Have you considered increasing meat-free options on your menu?

Veganism and vegetarianism is growing in popularity

Meat-free living is one of the fastest growing lifestyles in the UK, so why are vegans and vegetarians still complaining of menus that offer ‘boring’ alternatives when they venture out to dine?

Offering a greater choice of tastes, textures and flavours for a modest percentage of the population has traditionally raised concerns over returns on investment.

But a marked increase in worldwide consumer interest in animal-free products means that rethinking menus to offer a wider choice of meat-alternative offerings makes commercial sense.

The Vegan Society believes that meat-free lifestyles will continue to grow as younger generations adopt them. They say that today almost half of the 3 million vegans in the UK are aged 15-34.

Over 165,000 people gave up consumption of animal products throughout January 2018 for the annual Veganuary campaign. That the event had attracted 3,000 people for its inaugural campaign in 2014 is an indicator of growing interest in the lifestyle.

Veganism vs Vegetarianism

Self-identified vegans and vegetarians account for approximately 3% of the UK population, but they are amongst a broader base of people showing an interest in reducing meat and dairy intake.

According to leading global markets analysts Mintel, at least 11% of Britons have tried to follow a vegan diet. The number of serious carnivores with meat on their plates more than 10 times per week has dropped 14% since 2015.

Others replace the protein lost as a result of meat avoidance by retaining fish in their diets. This sub-group of vegetarianism is known as pescetarianism.

There has also been an increase in the number of ‘flexitarians’ or ‘reducetarians’, who want to reduce their meat intake without wanting to adhere to the ‘all or nothing’ ethos of strict meat avoidance.

Around 20% of people have identified as being a part of this group in several UK surveys conducted on food preferences.

Guide: Everything you need to know about dietary requirements and how they affect your business

Why do people decide to follow a meat-free lifestyle?

Global research firm Mintel found that (49%) of people asked cited health concerns as the main reason for reduced meat consumption.

Weight management (29%) was the second most popular reason. Concerns over animal welfare (24%) and environmental considerations (24%) were other significant motivators.

Research published by TUCO in the 2017 Global Food and Beverage Trends Report found that 72% of Gen Zs will pay a premium for products from companies committed to positive social and environmental impact.

How is the food service industry responding?

UK food retailers have been quick to feed increasing consumer appetite for meat-free products. Plant food sales soared by 1,500% in 2017 and forecasters predict that the alternative meat market will be worth over $5 billion by 2020.

Data from the Nisbets Autumn 2017 Pulse survey found that food service is taking longer to embrace the concept.

Over half (52%) of business owners asked revealed that their menus contained between one and three vegetarian or vegan options.

Encouraging responses from the participants about future trends, however, suggested that the industry is mindful of increasing demand.

Close to 50% indicated that healthy eating and vegetarian food would be the top consumer trend throughout 2018 and beyond.

There is evidence of a change on the high street, too. International sandwich shop chain Pret a Manger trialled a one-off ‘veggie’ pop-up in 2015. They have since opened three specialist ‘veggie’ outlets in London.

Handmade Burger Company has six vegan burgers on its menu. Yo! Sushi offers 19 vegan dishes. Ask Italian, Zizzi, Las Iguanas, All-Bar-One, Turtle Bay and Bella Italia are other food service chains who have earned praise from The Vegan Society for the depth of meat-free dishes offered.

Pulse Survey: View all the catering industry surveys we've conducted, including the Autumn 2017 Pulse Survey.

Are perceptions of vegetarian food changing?

Vegetarian food has traditionally suffered from an image problem. Mintel report that 50% of the people they asked described it as “bland”.

A host of companies are leading a charge to develop tasty vegan and vegetarian products designed to increase appeal.

Alternatives that have the look and taste of meat such as seitan - a wheat protein - and jackfruit have sparked a ‘dirty veg junk food’ trend to engage a younger demographic.

