too expensive, making price the biggest purchase barrier.
“Since the mid-1990s, we have been investing in vegetarian alternatives and have shown that fast food doesn’t always have to mean meat. As a pioneer, we offer by far the largest plant-based range in the German foodservice industry – and now even with a price advantage,” said Burger King Germany CEO Jörg Ehmer. “We are thus providing a strong impetus to try out plant-based options. Our goal: to offer guests freedom of choice – without compromising on taste.”
A new flower-shaped vegan beef patty
Courtesy: Burger King Germany
Alongside the price reductions, Burger King is working with Unilever-owned plant-based meat brand The Vegetarian Butcher on a new flower-shaped patty for its vegan beef burgers, which will be rolled out in the coming weeks. This is meant to help distinguish between the conventional beef and plant-based options, and follows the development of a breading with parsley sprinkles to differentiate between its chicken patties and nuggets.
The Vegetarian Butcher has supplied plant-based beef and chicken analogues to Burger King since 2019. Their partnership exists in multiple markets, including the UK, Indonesia, China, the UAE, Mexico and Costa Rica (in the US, the fast-food chain works with Impossible Foods).
For Veganuary, it launched the Veggie King Deluxe, which the company says was “very successful”, and now, it plans to develop more plant-based products for its menu. It cements Burger King’s vegan leadership in the European fast-food space, with a report last year noting that it has the highest number of plant-based mains across the leading chains in Europe.
“We are the first choice in terms of plant-based options in the foodservice industry, and continue to drive the growing trend towards alternative protein sources in Germany,” added Ehmer. “For this, we are not only developing our products and processes further, but also focusing on greater product variety and easier access.”
The company has established a credo for all its plant-based products: ‘0% meat. 100% flavour.’ This focus on taste is smart, given that flavour is the top motivating factor for choosing plant-based alternatives in Germany, with 55% citing it.
Burger King follows consumer trends in Germany
Courtesy: Burger King Germany | Composite by Green Queen
Burger King Germany’s price cuts for plant-based meat represent a shrewd move, considering that it is the largest vegan market in Europe, and with a growing willingness to cut back on meat consumption. In fact, 59% of Germans reported eating less meat in 2022 than the year before – the joint-highest in the EU.
This makes sense when you realise that Germany has the largest flexitarian population in Europe, with the EU survey putting that figure at 40%. An earlier USDA report, however, says as many as 55% of Germans follow a flexitarian diet. Burger King Germany’s marketing head Klaus Schmäing has previously said that flexitarians are the company’s main target.
“The large group we want to address are flexitarians,” he said. “But beyond that, of course, also vegetarians and vegans.” (The EU poll found that Germany had the second-largest vegan population in the region too, at 4% of the population.) And last year, Burger King Germany revealed that one in every five Whoppers it sells are plant-based, and likewise for nearly one in four Long Chickens.
So the demand is clearly there – and it’s something the government has identified too, having earmarked €38M in the 2024 federal budget to promote alternative protein consumption and a switch to plant-based agriculture, as well as open a Proteins of the Future centre.
“With this decision on the protein transition, the coalition is taking a big step towards the transition to a sustainable food system laid out in the coalition agreement,” said Ivo Rzegotta, senior public affairs manager for Germany at the Good Food Institute Europe, an alternative protein think tank. “The agreed funding measures for research and transformation will put Germany on the path to becoming a leader in this emerging field.”
Burger King isn’t the only company to reduce prices and make plant-based food more accessible in Germany. In October, discount retailer Lidl announced that most of its own-label products from the Vemondo plant-based range would be at price parity with or cheaper than conventional meat and dairy products, explaining that “conscious and sustainable consumption” is only possible if these foods are “affordable and more easily accessible for everyone”.
Lidl’s announcement was swiftly followed by Kaufland, which dropped the prices of 90 vegan products to make them competitive or more affordable than their animal-based counterparts. Rewe Group’s BILLA and Penny have made identical moves, as has Aldi Süd.
With its whopping decision, Burger King Germany has added itself to that list.
Canadian whole-cut plant-based salmon producer New School Foods has kicked off its New School Culinary Council of industry advisors, starting with vegan chef Matthew Kenney, who will help the brand make its commercial debut later this year.
New School Foods, which produces whole-cut wild salmon from plants, has collaborated with Matthew Kenney to launch the New School Culinary Council (NSCC), an invite-only collective of international chefs and restaurateurs. The advisory hub will help guide the company through its upcoming launch in restaurants.
Members of the NSCC will work closely with the Toronto-based startup to guide product development, recommend recipes, and support the adoption of its whole-muscle salmon. It reflects the company’s positioning of its seafood analogue as chef-led, with the use of plant fibres able to replicate the texture of fish muscle fibres, and recreate the same flavour, appearance and functional attributes.
“From Day 0, we developed this product with chefs in mind,” said New School Foods CEO Chris Bryson. “As tastemakers, chefs and restaurateurs sit at the intersection between product and consumer – they represent a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to developing a product that consumers crave. If it won’t work for a chef, why would the consumer care?”
Kenney agreed, noting that “there is no more demanding audience” for plant-based meat than professional chefs: “If your product does not look, cook, and taste like the real thing, you are better off in the grocery store, because chefs will not compromise.”
Tapping into Matthew Kenney’s decades-long experience
Courtesy: New School Foods
The partnership will see Kenney develop new recipes with New School Foods’ salmon throughout the year, while highlighting menu flexibility and versatility of the whole-cut filet, which can be cooked in a host of different methods, including baking, roasting, sauteing, smoking and sous vide.
