Vegan

Swansea’s first 100% plant-based coffee shop

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Two entrepreneurs from Swansea have joined forces to open Swansea’s first 100% plant-based coffee shop.

Ground Plant Based Coffee, based on Francis Street in Brynmill, is a joint project between three times national Stand-Up-Paddleboard Champion, Matt Barker-Smith and Helen Wilson, founder of Womankind Yoga, who runs Europe’s largest Beach Yoga Class on Swansea Bay.

Matt and Helen found common ground in a passion for paddle boarding, the environment, better health and plant-based food which led them to make the commitment to create a new coffee bar in Swansea, where oat milk is served as standard.

Ground Plant Based Coffee has also committed to not selling any products in plastic, serving drinks using 100% biodegradable cups and lids.

All the food is made by hand by Helen, in her home kitchen in Craig Cefn Parc, near Clydach.

The takeaway only coffee bar is based within The Sup Hut, on Francis Street.

Matt says, “We wanted to open a business that represented all the things that are important to us, protecting the planet and encouraging people to lower their carbon footprint through food and drink choices. We have strived to do this with great barista coffee and sweet and savoury bites to eat, made only from plants.”

“The popularity of people taking up SUP, has led to a greater understanding of how important our oceans and our responsibility to the eco system that we take so much fore granted – which goes hand in hand with an increasing awareness that the impact of our diet plays on our personal carbon emissions and the future of our marine life and environment.”

Helen, who opened the doors also in celebration of her 40th birthday, says: “We have had a fantastic welcome from the local community and businesses and have been delighted at people’s reception to a coffee bar that serves only plant milks.”

Helen has worked in the vegan industry for 14 years as a professional animal rights campaigner, educator, consultant and chef. She has been following a vegan diet for 14 years and gave up meat when she was 10.

You can visit Ground Plant Based Coffee online and be sure to follow the cafe on Instagram and Facebook.

Buy vegan cheese and cakes in Camden

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I mentioned a few weeks ago that I am involved with rolling out a new vegan market in central London and I’ve now got some news for you.

Tasty news!

Vegan Makers at Buck Street Market is starting small (sigh… COVID is making everything so tough) but the three traders we have lined up for you this week are top shelf.

Vegan Makers at Buck Street is a 4-day a week collection of traders located in the courtyard of Buck Street Market. You might have already seen this impressive complex made from shipping containers, just a few metres along Camden High Street from Camden Town Underground station. See the location thanks to Google Maps.

Our artisan market is starting small this week, but you can get along for some of the finest vegan products in the city. (Vegan Makers is on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between 11am and 5pm)

What will you find this week?

Vegan Makers is now a permanent home for Honestly Tasty, the sensational vegan cheese company based in Wood Green.

Run by sister and brother team Beth and Mike, Honestly Tasty is quickly becoming the vegan cheese brand everyone is talking about. Mike trained in vegan cheesemaking in Berlin, so stop by their stall to talk about their interesting family story and to buy their game-changing cheeses.

You can also follow Honestly Tasty on Instagram.

You can’t have a Fat Gay Vegan market or trader get-together without Chanel and Cake Cult LDN.

In her previous incarnation as Vegan Delice, Chanel was the heart and soul of Hackney Downs Vegan Market. Her cakes, donuts, and tray bakes would bring people from all over London.

We expect Cake Cult LDN to be just as popular at Vegan Makers at Buck Street Market, especially with busy people on their lunch breaks.

Everything Chanel makes is delicious and I say that as an authoritative source, having eaten MANY items over the years.

You can also follow Cake Cult LDN on Instagram.

Have you been looking for vegan-friendly CBD oil?

Our third trader this week from Thursday until Sunday at Vegan Makers at Buck Street is Cosmic Oils.

Cosmic Oils specialise in high strength CBD oils and related products. Everything they do is homemade in London and of course it’s always vegan. You can also follow Cosmic Oils on Instagram.

Get along to from 11am this Thursday June 24, 2021. These traders will be in the courtyard of Buck Street Market Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this week between 11am and 5pm.

You can follow Vegan Makers on Instagram for all the latest trader information each week.

If you need more reason to visit our traders (umm… vegan cheese and cake is not enough?), Buck Street Market is overflowing with vegan food options from their regular restaurants.

PRTZL is on the first floor and is home to 100% vegan burgers and hot dogs. Bad Vegan (on the top level but not 100% vegan hence the name I guess) is having their grand opening on Thursday June 24 and are even giving away free food. Magic Falafel is 100% vegan and they are also on the first floor. There are many other vegan options on site as well as just a few metres around the corner (Temple of Seitan and What The Pitta to name just two).

Buy cheese. Buy cake. Buy CBD oils. Support independent vegan traders.

Really Good Beer is really good… really!

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Do you like beer? Do you like making positive choices for the planet as a consumer?

Well, say hello to your new vegan beer supplier!

Launched in March 2021, Really Good Beer is all about sourcing beer from small breweries and chaneling partial profit to good causes.

That sounds EXACTLY like my drop of amber.