Kebabs packed with seitan, burritos filled with jackfruit, which mimics the consistency of pulled pork, and countless other ‘veggie comfort foods’ offer a mix of chewy textures and indulgence.

Other things to look out for include a new wave of plant-based burgers that imitate the taste and sensory experience of one produced from the flesh of a cow.

Beyond Meat’s meat-free ‘Beyond Burger’ is a ‘100% vegan’ patty made of pea protein and containing beetroot juice to imitate the bleed and sizzle of meat sourced from a cow.

The production of ‘vegan meat’ that imitates the real thing is the biggest thing in tech right now. It has attracted major investment from famous patrons such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Oscar-winning actor Leonardo Di Caprio.

Another company, Impossible Burger, claims their meat-free alternative uses 1/20th the land, 1/4th the water, and produces 1/8th the greenhouse gas emissions of a burger produced from a cow.

Things you can do to make a change

You don’t have to make wholesale changes initially. You can make a number of small changes to make your business more attractive to the ‘vegan pound’.

• Think about your existing menu. What meat-free dishes would complement what is already there in terms of style and process?
• Think about what meat-free dishes you could create from the produce you already buy in from your existing produce suppliers.
• Think big and punchy flavours. Seek inspiration in international cuisine. Countries where there are large numbers of the population follow a meat-free lifestyle such as India, Israel and Taiwan can be a good starting point.
• Consider your choice of sauces. Sauces play a big part in adding flavour to already great vegetarian dishes.

Holding special one-off events in tandem with the various awareness campaigns that take place throughout the year is a good way to determine whether your business has a target market.

Ideas for meat-free options on your menu

The days of placing a stuffed pepper or a vegetable lasagne in one small hidden corner of your menu are long since passed if you want to appeal to customers who follow a meat-free diet.

There’s nothing wrong with a well-produced stuffed pepper or lasagne, of course, but modern-day vegetarians and vegans expect a wider choice of tastes and flavours.

Grains

Protein-packed grains such as quinoa can be used as the base for a whole host of sweet and savoury vegetarian dishes. They work well in salad bowls and can be combined with other ingredients such as black beans to make tasty veggie burgers.

Beans

Beans such as lentils and chickpeas are used in many vegetarian dishes to add depth of consistency and flavour. They have an earthy taste and are often used as a meat substitute in dishes such as veggie cottage pie, chilli, meat-free stew and curry.

Reminder: You’ll need vegan-friendly dairy products to fully veganise the meat-free sections of your menu

Soy

Foods containing cooked soy beans such as tofu and tempeh have a nutty taste and texture. With the help of spices and marinades, high protein soy-based foods can be used to mimic meat in offerings like ‘fake’ BBQ ribs, stir-fry meals and tacos.

Vegetables

Vegetables can be the base for great dishes by simply adding a few spices or a tasty cheese sauce. Meals like cauliflower cheese, simple mushroom lasagne or frittatas can be marketed as premium dishes if they are done well and produced with high quality or locally sourced ingredients.

Tip: Don’t forget to celebrate how friendly your business is to meat-free living by advertising your offering on Pavement Boards and on your social media channels

You can find thousands of ideas and recipes online that will make sure the vegetarian and vegan section of your menu stands apart from the rest!

Take precautions to avoid cross-contamination

Everything including your knives, chopping boards and thermometers should be colour coded in a kitchen where meat and meat-free products are prepared at close quarters.

You must use different gloves, deep fat fryers and other kitchen machines and equipment to avoid cross contamination during food prep.

Preparation areas and storage containers that have been used for meat should be suitably disinfected using FSA guidelines before they are used for meat-free products.

Hygiplas is one of the best brands for colour coded knives, colour coded chopping boards, colour coded catering tongs and more to help you avoid cross contaminating meat and vegan products.

Guide: To find out more about colour coding in your kitchen, see our guides on: Colour Coded Chopping Boards and Colour Coded Cleaning.