“He’s a true expert in plant-based foods and immediately understood our product – what it can do, and what it could do,” Bryson told Green Queen when about the decision to team up with Kenney. “The first time he got the product, he took a series of filets and cooked them each in a different way, managing to take our product to whole new heights. He’s been extremely helpful at providing feedback for further improving the product, both in terms of the customer sensory experience, as well as the chef cooking experience.”
In addition, Kenney will serve as an advocate and consultant for New School Foods, leveraging his experience and network to secure foodservice listings for the vegan salmon, especially in Los Angeles, where he currently lives. He will also provide ongoing feedback during regular sessions with the product development team ahead of its planned launch later this year.
Kenney has been working in professional kitchens for over 30 years, with his company with dozens of restaurants around the world, including Plant Food + Wine, Plant City and Double Zero. A raw food pioneer, he was the founding partner of the infamous Pure Food and Wine vegan eatery in New York City, which was the subject of controversy in the 2010s after failing to pay its staff (Kenney left the establishment in 2005).
However, since September 2022, at least 12 of his restaurants have shut, and investors, landlords and employees have accused Kenney of non-payments, with some paychecks allegedly bouncing even as influencers were given $10,000 worth of free food every year for promoting the establishments. The chef has acknowledged that some checks may have bounced, but denies that influencers would have been given more than $1,000 worth of food.
To his credit, Kenney answered all questions asked of him in a wide-ranging interview with the Los Angeles Times – but the lawsuits and financial controversies give New School Foods pause when opting to work with him? “Not at all,” said Bryson. “We worked closely with chef Kenney for months before partnering, and his passion for both the product and the mission is clear. We believe that passion will carry over to many other chefs who will want to join New School Foods.”
Better-tasting alt-seafood products will win over consumers
Courtesy: New School Foods
New School Foods, which first unveiled its salmon in February 2023, expects to add more chefs to its NSCC. “We have been working with a series of chefs over the last year,” revealed Bryson. “Matthew is our first official member given his deep experience with the plant-based space.”
Adhering to the chef-forward philosophy, the company has no plans to sell its salmon in retail, instead focusing solely on restaurants. As for the pricing, Bryson said it will “depend on the relationship we have with each restaurant”.
New School Foods has also been working with precision fermentation startup Liven Proteins and dehydration solutions provider NuWave Research on an $11.4M project partly funded by the Canadian government, which will combine its salmon production tech with Liven’s animal-free collagen and NuWave Research’s vacuum microwave technology to manufacturer whole-muscle plant-based salmon at scale. “[The collaboration is] to support our core product development and bring it to market,” said Bryson. “Liven is doing some great work that we hope to include in future product versions.”
Its own version is made from a unique scaffolding technology that uses directional freezing to create scaffolds that mimic muscle fibres and connective tissues found in meat and fish. These are then infused with different proteins and flavours that mimic the taste, texture, structure and cooking process of conventional meat and seafood.
The news comes just shortly after San Francisco-based New Wave Foods and German startup Ordinary Seafood were forced to cease trading, highlighting the challenges facing the alternative seafood industry. Despite vegan seafood outpacing the plant-based meat sector in sales from 2021-22, its retail sales only hit $14M, a minuscule 1% of the $1.2B made by the overall meat analogues category. Its contribution to the overall seafood sector is even smaller, representing just 0.2% of total sales.
There have been some success stories too. Fellow Canadian Yves Potvin’s Konscious Foods has its frozen vegan sushi and poke bowl SKUs in over 4,500 retail doors in North America; Nestlé – the world’s largest CPG brand – introduced three plant-based seafood products in Europe and Asia recently; and Sweden’s Hooked Foods expanded into Germany with a listing in 400 REWE West stores in November.
“While the market is going through an adjustment period, long-term, we expect this will be a very exciting sector,” said Bryson. “Customers are still looking for alternatives, and that shows based on the plant-based sector’s growth in Europe and US foodservice. But the products need to be better – in taste, texture, cooking experience, and clear nutritional benefit over meat/seafood. That will require better ingredients, and better processing technologies to more closely meet customer expectations.”
“I speak from first-hand experience when I say that the products New School Foods developed are nothing short of a plant-based miracle,” said Kenney. “I was stunned by how versatile the product was – how it was a product that I could prepare any way I wanted. It cooks and transforms just like the real thing, raw-to-cooked transition and all, while delivering an amazing taste and texture experience.”
Israel’s Oshi and Austria’s Revo Foods also make whole-cut salmon – the latter was recently involved in a court case against the City of Vienna, which accused it of misleading consumers with its ‘vegan’ label on product packaging. The court has dismissed the suit.
The Cakery founder Shirley Kwok speaks to Green Queen about her new businesses shaking up Hong Kong’s plant-based scene: vegan cheese brand Cultured and plant-forward bakery Maya.
Shirley Kwok is one busy lady. Under her entrepreneur belt so far: a cakery, a bakery, and an artisanal cheese brand, and it’s not even been a decade!
And oh, her products range from better-for-you, allergen-friendly, vegan-friendly and diet-inclusive to a combination of all the above. The best part, though? The flavour is – some would say – bomb.
What started as a pop-up cake shop at Hong Kong’s famous commercial complex Landmark in 2016 has now evolved into five locations that offer cakes in all shapes and sizes, for all occasions and diets. But about a year and a half ago, The Cakery was no longer enough for Kwok, a mother of two.
You see, there was this local vegan cheese she loved, but the brand was sadly closing down – a fate that many of the city’s plant-forward businesses have suffered post-pandemic. Kwok was going to buy out that business, but that didn’t pan out. So instead, she created her own artisanal vegan cheese brand.
