Veganuary is back for another year, and this time it is bigger than ever before!
Today, consumers are just as conscious about the carbon footprint of food products as they are the calories.
With many consumers looking to make a positive change to their diet to start off a new year, it is important food businesses get involved. The worldwide campaign is a good way to capitalise on what is traditionally a quiet month of sales due to consumers winding down after the hectic festive season.
What is Veganuary?
You may be wondering what Veganuary is… Led by the not-for-profit organisation of the same name, Veganuary is a campaign which encourages individuals to switch to a plant-based, vegan diet in January each year to protect the environment, prevent animal suffering and to improve health.
It was introduced to the world in 2014, and millions of people have since taken part in the campaign, from all over the globe (in fact every country except for North Korea and the Vatican City!). Happy 10th birthday Veganuary!
Last year over 700,000 people took part, and that figure is expected to grow even more this year.
How Macphie can help
It has been reported that those who switch to a meat-free diet crave more variety and excitement when it comes to eating options, particularly in restaurants and food-to-go establishments.
Macphie has a range of vegan certified plant-based products which can be used to create various dishes throughout Veganuary, which will help you to attract and retain customers. These have been designed to work across both meat-free and non-meat free dishes meaning that you can have one product back of house which works across multiple dishes.
All of our cartons are made from 87% renewable material, meaning it’s just as sweet for the environment as it is for your customers, plus, they can be stored ambiently meaning less impact on your carbon footprint.
Our Plant-based Taco Sauce can add a smoky, mild spice to your offerings. The sauce, which has been endorsed by the Craft Guild of Chefs, is ideal for adding heat to savoury dishes such as dirty fries, nachos, pizza and burgers. It is also a great companion to feta, making these feta and couscous tacos a must-have on your January menu.
Alternatively, why not try our Plant-based Cream Alternative. The versatile product can make a huge variety of vegan-friendly dessert options without compromising on taste or quality. It is ideal for making plant-based milkshakes and ice cream, which can be complete with one of our fru-ti o.t.t® dessert toppings (which are also vegan certified) for a fresh, sweet taste. It also works wonderfully through an espuma gun allowing you to top non-dairy hot drinks.
It is a great time to introduce meat-free specials to your menu, as it allows you to gauge popularity, and identify the popular dishes to keep post-January.
Veganuary helps to give you ideas by giving all consumers access to a free celebrity cookbook, which can be downloaded here. Our (non celeb!) chefs & bakers have come up with lots of recipes using Macphie products, just visit the product pages to get some inspiration.
To see our full range of vegan certified and plant-based products, along with recipe inspiration, visit www.macphie.com/product-categories/macphie-vegan-certified-plant-based-products.
Changing behaviours
The annual event is gaining traction, becoming more popular every year. This is also having an impact on overall food consumption.
The number of vegans in the UK has already risen from just 1% in 2019 to nearer 4% in 2023, and around 1 in 3 consumers in the UK are considering switching to a meat-free diet, most of whom believing it is an admirable change to make.
By highlighting events such as Veganuary and generating excitement around meat-free diets, you can encourage consumers to commit to the change. After last year’s Veganuary, 78% of participants reported that they were planning to permanently change their diet.
In years to come meat-free is going to be even more important. The idea of eating little to no meat is more widespread among the younger generations, with as many as 1 in 3 Gen Z’s describing themselves as ‘plant-based’, ‘vegan’ or ‘vegetarian’.
Inspired to participate in this year’s Veganuary? Click here to sign-up.