Since 1991, The Fry Family Food Co has been making meat alternatives and recent data sees the brand ranked as the 7th largest meat-free brand by retail value, growing at an astonishing +211% year on year.
Yay for vegan food and yay for animals!
But the bad news?
After stocking Fry’s for the last 6 years, Ocado online supermarket has decided to stop selling the brand.
Those who rely on home delivery for their shopping in the UK will now find it much harder to access the full Fry’s range.
The Fry Family Food Co is hoping their supporters and fans can show Ocado how many customers they are disappointing and get them to reconsider the sudden decision.
If you want to get involved with asking for a reversal of this decision, tag Ocado in your social media posts. You can also write to Ocado directly at ocado@ocado.com with your opinions.
Oumph! are launching their new plant-based Sticky Smokehouse Oumph! into select Tesco stores, in the United Kingdom and Tesco Ireland, this month.
Sticky Smokehouse Oumph! are rib style fillets, covered in a richly flavoured sticky, smoky barbecue sauce.
Like the other popular, award-winning Oumph! products at Tesco, such as Pulled Oumph!, Oumph! The Chunk, and Oumph! Kebab Spiced, the Sticky Smokehouse Oumph! is sold in the frozen section.
“Following the phenomenal success of the Oumph! Sticky Smokehouse in Sweden we are delighted to be launching in the UK and partnering Tesco. We know this will be a great hit with all customers and Veganuary is a perfect time to try it, whether your new to Oumph! or trying for the first time, our feedback suggests you’ll be amazed with the great taste and it’s perfect for those Big Nights In”, said Laura Weadock, Account Manager at Oumph! and Food for Progress.
The company has been around for a number of years now and I adore how they keep expanding their range, sometimes even releasing limited edition vegan sweeteners and syrups.
Speaking of limited edition releases, the brand has just a few days ago released four Christmas products which are available in Aldi stores around the UK.
So, what have we got in the range?
Gingerbread Syrup
Cinnamon Syrup
Choc Shot Winter Spice
Choc Shot Mint
All of the Sweet Freedom products are perfect for adding to coffee, frappes, cocktails or drizzling over pancakes and porridge.
Follow Sweet Freedom on Instagram and get your Christmas supplies from Aldi stores.
M&S welcomes World Vegan Day (Friday 1st November) with the commitment to have an entirely vegan-friendly own-label wine range on shelf by the end of 2022 – a UK first for a chain retailer.
Animal-based ingredients are commonly used in wine production across with the most common including egg whites, milk protein and animal gelatine. Substituting these for plant-based alternatives such as pea protein, or modifying vine management and winemaking techniques means the wines are 100% suitable for those following a vegan-based diet.
M&S was an early pioneer of this movement, first labelling wines as ‘suitable for vegetarians’ back in 1998, with ‘suitable for vegans’ following in 2005 – now all bottles are clearly marked on the back label.
Currently 70% of the M&S wine range is suitable for vegans, representing a significant offering already in place. Many customer favourites are already part of the vegan-friendly range, including popular wines such as M&S Prosecco (£7), Chablis (£12), Vinalta Malbec (£9) and Delacourt Champagne NV (£25)
Commenting on M&S’ long-standing dedication to this goal, Sue Daniels, M&S Winemaker, said: “We’ve made this commitment as part of our overall aim to make M&S products more relevant to more customers and to take action to reflect their changing dietary demands.
“Obviously, such a large-scale commitment isn’t without its challenges – however we have been working on alternatives with winemakers for several years and have already seen radical changes in more traditional areas such as France and Spain. We will be supporting the rest of our partner wineries every step of the way towards this goal.”
The commitment supports M&S’ focus on plant-based eating, having earlier this year launched its hugely successful vegan-friendly range Plant Kitchen comprising over 60 products from vegan firsts such as Plant Kitchen Coleslaw to new customer favourites Cauliflower Popcorn Bites and Cashew Mac & Cheese.
This Christmas, the retailer is extending its vegan range to offer customers for the first time a complete vegan-friendly Christmas dinner, whilst this week sees the launch of a brand new vegan sandwich into its popular vegan sandwich range the Plant Kitchen Nutcracker Sandwich, £3.50.
Trends in the vegan world are tough to keep up with as there seems to be a never-ending stream of breaking news and product launches in 2019.
I’ve made it my business to know what is happening when it comes to plant-based developments over the past decade but I sometimes feel like I have vegan fatigue from the ridiculous number of news stories breaking every week.
Yes, I am tired and worn out from trying to stay updated with vegan developments however there is one story within this swell of stories that still has the power to get me excited and hold my interest.
IKEA.