Courtesy: Cultured
“I was doing a lot of tests at home,” she tells me. After testing a few different versions, she brought the cheese to work. “Everybody tried and they’re like: ‘Oh, it’s really nice. And I can’t stop eating,’” recalls Kwok. That’s when the thought occurred – maybe there was a real business in all this.
It came to fruition at the end of last year in the form of Cultured, a CPG brand offering kitchen staples like spreadable cheese blocks, cream cheeses, superfood crackers and curried hummus – all vegan.
Inspired by nations, powered by fermentation
As the name suggests, Cultured is rooted in fermentation, blending a base of cashews with probiotics and ageing them to unlock depth, complexity and umami notes. Plus, there’s the good-for-you bacteria and enzymes to support digestion and a strong immune system. “Everyone’s talking about gut health,” notes Kwok.
“The reason why I use the word ‘Cultured’ is because I wanted to bring in all sorts of cultures into this new thing. I want the brand to be inclusive, so it’s for everyone to try,” she tells me. The idea was to blend global cultures with fermentation cultures, with product flavours linked to different parts of the world (truffles are a nod to Italy, jalapeños to Mexico, and so on).
Her decision to make blocks of spreadable cheese over grated/gratable versions was part of a conscious move away from ingredients like agar or cornstarch, keeping her products as clean-label as possible. ethos intact. That is evident when you take a peek at the label: the sundried tomato and roasted garlic cheese, for example, has cashews, water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, sundried tomatoes, garlic, salt and probiotics.
Courtesy: Cultured
The process of making the cheese starts with a 48-hour ferment at room temperature, followed by another two to three days in the fridge, which will make it good to last for at least two weeks. Kwok has tried plenty of nuts, but cashews just work well with the flavour and texture of her current portfolio. “I’m going to start using other nuts,” she adds. Almonds, macadamias, and the like.
But with nut-based cheeses, cost is always an issue. Cultured’s cashew cheeses range from HK$120-135 ($15-17) for less than 200g, which is quite steep. Having said that, it is artisanal cheese, and the prices aren’t much different from high-end conventional counterparts.
“I feel like people who really understand my product should be able to appreciate that,” she says. “Even for my cakes, some people say: ‘Oh, yeah, your cakes are really expensive. But I can tell you use really good ingredients.’”
From The Cakery to a plant-forward bakery
This brings us neatly to the setting of our chat – we’re sat at the site of Maya in the commercial hub that is Taikoo Place. Borrowing similar principles from The Cakery, Maya is Kwok’s newest brand, a bakery with an almost fully plant-based menu. There are vegan versions of local favourites in egg tarts and pineapple buns, international treasures in pistachio croissants and blueberry muffins, and indulgent treats in peanut-butter-filled chocolate cookies.
My favourite part (aside from the flavour, of course) is the price. The vegan egg tart costs HK$18 ($2.30), the pistachio croissant HK$26 ($3.30), and the pandan-fulled pineapple bun HK$22 ($2.80). For high-quality plant-based products, that is excellent pricing. How did Kwok manage to keep prices so low for Maya, especially when Cultured’s rates are relatively high?
Processed with VSCO with al3 preset
“It’s a new concept, and we’re having the shop in a commercial area,” she explains. She was expecting to get some pushback. “I wanted people to give it a try first, and not have a barrier. So then they like it and come back again. But if the price point is too high, they’ll be like: ‘Why would I want to pay so much for something that I’m not even sure whether I would like?’”
It’s a pertinent point for a region where 20% of the population lives in poverty, and inflation has mirrored increases globally, with things costing 2.4% more in December 2023 than the month before. But despite a spate of post-pandemic closures and collapses for plant-based businesses, the demand for vegan food remains, with a June 2023 survey finding that 86% of locals want to see more plant-based options in public places, while 70% don’t think restaurants offer enough meat-free options.
Speaking of which, you may have noticed I described Maya as a bakery with an almost 100% vegan menu. That’s because the menu has one meat-based option: a turmeric chicken sourdough sandwich. “I was debating whether to use ‘fake’ meat,” says Kwok. “But it’s processed, and we really don’t want to use that.” She acknowledges that the menu does have a sandwich with vegan tuna, which she says is “the most processed food in this café”.
Courtesy: Green Queen Media
“I was also worried that we’re in a commercial area, where probably most of the people are not vegan – I still want to try to accommodate people who are not vegan, you know?” she adds. Explaining her rationale, she says meat-eaters might come to the store and select the chicken sandwich the first time, but they might like it so much that they’d try something else – maybe one of the vegan sandwiches (which incorporate Cultured’s products), quiches or soups – next time. It’s a working example of how flexitarians hold the key to protein diversification.
Kwok isn’t vegan herself but says she really appreciates good plant-based food. “But it’s quite hard to find in Hong Kong,” she tells me. “Even though they say they’re vegan, they’re heavily processed, and I don’t feel healthy after eating it.” It’s a view held by many around the world, with the heightened discourse about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) associating certain vegan foods with ill health – though not all UPFs or plant-based meats are unhealthy. “I try to eat very clean. I prefer wholesome food, rather than really processed food.”
It’s all about the aesthetics – and family
The other reason why Maya isn’t fully vegan is because the espresso bar serves cow’s milk. Don’t worry though, there’s oat and soy too – and the coffee, sourced from a local roaster, is truly great. There are two options: “nutty” and “fruity” (which I assume are layperson’s terms for washed and natural processed coffee, respectively).