What is the ethos behind Really Good Beer? The gang over there says:

Our mission? To create gorgeous beer that helps solve important problems whilst you’re drinking it. Clever huh? OK, not Einstein clever, but we like to think we wouldn’t be kicked out of A-level business studies.

After realising that the five largest mega-brewers in the world make nearly 60% of all the beer on Earth, Really Good Beer jumped into action.

What was the plan of action to make sure they could make a difference to the world of beer and the world in general?

First: we brewed our first beer in a shared space in Hackney but we realised the better model was to get our beer brewed at existing small breweries (who really know their stuff).

We spent a long time (and tasted a lot of beer) finding the right partners and now work with several; they are all small, independently owned, focused on sustainable production, and (pretty much) all award-winning.

And second: we track down the most impactful projects and charities seeking to solve some of the planet’s biggest problems to pair with each of our beers; then we think of a low-key genius name that brings together the beer, cause and charity partner.

The beers are never mass produced and Really Good Beer are committed to giving 2.5% from the sales of all their beer to initiatives that tackle the biggest problems facing people and the planet.

Really Good Beer has just been named in the Top 12 IPAs in The Independent Best Buys and named as “Best Beer with Purpose”. Amazing! (read more about that here)

You can also read about some of the small charities each beer supports online here.

It sounds like a winning situation all round. Beer from small producers and money for charities… and I almost forget to mention that all the beer from Really Good Beer is vegan!

Click here to buy through the web shop (soon to be in bars and stores) and follow Really Good Beer on Instagram.

New vegan ice cream hotspot for London

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Copperhouse Chocolate, London’s only vegan chocolate shop and cafe, has launched a new vegan ice cream range in its Chapel Market cafe in the heart of Islington.

Juliet Sampson, owner of Copperhouse, already had the idea to create her own delicious vegan ice cream and lockdown provided the perfect opportunity to experiment after their usual supplier moved out of London.

They currently sell six flavours that are all made with organic coconut milk as the base and of course contain their famous house blend hot chocolates. Favourites include Raspberry Chocolate (using Copperhouse Chocolate Raspberry Dream hot chocolate with a homemade raspberry swirl), Mint with brownie chips (with fresh mint and crumblings of homemade vegan brownies), and Coffee caramel (a delicious combination of Monmouth coffee and salted caramel swirl).

All the ice creams are made using organic ingredients and are 100% vegan. They are available as scoops priced at £2.50, oat milkshakes £4.90, cookie ice cream sandwiches with a choice of peanut butter and choc chip homemade cookies £5.50 and the decadent Hot Chocolate affogato using their delicious range of homemade hot chocolates £4.50.

The affogato is made with a lusciously extra thick hot chocolate using only the finest vegan milks, it is unlike any other vegan hot chocolate and is similar to Italian/Spanish hot chocolate but made to order. It can also be finished with decadent whipped coconut cream.

The ice cream is also available in a range of takeaway tubs that can be taken home for the freezer and are priced at £9 for a 450g tub – perfect for a delicious ice cream treat this summer.

Copperhouse Chocolate is proud of their single-origin hot chocolates from Colombia, Madagascar and Ecuador which each having their own distinct tastes.

The cafe also hosts a Chocolate Happy House every Friday for between 3-4pm where customers can get a free cookie with every coffee or hot chocolate purchased.

Located just moments away from Angel tube station, Copperhouse Chocolate promises a welcoming cosy space to relax with a comforting cup of proper hot chocolate, delicious ice creams, and vegan food all the while offering a home for community groups, meetups, and gatherings to connect in London.

See the exact location of Copperhouse Chocolate thanks to Google Maps.

Follow Copperhouse Chocolate on Instagram.

Win a year’s supply of vegan sweets

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This competition is all about the win/win.

By simply taking part, you will be raising funds for an important social enterprise that is helping tackle homelessness in London. And if you win the comp? You get a one year’s supply of vegan pick n mix.

Oh, yes. You actually can’t lose! Well, you might not win the sweets but you get the meaning. You win by helping.

I suppose you want facts now. Well, I’ve got ’em.

Poster Bakes is an online vegan pick n mix shop founded to raise funds in support of The Connection, a social enterprise helping people move away from the streets of London and towards a happier and more fulfilling life.

The price of a single bag of sweets from Poster Bakes could cover the cost of someone receiving a shower, breakfast, and a cup of coffee in The Connection which in turn opens the doors to more in-depth support.

The vegan pick n mix initiative has been incredibly popular and I have a feeling it is about to go into overdrive.

You can enter this competition for a chance to win one year’s supply of vegan pick n mix from Poster Bakes! You just need to buy some sweets and find a golden ticket in your order.

It’s getting all Willy Wonka up in here!

The competition starts Monday 14th June, 2021 and will be running for a few weeks until Poster Bakes have sent out all their golden tickets tickets.

They will be randomly giving away 5 golden tickets in total, each of which will entitle the winner to a year’s supply of free sweets (a 500g bag every month for 12 months). Winners will be chosen at random from those who have entered the giveaway. This is what you need to do:

I’d love to know if you entered and I’d love to know if you win. Don’t forget who hooked you up with this info if you are suddenly swamped with vegan pick n mix.