I am obsessed by how obsessed vegans are with the plant-based products of IKEA. This is the strange and wonderful world we find ourselves in right now. IKEA is somehow the hottest global trend in veganism!
I spend a lot of time in Mexico City and we do not have an IKEA here. Can you even imagine?! I’ve got IKEA envy. Every single day I watch vegan after vegan post photos of plant-based foods from their local IKEA and I don’t have one near me.
Because I’m currently out of the IKEA loop, I’ve pulled together a few recent Instagram posts showcasing this love affair between UK vegans and the Swedish-founded mega store… plus a few photos from IKEA-loving vegans from around the rest of the world, too.
And until the Mexico City location reportedly opens next year, these photos are all I have.
The Fry Family Food Co is a legendary vegan brand that is known and loved all over the planet.
The family-owned brand is especially famous amongst vegans and the vegan-curious in the UK. Their meat alternatives have been keeping people happy for what must now be a few decades.
In what is great news for lovers of this meat-free brand, The Fry Family Food Co now has products available in Tesco supermarkets around the UK.
You can now find their chilled Pepper Pie, Mushroom Pie, Curry Pie, Med Veg & Squash Slice, and Twin Chicken-Style Sausage Roll (new and seen first in Tesco) in around 800 stores.
Both the slice Slice and Sausage Roll are ready-to-eat straight from the pack, or you can heat them in the oven for a warm and tasty treat.
You can view the entire range of Fry’s products (including the range of pastries available in Tesco) online here.
Fry’s will also be launching three frozen products later this month, so keep your eyes open!
I understand that I rattle on endlessly about the importance of supporting independent vegan businesses, but like anything worth saying it is worth saying until you can’t say it any longer.
With that unstoppable determination in mind, I want to share my list of the top 5 online UK vegan shops that you could be supporting right now.
It includes a mix of groceries, cheese, clothing, wine, footwear, and baked treats.
Shopping online with these businesses keeps money in the pockets of vegan and independently-owned operations, allowing them to offer work to other vegans.
These businesses support other independent traders. Your money spent with these people keeps money in local UK communities, more so than if you shop with huge chain stores.
The Vegan Kind Supermarket is grocery heaven for online plant-based consumers. Of course the shop grew from the runaway success of their monthly subscription boxes, but the online shop has become an unstoppable force all of its own.
Click here to shop with The Vegan Kind Supermarket. They offer 15% off your first order!
The Third Estate is not just the physical vegan boutique in London. Angela and James also operate an online version of their ethical shop. These people care about every aspect of doing the right thing by animals, people, and the planet so expect fairtrade and zero sweatshop goods. Select from a range of gorgeous boots, dress shoes, sneakers, sandals, handbags, belts, backpacks, clothing, and seasonal trinkets and candles.
Click here to shop with The Third Estate. Be sure to check out the online sale section.
Ms Cupcake is a world-famous, pioneering vegan bakery based south of the River Thames in Brixton, London but did you know they also deliver a selection of their treats all around the UK? Choose from tray bakes, cookie sandwiches, muffins, brownies, branded merchandise, and even the Ms Cupcake recipe book!
Click here to shop with Ms Cupcake. Look for seasonal items available for a limited time.
La Fauxmagerie is a 100% vegan gourmet cheese deli in East London. If you are a cheese lover, this place is your dream come true. If you don’t have a lot of spare time for vegan cheese shopping in that part of the city or you live at the other end of the country, why not shop for their gourmet cheeses online?
Click here to shop with La Fauxmagerie. Spend over £100 for free shipping. It’s easier to do than you think with such a huge range! Perfect for special occasions.
Vegan Wine Box is THE online place to shop for home delivery wine that is all guaranteed to be vegan. Their selection of mixed cases is perfect for adventurous drinkers. The company has a strong focus on sustainable wines and you won’t get cheap, nasty vino in any of your deliveries. You can order a one-off box or subscribe for monthly deliveries.
Click here to shop with Vegan Wine Box. Look out for the Prosecco and rosé boxes!
If you have been to London during the past few years, or you live there permanently, you will probably have visited vegan ice cream parlour Yorica!
The Soho location (along with their travelling ice cream van) really is one of the leading vegan food providers in the UK.
But the great news for those outside London is that Yorica! is now making waves in supermarkets around the UK.
As of today (Monday May 6, 2019) you can now buy the brand new vanilla Yorica! tubs in Waitrose stores around the country.
This is fabulous news.
And if you didn’t already know, their Double Chocolate Cookie tubs are available via Ocado and Waitrose while the Salted Caramel is being sold exclusively via Ocado.
Be sure to follow Yorica! on Instagram to keep updated with their expansion.