Aesthetics are important to Kwok. There’s an underlying pastel theme running through Maya’s exteriors, serveware and the food itself. The hot drinks come in gorgeous stone mugs with golden spoons, with takeaway packaging sourced from local supplier Sustainabl. For iced beverages, there are plastic-free, starch-based straws.
Courtesy: Maya
As for the food, take that pistachio croissant, for instance. The top is meticulously half-covered in a pistachio-white chocolate glaze, lined with pistachio pieces. I ask her why she chose to go with an exterior glaze instead of a filling. “I really appreciate things that look nice,” she responds. “So if I put it on top, it can be very catchy.” Traditional croissants can be “shiny and nice”, but it’s hard to replicate that with a margarine-based vegan croissant. So she wanted something that would grab the attention of people standing afar.
But Maya isn’t just a bakery: it moonlights as a bar, with cocktails like Honeybee Gin Tea, Coriander Blast and a classic negroni, alongside craft beers and organic wines. You can grab a vegan cheese platter too, if you’re into that. It’s a whole package, and it makes sense when you consider how personal the brand is to Kwok.
Maya is the name of her 11-year-old daughter, who helped conceptualise the business’s mascot and logo, a bird also called Maya. The new business is a tribute to both her kids, and signals that she’s in it for the long haul. She’s already deep in R&D for future releases (a not-so-subtle hint: if you’re into kimchi and hot sauces, you may be in for a treat).
Courtesy: Maya
While Kwok does want to expand eventually, she’s wary that vegan cheese brands in Hong Kong have come and gone, so education for her is key. In the long term, she hopes people recognise she’s trying to help her own community and normalise veganism. “Right now, people are still asking us: ‘Do you have normal cakes?’ Hopefully, in five years, I won’t get those kinds of customers,” she says.
In the end, for Kwok, it’s about convincing people that it’s okay to eat vegan food: “Just give it a try.”
US fast-casual chain Smashburger has partnered with jackfruit meat producer Jack & Annie’s to debut a new burger across its locations nationwide, the latest example of a QSR embracing whole-food plant-based products.
With health and nutrition top of mind for consumers, whole-food plant-based products have been cropping up across the globe in the foodservice world. In the latest instance, Colorado-based companies Smashburger and Jack & Annie’s have linked up to launch a new burger spotlighting the latter’s jackfruit-based meat.
The collaboration marks the fast-casual debut of Jack & Annie’s – whose products are already available in over 5,000 locations across the US, including Whole Foods, Safeway and Target. Smashburger will add its jackfruit patty as a permanent menu item across its 235 locations nationwide.
“Plant-based alternatives have continued to show up on menus throughout the industry, so making sure we offer more diverse and plant-forward options was the natural transition to expand our menu,” said Smashburger’s chief restaurant support officer, Eric Marcoux.
Keying into health-conscious Americans with jackfruit
Courtesy: Jack & Annie’s
Smashburger and Jack & Annie first tested the partnership with a limited-time offering last summer in the chain’s Colorado, New York, New Jersey and Chicago locations. Following positive consumer feedback, it decided to make the jackfruit burger a permanent fixture on its menu nationally.
The burger patty itself is plant-based, but the default Classic Smash Veggie Burger contains American cheese, alongside lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, Smash Sauce (which isn’t vegan), and ketchup. It is part of a burger range that also includes Truffle Mushroom Swiss and Colorado Veggie burgers, as well as Bacon Smash, BBQ Bacon Cheddar, Avocado Bacon Club burgers (which are not meat-free).
So although the branding makes it seem like these are all veggie burgers, it’s important to note that Smashburger uses conventional bacon. But the jackfruit patty can be subbed in for any chicken, beef or black bean burger on the menu, which could be an appealing option for many health-conscious consumers, given that the Jack & Annie’s burger has 47% less fat than a traditional beef patty.
While not exactly what you’d call an entirely clean-label option – the Jack & Annie’s burger has jackfruit, soy flour, coconut and canola oils, alliums, spices, natural flavourings and colourings, and methylcellulose – it is a whole-food, plant-based meat rich in fibre and micronutrients like potassium, iron and calcium. Moreover, a 100g patty contains 8g of protein, just 9g of total fat (with 5g saturated fat), and 150 calories. Plus, being animal-free, it’s free from cholesterol.
Health is a topic entrenched in the American mainstream consciousness, given the alarming rise in rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes – over two-thirds (69%) of Americans are overweight and 36% are obese. Additionally, there’s greater sensitivity around ultra-processed foods and their impact on health. Last year, research revealed that more Gen Zers in the US want to go vegan for their health than the environment – a key target demographic for Smashburger.
A 1,022-person survey by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) found that health is the major factor behind Americans eating vegan or vegetarian diets, with six in 10 choosing it. In terms of plant-based meat products like Jack & Annie’s, ‘healthy’ is the most appealing labelling description to these consumers.
According to Jack & Annie’s – which has previously been ranked as the third-largest player in the frozen plant-based category – two in three fast-casual customers say a jackfruit-based menu item would make them more likely to purchase from a restaurant. There’s the environmental aspect too: the company’s independent life-cycle assessment has shown that jackfruit’s global warming potential is 94% better than beef, 87% better than pork, and 60% better than chicken.
“With jackfruit, we’ve found a path for consumers that is sustainable, healthier, and provides the tasty experience they are looking for,” said Jack & Annie’s namesake founder and CEO Annie Ryu.
