In the UK, Veganuary has taken hold. While a good number of new product launches are targeting those going plant-based until the end of the month – including allplants’ new Lighter Menu and Hellman’s ‘Baconnaise’ – others have the COVID-19 pandemic front-of-mind, such as McDonald’s Big Good burger in Spain.
GettyImages/Olga Peshkova
In the UK, Veganuary has taken hold. While a good number of new product launches are targeting those going plant-based until the end of the month – including allplants’ new Lighter Menu and Hellman’s ‘Baconnaise’ – others have the COVID-19 pandemic front-of-mind, such as McDonald’s Big Good burger in Spain
GettyImages/Olga Peshkova
Plant-based ready meal delivery service allplants is rolling out a new Lighter Menu in time for Veganuary.
The new range is made up of vegan meals that contain at least two of your five-a-day, and less than 450kcal each.
The Green Goodness Bowl, for example, comes in at 393kcal. Served with garlic chilli kale and a pea and mint mash, the flash-frozen meal is a source of vitamin C and contains more than 23g protein.
The Spizy Szechuan Noodles – brown rice noodles in a tahini source, accompanied by a soya and mushroom mince, pak choi, edamame and peanuts – is high in vitamin C and calcium and contains more than 19g protein.
Other ready meals in the line include the Protein Bolognese Bowl, Roasted Veggie Lasagne, and Aubergine Parmigiana.
“It’s absolutely possible to get all of the nutrients your body needs in order to stay energised and healthy from a vegan diet,” said allplants nutritionist Aly Findlay. “There are also health benefits associated with a vegan diet, such as increased fibre and reduced saturated fat intake.
“As with any diet, the key is being mindful of the different nutrients you’re consuming, and varying them so you’re getting the complete range of micronutrients.”
Image source: allplants
In Spain, McDonald’s has launched a new hamburger called Big Good. The product aims to help the Spanish agricultural sector get through the financial hardships created by COVID-19.
The new burger is made with ingredients sourced from more than 2,000 local livestock and agricultural producers throughout Spain, in regions where farmers and producers have had their livelihoods negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The launch of Big Good hopes to help ‘reignite demand’ and ‘contribute to the economic recovery’ of the Spanish agricultural sector.
“Currently, it’s more important than ever that brands are close to society and act on their purpose,” noted CMO of McDonald’s Spain, Natalia Echeverría.
“With Big Good, we have highlighted McDonald’s commitment to the local economy and our support for the primary sector. It is something we have been doing for many years, but which we now want to reinforce, by helping more than 2,000 producers reactivate their economy and deal with the crisis caused by COVID-19.”
Image source: McDonald's Spain
Spreadable linseed (otherwise known as flaxseed) is being rolled out in France by start-up LIN-LOV – the brainchild of friends Eugénia Romanova Thouron and Larissa Laffaure.
Linseed, they say, is something of a ‘superfood’, with high quantities of omega-3, protein, fibre, and vitamins. While when it is whole form, the seed is not bioavailable, its nutrients can be absorbed by the body when ground.
The current range includes savoury offerings such as dried linseed, toasted linseed, linseed and pumpkin, linseed and espelette pepper. The sweet range is made up of a linseed, cacao and nuts SKU, as well as a linseed, cacao and coconut offering.
LIN-LOV’s range of linseed butters are made with organic, French-grown linseed and produced in south-west France near Agen. The 210g jars range from €10-12 each.
Image source: LIN-LOV
Co-founder of Veganuary and managing director of Veg Capital, Michael Glover, has launched a new plant-based focused business: Vegan Friend Chick*n (VFC).
The range includes Original Bites, Spicy Bites, and Spicy Fillets. The friend chicken alternatives are made from wheat protein – otherwise known as seitan – in a corn flake coating.
The products are vegan, high in protein – with the Vegan Fried Chick*n Bites and Fillets containing 19g of protein per 100g – and claim to be more environmentally friendly than the real thing. “Eating wheat is better than meat for our environment,” noted the firm.
The aim of the business is to ‘save chickens’. And indeed, since the business launched in December 2020, at the time of writing total of 1,290 chickens have been saved.
VFC’s range is available to order online with an option for next day delivery. It arrives frozen and can be cooked in 20 minutes at 200C.
Image source: VFC
Unilever-owned Hellmann’s is rolling out three new plant-based mayonnaise alternatives in the UK in time for Veganuary: a chipotle-flavoured offering, a garlic mayonnaise alternative, and a SKU branded as ‘Baconnaise’.
The latter is made from rapeseed oil, water, spirit vinegar, sugar, smoked dextrose, salt, modified corn starch, natural flavourings (including mustard), lemon juice concentrate, and antioxidant.
Hellmann’s vegan range is designed for use in sandwiches, wraps, salads, and dips. It can also be used as a condiment for veggie burgers, jacket potatoes or pizza.
Image source: Hellmann's
