Do you enjoy cooking with tempeh and tofu? What about taro? Do you use a lot of bean curd skins in your kitchen? If yes is your answer, you will adore this supermarket in central London brimming with ingredients from Korea, Thailand, Japan and countries across Asia.
On a recent ramble along Queensway, a bustling street springing from the northern side of Hyde Park, I was delighted to see a shop front emblazoned with the words Oriental Supermarket. Well, I was delighted by the idea of the food inside but slightly confronted by the use of the word oriental. It always strikes me as an old-fashioned term used to frame entire cultures as mysterious and intoxicating.
But you didn’t come here for pseudo-sociology, so let me crack on with vegan food talk.
This post is one of the shortest in the history of my blog.
I simply wanted you to know about this Christmas-themed product at Tesco. I was too scared to try them, so I am hoping someone can post a review below. They honestly look vile.
Apparently they are only available until December 23rd so get in quick (if you can stomach them) and let me know your opinion below.
I’m going to tell you about a vegan location in London that you probably have never heard of and if you have, you probably have forgotten. I forgot. I used to visit this location back in 2001, but it had since slipped my mind. This little gem of immense community and plant-eating importance should be a weekly destination for every compassionate shopper in the capital.
Do you remember when we all joined together as one vegan superpower and got Holland & Barrett to reverse their decision to not stock the Fry’s Vegetarian frozen vegan product range?
Fry’s Vegetarian original vegan burger
Well, we are about to flex our collective plant-based consumer muscle once again to ensure the same vegan food options are available all over the UK… in Sainsbury’s!
What is this campaign all about?
Consumers choose foods free of animal products for many reasons. Scientific evidence suggests the production of plant-based food contributes significantly less to environmental damage and climate change than animal farming.
Many religions require devotees to adhere to meat and dairy free diets during certain celebrations. People often choose a diet free of animal products for ethical reasons as they don’t agree with modern factory farming methods. Health is another major factor. A plant-based diet is completely free from cholesterol.
With plant-based food choices becoming increasingly popular amongst UK consumers, it is time for major food suppliers such as Sainsbury’s to answer this call for more vegan choices in their aisles. Brands such as Quorn and Linda McCartney have monopolised veggie shelves in UK supermarkets but very few of their items cater to people who want animal-free food. Quorn and Cauldron have the biggest presence of any veggie brands in the UK. The trouble is, they are the same company and clearly have little interest in serving the vegan community. Most of their products are not animal-free and those that are, are not even labeled suitable for vegans.
We don’t want egg in our food. We want burgers, pops, pies, schnitzels, sausages, sausage rolls, chunky strips and everything else made by Fry’s Vegetarian because it is all vegan!
Fry’s Vegetarian traditional vegan sausages
What can you do?
Click here to sign the petition to urge Sainsbury’s to carry vegan food by Fry’s. The petition will be sent to Sainsbury’s on your behalf.
Add extra steam to the campaign by emailing the following Sainsbury’s contacts to strengthen your request:
sarah.lich@sainsburys.co.uk Category Product Developer
alison.atkin@sainsburys.co.uk Buyer
richard.hall@sainsburys.co.uk Head of Frozen
andy.phelps@Sainsburys.co.uk Category Manager
Post a link to this page everywhere. Facebook. Twitter. Pinterest. Google+. Tumblr. Post it on message boards and your own blogs. Email it to family and friends and enemies. Get everyone you know to take one minute out of their day to sign the petition. Use any part of the text on this page in any way you see fit.
Leave a comment below letting us know if you have emailed/signed the petition/heard back from Sainsbury’s. Like all big businesses, they are not going to take notice unless we have big voices.
I don’t plan my eating around religious concerns, unless you consider indiscriminate vegan overeating a religion. My food consumption, like all areas of my life, exists outside organised religion.
But my food atheism certainly doesn’t prohibit me from benefiting from belief systems that instruct devotees to separate their animal products when eating.
Guest post time again. Josh is super excited about a new range of vegan products that are changing the shape of high street shopping and he really wants you to know.
Tesco supermarkets across the UK are now stocking a range of vegan foods under their own branding. If you had told me 12 months ago that my local supermarket would shortly be stocking their own range of melting cheeses, cream cheeses, yoghurts, creme caramel etc. all labelled as vegan, I wouldn’t have believed you. Are you as amazed as I am? I think it’s revolutionary that a high street supermarket would be pushing an entirely vegan range of milks, cheeses, yoghurts etc. and giving up a whole bay in their dairy aisle to display them.
Vegan dairy case at Tesco
I think one of the main challenges for people including more plant-based foods in their diet is availability. Of course most vegans are used to shopping around and getting their groceries from a variety of sources (supermarkets, Holland & Barrett, independent stores, online etc.) but I know a lot of people prefer to do one weekly shop at the supermarket, so this could be a real game-changer.
Now down to business… here’s a summary of what’s on the shelf:
As I reported a few months ago, the grocery store chain Co-operative is a market leader in labelling cruelty-free products. What many other high street food retailers are now just doing, Co-operative has been doing well for over a decade.
You can buy all manner of food and household products that are suitable for vegan shoppers within their walls. Even though they are being overtaken by other supermarket giants for vegan food availability, Co-operative will always hold a special place in my heart for their inclusive practice.
And just when I thought I couldn’t be more loved up with the grocery store, I discover delectable frozen onion rings that have taken my life by storm. Check out my new favourite snack coupled with one of the best vegan mayos on the market.
Have you had the pleasure of visiting the Infinity Foods shop in Brighton? Check out this mini-photo post featuring goods purchased from Infinity today…
You will probably have noticed that I like to start my stories with an anecdote or two. Just a little something to make you sure you made the correct choice by clicking on my link.
But I have a problem.
I sat down with an idea in my head on how to write about a fabulous health food store I discovered in the English countryside. My desire was to make witty references to several famous citizens from the town where the store is located. I searched high and low for a famous name I recognised, but I kept hitting a brick wall. Time after time and search after search, only one name came up as a notable person from the village. Dear readers, I give you the lovely northern town of Mossley and whoever the heck Melanie Sykes is…
Would you enjoy shopping for groceries and dining on wholesome food all in the same place? Of course you would. If I mentioned you could also buy tasty vegan slices, cakes and treats from a deli case in the same location, how long would it take you to rush there?
The people of Manchester are onto a good thing with the glorious vegetarian grocery store and cafe called Eighth Day Co-op. This city centre retail outlet is jam-packed with vegetarian and vegan groceries, as well as mouthwatering food to settle your rumbling tummy. The shelves are packed with household products, chilled foods and personal hygiene goods. A huge variety of what is on offer is certified cruelty-free.