Whole-food plant-based on the up
Courtesy: Smashburger
The IFIC poll also showed that when it comes to protein intake, whole-plant sources saw the sharpest rise among Americans between 2022 and 2023, with 28% eating them ‘somewhat’ or ‘much more’ now. These foods additionally had the second-lowest drop in consumption rates (behind plant-based meat and seafood analogues), with only 11% of consumers eating them less during this period. (In comparison, red meat consumption was down by 32%, and poultry 15%).
It highlights the growing importance of whole-food plant-based options for Americans, with protein choices ranging from tofu and tempeh to jackfruit itself. While Jack & Annie’s isn’t the only company working with jackfruit-based proteins – Karana (Singapore), Jack & Bry (UK) and Upton’s Naturals (US) are among a few others – it is the most well-funded, with $28M in total investments following a $23M Series B round in late 2021 after debuting its products in 2020.
Its partnership with Smashburger signals two opportunities. First, long-standing whole-food plant-based meat brands like Jack & Annie’s parent The Jackfruit Company (which was founded in 2011, the same year as Impossible Foods) might be able to find success with consumers looking for such options. This includes the likes of Upton’s Naturals, NoBull Burger and Big Mountain Foods.
Second, it’s a marker of the growing prevalence of the whole-food plant-based trend in foodservice. Just earlier this year, Dave’s Hot Chicken released its first meat-free options with cauliflower sliders and bites, and Hard Rock Cafe in Broadway introduced a Veganuary menu with cauliflower wings and a mushroom primavera pasta. Chipotle’s braised tofu (Sofritas) and Shake Shack’s veggie burger also come to mind, as does Chipotle founder Steve Ells’ new chain Kernel, whose menu is focused on whole foods too.
This is a trend being seen internationally as well. In the UK, Veganuary saw a whole-food plant-based boom. Burger King brought back its black bean burger, Wagamama and Pret A Manger spotlit mushrooms, Leon went all-in on gut health with a bhaji wrap, while Pizza Express introduced a veggie-packed calzone and Zizzi’s new Rustic pizza featured Fable Foods’ pulled shiitake mushrooms.
With the Smashburger partnership, Jack & Annie’s hopes to make 2024 a significant growth year, and close in on profitability. “We’re excited that consumers across the nation will get to taste what we have known all along: our jackfruit offerings make for delicious and simple plant-based, plant-forward food with naturally meaty taste and texture,” said Ryu. “We are thrilled to move the plant-based category forward.”
Emirates Airlines will soon unveil new options as part of its ‘vegan vault’ of in-flight meals, taking its total offering of recipes to over 300. It comes after the carrier witnessed a 40% increase in demand for onboard plant-based dishes.
Emirates, which is one of two flag carriers of the UAE, has witnessed a surge of 40% in year-on-year consumption of plant-based meals (when adjusted for passenger volumes). To meet the growing demand, it will add a host of new recipes to what it calls its ‘vegan vault’, which has over 300 meal options overall.
In terms of absolute numbers, Emirates served over 450,000 vegan meals in 2023, versus 280,000 in 2022 – that’s an increase of over 60%, but when measured in line with passenger volumes, this changes to 40%. In some regions, though, consumption of vegan meals has exceeded the growth in traveller numbers – for example, the Middle East showed a significant additional hike of 34%, while Africa accounted for an extra 4%, and Southeast Asia an added 5%.
Major boosts in demand were also noted on Emirates routes to China, Japan and the Philippines, while the largest rise in vegan meal consumption occurred in Economy Class.
Championing local ingredients alongside global brands
Courtesy: Emirates
The airline has an array of suppliers from all over the world, but also supports local ingredients. Its kale and lettuce come from Bustanica, the world’s largest hydroponic vertical farm, which was created as a joint venture investment through Emirates Flight Catering. At Bustanica, produce like arugula, mixed salad greens, and spinach are grown without pesticides, herbicides or chemicals. These leafy greens can be enjoyed in certain dishes by First and Business Class passengers.
Apart from that, the carrier sources plant-based proteins from Californian giant Beyond Meat, soy protein from Singapore and UAE-based Arlene, Qianye tofu (a pressed variety made from soy protein instead of whole soybeans) from Japan, organic dark vegan chocolate fromLinnolat in France, plant-based margarine from MeisterMarken in Germany, vegan curry paste from Thailand-based Pantai, and almond milk from Italian brand Koita, among many others.
If you’re in Economy, you can enjoy dishes like chickpea crepe with carrot, peppers, mushroom and tomato concassé, textured pumpkin frittatas, tofu tikka masala, coconut mousse with mango compote and a chocolate pudding with cocoa soil. Premium Economy members can opt for meals such as jackfruit curry with basmati rice or a squash chestnut stew, followed by a chocolate tofu cheesecake or raspberry parfait with orange compote.
Travellers in Business Class have the choice between roasted cauliflower with ancient grains, caramelised pear and lovage pesto, or a warming ragout of Asian tofu and shitake mushroom with glass noodles. For dessert, think tropical coconut pineapple cake or a chocolate cheesecake with a dark chocolate cigar and strawberry compote.
Finally, Emirates elevates its plant-based culinary game even further with in-flight meals like polenta cake with thyme mushroom ragout, sautéed spinach and a root vegetable jus, or aubergine curry with charred rice, turmeric potatoes, and coconut and mint chutney. Plus, there are inviting sweet treats like rhubarb tempered with strawberry charlotte, Chantilly cream and raspberry tuille, or warm chocolate fondant with salted caramel sauce and whipped cashew cream.
Interest in vegan in-flight meals is sky-high
Courtesy: Emirates
While its ‘vegan vault’ might be getting new recipes, Emirates has been offering plant-based meals since the 90s. At the time, requests for these dishes were focused on specific routes like Addis Ababa, where vegan meals are required at certain times of the year by those practising the Ethiopian Orthodox faith, and other regions where multiple faiths encourage plant-based diets.
However, the surge has been rapid in recent years, with vegan meals gaining popularity on the airline’s flights to and from the US, Australia, and some European and Asian nations. Particularly in the last decade, the carrier has noted a sizeable rise in interest towards vegan dishes. It’s not just passengers that have become more drawn towards this diet – many of its staff members are in the same boat, with the airlines introducing vegan food for its cabin crew in 2018.
In 2022, Emirates launched a gourmet vegan menu for First and Business Class to cater to passengers’ evolving demands, whether that was for vegan meals, or just a “healthy and light meal choice while travelling”. And later this year, Emirates will launch a selection of new vegan main courses, snacks, pizza, as well as desserts – including the likes of chocolate pecan cake, pistachio raspberry and raspberry tonka cake.
Emirates’ vegan push mirrors the direction of many other airlines. Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific is a leader in this space, offering a huge range of plant-based meals through partnerships with local businesses. Other carriers, like Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, American Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, and Korean Air are just some of the flights where you can get a plant-based meal in certain classes though it’s worth noting that none of them has as extensive a menu for vegans as the Dubai-based flag carrier. Emirates flies high above the rest.
French catering group Sodexo has revealed that 11% of all its meals sold at UK and Ireland sites in 2023 were vegan or vegetarian, a marginal increase from the previous year. It has also made strides in promoting food security, and is ahead of schedule on its net-zero plan.
Japanese Teriyaki Tofu, Southern Indian Chickpea Curry, and Potato and Cauliflower Masala are some of the dishes that have helped Sodexo witness a year-on-year increase in plant-based consumption. From January to November last year, an analysis of over 2.7 million meals across 285 of its UK and Ireland client sites found that 11% were vegan or vegetarian.
This marks an incremental improvement on last year’s share of 10%, and aligns with the company’s social impact pledge and commitment to increase the intake of sustainable meals. The caterer has previously laid out its plans to make 33% of its menus plant-based by 2025, as part of its wider net-zero target for 2040, which it now says is ahead of schedule.
Sodexo makes strides with plant-based meals and net-zero goals
Courtesy: Sodexo
Sodexo research reveals that – like last year – the highest amount of vegan meal consumption occurred in the East Midlands, though its share dropped from 21% to 19%. People chose meat-free dishes 18% of the time in the North West (versus 15% in 2022), 16% in Ireland (versus 8%), 15% in London (versus 11%), 13% in Wales (versus 15%) and 11% in Scotland (versus 10%).
“The increasing preference for meat-free options among our customers is a testament to both the shift in consumer awareness and to the work done by our talented chefs to reformulate menus and create new delicious plant-forward and plant-based recipes,” said Claire Atkins Morris, sustainability director at Sodexo UK and Ireland. “With a wide array of tasty and nutritious options available across our client sites, it is important that our consumers are able to make well-informed decisions about the food they eat.”
The news comes a week after Sodexo announced that it had reduced 37% of its scope 3 emissions (from a 2017 baseline), representing the removal of almost 400,000 tonnes of CO2e by May 31, 2023. That has put the catering company ahead of schedule en route to its 2040 decarbonisation goal – it would have needed to slash emissions by 25.5% by the end of fiscal year 2023 to stay on course, but a faster reduction has meant its footprint is now at 689,172 tonnes of CO2e.
Now, Sodexo has set science-based forest, land and agriculture (FLAG) targets – a 40% absolute GHG emissions reduction by 2030 and a 72% cut by 2040. “Working towards net zero is complex and can be an overwhelming challenge. With multiple data sets and action levers across business activities, it isn’t easy,” said Atkins Morris.
“There are many opportunities for learning, refining and improving as we go. This, naturally, means that we need to be agile to the fast pace of change informed by external factors. This year, for example, we chose to move away from our 2025 carbon-neutral target and reallocate funds to decarbonisation projects. We should all expect to see and be comfortable with changes in our journey, rebaselining and the influences of the external landscape.”
Sodexo was also the subject of a study by Profundo, commissioned by Madre Brava, which looked at the impact of the caterer and five supermarkets switching to 50% plant-based proteins by 2030. It revealed that this would reduce GHG emissions by 31.6 million tonnes per year, which is equivalent to removing over 25 million cars from EU roads. Plus, it would free up 102,000 sq km of land (about the size of Hungary) and save 670 million cubic metres of water (around 268,000 Olympic-size swimming pools) a year.
Global initiatives for sustainable catering
Courtesy: SavorEat
Sodexo’s continued plant-based growth comes at a time when many universities are increasingly adopting plant-based food. Within the UK, the Universities of Stirling, Birmingham, Queen Mary, London Metropolitan, Kent, University College London and Cambridge have already voted to introduce fully plant-based menus at their eateries. In fact, over 650 academics and campaigners have written an open letter to British universities to switch to 100% vegan catering.
But it’s not just the UK that is seeing such advancements in foodservice. In 2021, Sodexo Canada announced it would switch 20% of its protein purchases to plant-based over the next few years, while it aims to turn 42% of its college and university menus vegan in the US, where it also partnered with Israeli food tech startup SavorEat to launch the first 3D-printing robot for plant-based burgers at the University of Denver.
The caterer has previously had a successful corporate pilot with LinkedIn too, where its subsidiary the Good Eating Company and behavioural choice agency Greener By Default combined to halve the carbon emissions of the social media company’s San Francisco office. The 12-week pilot saved 14,400 of CO2e by making two-thirds of the menu vegan, including opting for oat milk as the default coffee bar choice and flavour descriptors over words like “vegan” and “vegetarian” on menu cards.
The results of the research come during Veganuary, which is set to break its partnership record yet again this year. “We are delighted to see an upward trend in Sodexo’s meat-free meal sales again,” said the campaign’s communications head, Toni Vernelli. “Offering tasty and accessible options is crucial in encouraging more individuals to consider plant-based choices.”
This is a trend reflected in the wider catering industry too. Compass Group, the world’s largest catering company, has set the goal of replacing 40% of its animal proteins with plant-based by the end of the decade. Its subsidies Chartwells Higher Education, meanwhile, revealed in November that there has been an increase in students looking for climate-friendly meals in US universities and colleges since the introduction of carbon labels on its menus.
Outside its own menus, Sodexo’s plant-based commitments have extended to its Stop Hunger Foundation, which in 2021 partnered with UK charity Made In Hackney to support its mission to provide free, nutritious vegan meals to over 300 people weekly. “The Stop Hunger Foundation has provided critical support to our community meal service and cookery classes helping us tackle food insecurity for hundreds of households with nutritious, diverse, planet-friendly meals,” said Made In Hackney founder Sarah Bentley.
“Evolving the nation’s eating habits to more plant-centred eating is a crucial tool in the fight against the climate crisis and spiralling lifestyle-related health diseases. It is inspiring to work with the Stop Hunger Foundation and Sodexo as they see the interconnectedness of all these issues and how plant-based food can play a central role in tackling them all.”
We’re nearly halfway through Veganuary 2024, and one trend is coming out strong on UK restaurant menus: a focus on whole-food plant-based dishes. It comes as consumers are hit hard with price hikes and express concern about the processed nature of meat alternatives.
As restaurants and foodservice operators innovate to cater to the elevated demand for vegan food every January, there are always a ton of new menu items to satiate people’s cravings. This year is no different, with food chains and eateries coming up with novel options, or bringing back vegan-friendly classics.
While there is, of course, a focus on plant-based meat, the biggest spotlight is on whole foods, with many restaurants opting to launch dishes with vegetables and legumes as the centrepiece. It speaks to an increased focus on nutrition among consumers, with more people looking for healthful food options than ever before.
Veganuary’s whole-food plant-based trend
Courtesy: Burger King
It’s not just fine-dining restaurants – QSRs and fast-food giants are all leaning into the whole-food plant-based trend this Veganuary. Not least Burger King, which has shaken up the sector with the surprise reintroduction of its black bean burger, marking a shift away from the alt-meat options seen on burger chain menus (including its own). Packed with black beans, mushrooms, sweet red pepper, green chillies and tortilla chips, it’s a Vegan Society-certified product if you nix the cheese.
Courtesy: Wagamama
Wagamama’s Bulgogi Mushroom Steak
Wagamama – which, like Burger King, has committed to making half its menu plant-based – is spotlighting lion’s mane mushrooms this year, transforming them into a bulgogi steak atop udon noodles, aubergines and caramelised onions in an amai miso sauce.
Courtesy: Pret
Pret’s Roasted Shroom Banh Mi
For more mushrooms, head to Pret A Manger – the chain is highlighting the fungi in two brilliant ways. The UK favourite is rolling out a VLT (of Veggie Pret fame), with vegan bacon rashers made from roasted shiitake and chestnut mushroom. Meanwhile, there’s a new bánh mì in town, with sticky BBQ roasted mushrooms starring as the meat replacer.
Courtesy: LEON
LEON’s Banging Broad Bean Bhaji Wrap
At LEON, the new focus on “gut-healing goodness” means there’s a new Rainbow Squash Salad, featuring a medley of vegetables, as well as a Bangin’ Bhaji Wrap, with courgettes, peas and broad beans. And Marugame Udon – another cult-favourite, budget-friendly fast-casual chain – has unveiled a limited-edition menu for Veganuary 2024, comprising kitsune udon with sweet tofu skin, pumpkin katsu curry (with rice or udon), a sweet kitsune tofu side, plus pumpkin, courgette and sweet potato tempura.
Courtesy: Marugame Udon
Even the pizzerias are buying into the whole-food trend this Veganuary. Pizza Express has introduced a melanzane, swapping the mozzarella in the classic aubergine dish with a plant-based alternative. There’s also a new vegan calzone with roasted sweet peppers, aubergines, spinach, hot chillies, tomatoes and garlic – no alt-meat in sight.
Zizi’s Pulled Shiitake Pizza
Courtesy: Pizza Express
Similarly, Zizzi has a new garlic bread with roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, and artichokes, and a new Rustic pizza featuring Fable’s pulled shiitake mushrooms, candied green jalapenos, Roquito pepper pearls, pink pickled onions, MozzaRisella and a crispy garlic crust.
Courtesy: Zizzi
Price and health concerns drive whole-food trend
It’s been well-documented that the UK is eating less meat and dairy than has ever been recorded, while fruit and vegetable consumption is down too. Plant-based meats haven’t fared much better. The major reason for this is the rising cost-of-living, and the associated price increases for food.
A government survey in March revealed that 97% of respondents felt the food shopping price hikes were a factor in the increased cost of living. Updated figures released Friday show that 38% of respondents say they have had to pay more for the food they usually buy in the last two weeks, while 36% have been buying less to mitigate the effects of inflation.
A 1,000-person survey in October found that 62% of Brits feel plant-based meats cost much more than their conventional counterparts, with a fifth citing costs as the biggest reason for reducing their intake of these alternatives. Meanwhile, 49% feel these products are too processed or unnatural.
These concerns about health and affordability seem to be at the forefront of the decision-making by restaurants and food chains when it comes to Veganuary, who are responding by forgoing plant-based meat for the always-cheaper vegetables and beans. In any of these cases, these whole-food options are the only new launches for this year’s campaign.
Taste also remains key – for many consumers, plant-based meat just doesn’t cut it. Are restaurants circumventing that hurdle by ridding themselves of these proteins altogether and honing in on the potential of whole plants? It seems like it – and it’s not just the UK where we’re seeing this trend. In the US, for example, Dave’s Hot Chicken has released its first meat-free options with cauliflower sliders and bites, and Hard Rock Cafe in Broadway has introduced a Veganuary menu with cauliflower wings and a mushroom primavera pasta.
Veganuary is all about developing a habit long enough to sustain it – can the whole-food plant-based trend continue that way too?
In one of the largest M&A deals in the US plant-based space, Next Level Burger has acquired fast-casual chain Veggie Grill. The move comes a year after the latter was saved from bankruptcy, and makes Next Level Burger the largest fast-casual vegan chain in North America.
Plant-based burger chain Next Level Burger has acquired vegan restaurant group Veggie Grill from VegInvest, an investment fund that rescued the latter from the brink of collapse last year. The move will see VegInvest join Next Level Burger as a shareholder and partner.
The acquisition makes Next Level Burger the largest vegan fast-casual chain in North America with 27 locations, after adding Veggie Grill’s 17 sites to its existing roster of 10. “We’re not just writing a new chapter for Veggie Grill – we’re starting a new book,” said Next Level Burger co-founder and CEO Matt de Gruyter.
De Gruyter will also take over from Veggie Grill co-founder and CEO TK Pillan, who will exit the company alongside fellow co-founders Ray White and Kevin Boylan. It’s a sea change for a brand that nearly collapsed last year “after some decisions led to a make-or-break moment for its continuance”.
Next Level Burger’s expansion drive
Courtesy: Next Level Burger
Next Level Burger was launched by de Gruyter and his wife Cierra in 2014 as a mission-driven restaurant chain aligning human health, ecological sustainability, and an ethical supply chain. “Since our founding in 2014, our company mission has been focused on a triple bottom line philosophy of doing good, having fun and making money,” de Gruyter said in 2022.
A decade after its launch, the company is present in eight cities nationwide, with six in-store locations at Whole Foods Market. Next Level Burger says it has stopped nearly 60 million lbs of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere, converted almost two billion gallons of fresh water, and supported “acres and acres” of organic farmland.
While a 100% plant-based brand, 53% of Next Level Burger’s customers don’t identify as vegan, according to a 339-person survey it carried out last year. In fact, a fifth of respondents said they would have eaten a meat-based dish at another eatery or home had they not eaten at the vegan burger joint, underscoring its efficacy in displacing animal-sourced foods with plant-based.
Its acquisition of Veggie Grill comes 16 months after it raised $20M to fund its expansion plans – the fast-food chain hopes to open 1,000 locations in the long term. “Veggie Grill by Next Level will mean all sorts of changes: organic produce, non-GMO ingredients and ensuring living wages for our many team members across the country,” said de Gruyter. “Everything guests know and love about Veggie Grill is about to be taken to the Next Level, but know that the fan favourites aren’t going anywhere.”
Overcoming a tumultuous period
Courtesy: Veggie Grill
Veggie Grill, which was founded in Irvine, California in 2006, has been a leader in the US plant-based foodservice sector ever since. The restaurant chain is known for partnering with vegan brands on innovative dishes, including Yo Eggs, Beyond Meat and TiNDLE Foods.
But much like the overall vegan market in the country, the company has faced significant headwinds recently. While it currently has 17 locations, Veggie Grill boasted 29 only a few months ago. But a drop in post-pandemic office-worker footfall meant it had to cut over 40% of its foodservice footprint.
“Instead of trying to continue to manage units that, without office traffic, would not be profitable, we determined it would be a better long-term move to right-size our fleet of restaurants,” Pillan explained to Food Dive in September. “This allows us to really focus on the restaurants where the economics are strong, continue to focus on innovating on the menu, and then grow into other locations based on this new world of how consumers really use fast-casual restaurants.”
In 2021, it launched a second dining concept called Stand-Up Burgers, citing growing consumer demand. But this brand diverted Veggie Grill’s energy and did not turn the tide around for its quieter locations, as Pillan had hoped. He spoke of the difficulty of creating “just one great brand, let alone two”, adding that closing Stand-Up Burgers would allow the company to refocus on its core offerings. (Veggie Grill also operates vegan taqueria Más Veggies, which has 16 locations nationwide.)
Veggie Grill’s struggle mirrors that of the wider plant-based industry, where major brands like Beyond Meat have faced continuous losses, while some have shut operations. And while one report revealed that foodservice sales for plant-based meat reached an all-time high in the US, pound sales still haven’t reached pre-pandemic levels, with restaurants like VeganBurg (San Francisco), Love.Life (Los Angeles), Souley Vegan (Oakland), Stalk & Spade (Minnesota) and Citizen Eatery (Austin) all closing down in 2023.
But on the back of its Veggie Grill acquisition, Next Level Burger’s de Gruyter remains optimistic about the industry. “I believe in my bones that the exponential growth of the plant-based industry is an inevitability,” he told Green Queen. “We are on the right side of history, from climate change to human and planetary health, and the science is clear that the future of sustainability requires a shift toward eating plant-based. Our millions of guests served to date seem to agree, and we’re just getting started.”