£5.50 for a vegan sausage roll

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Hello from London, one of the most expensive places on the planet to buy a vegan sausage roll!

In this weeks mini podcast episode, I moan about the cost of vegan sausage rolls. I also talk about changing my name to Plum King (just a joke, not a fact). In addition, I chat about where I have been eating recently (not a joke, just a fact).

FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year – Fat Gay Vegan

As the year ebbs away join me for a chat about the tough task of going home, Whitney Houston, and vegan food on QANTAS planes.
  1. FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year
  2. FGV’s Mini News Roundup December 7, 2022
  3. FGV’s mini news roundup – news, views, and reviews from the plant-based world and beyond
  4. Fat Gay Vegan mini news roundup March 17, 2022
  5. FGV mini news roundup December 23, 2021 – vegan news and reviews

The June 10, 2021 news roundup is possible because friendly people sponsor me on Patreon. I get to talk about and write about vegan business because of this support.

Thanks!

Follow me on Instagram and be sure to investigate the vegan travel adventures I am hosting online here.

Win a vegan pin

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London, do you like winning things?

I am teaming up with legendary vegan fried chicken business Temple of Seitan to give away 50 pins.

This couldn’t be more vegan. Fat Gay Vegan is giving away 50 Temple of Seitan pins and the pins read ‘VEGAN’.

All the vegan you could want.

Isn’t that cute? Do you want to know how you can get one for free?

I will be on site at the opening of the new Temple of Seitan location on Acre Lane, Brixton this Saturday June 5, 2021 between 12pm and 4pm.

If you see me there, walk up to me and show me that you follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram and I will give you a pin. It is that simple. You don’t have to follow me as well but that would be a nice gesture!

Follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram (click here). Say hello to FGV. Get a ‘VEGAN’ pin.

Click here to see the exact location of Temple of Seitan Brixton thanks to Google Maps.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: one pin per person, no purchase necessary. These pins are available on a first-come basis. If you show up at 3pm and they are all gone, I cannot be held accountable. I will still say hello but I won’t be able to give you a pin if they are all gone.

Vegan biodegradable sneakers?

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Will’s Vegan Store is keeping the ethical goods flowing!

Say hello to the LDN Biodegradable Sneakers.

Over a year in the making, LDN Sneakers were created by Will’s working with leading shoe component manufacturers across Europe to create what they believe to be one of the most sustainable shoes on the planet.

Biodegradable? How does that work?

Here is the technical stuff.

Tencel™ knit weave uppers, linings, laces, lace tips, padding, tape and stitching are derived from sustainably grown wood sources (FSC®), harvested from certified and controlled sources. The Apinat Bio® outsoles are completely biodegradable under composting conditions, as well as compressed cardboard toe puffs, counter, and insole board (FSC®). The sneakers also feature wood fibre and natural latex insoles.

That’s a whole lot of fancy words to say they can be composted!

Available in white, grey, and black knit.

Shop for the LDN Biodegradable Sneaker online here and follow Will’s Vegan Store on Instagram.

Best vegan brunch in London

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Essential Vegan has always been one of the best places for vegan food in London but now that they have relocated to inside Dalston Superstore, they are also serving the BEST BRUNCH in London.

Vanessa of Essential Vegan invited me down to try the brunch and I’m serious when I say I haven’t tasted anything this delicious in a very long time. Look at that full Brazilian breakfast! The plate features house made seitan sausages, beans, toast, tofu scramble, potatoes, and a secret recipe spicy relish.

The photos above from my visit also show the jug of Bloody Maria I consumed, as well as some of the signature Essential Vegan starters.

Oh, did I forget to mention this is also drag brunch?

Local drag queens host the brunch every weekend with lots of camp music, games, and entertainment. Seriously the best spot in the city right now. And the entire venue and bar is vegan so you never stop winning.

Click here to book a table and follow Essential Vegan on Instagram.

So many vegan jobs in London

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As the economy starts to reopen, many vegan restaurants and cafes around London are furiously looking for staff.

The past year and a bit saw a lot of businesses close, some temporarily and some for good. As people get used to spending money again and once again dining outside their own homes, vegan business owners are throwing caution to the wind and reopening.

I’ve noticed quite a few vegan job adverts popping up online over recent days including with Temple of Seitan, a legendary vegan business with which I am currently working!

Here are a few picks for jobs that caught my eye from three of the best names on the vegan London scene.

Be sure to also use employment portals and platforms online to search for vegan employment. I’m certain you will find a lot more out there.

Essential Vegan

Essential Vegan in Dalston needs you! They are looking for an experienced part-time kitchen assistant to join their lovely team immediately. Please send your cv to info@essentialvegan.co.uk and you could be working with their gorgeous team and serving drag brunch every weekend!

Follow Essential Vegan on Instagram.

Temple of Seitan

Legendary vegan fried chick’n business Temple of Seitan is expanding in a big way. With a fourth restaurant set to open in South London and the number of delivery kitchens now at five (including the latest in Colindale), Temple is on a hiring mission.

Temple of Seitan is currently searching for a kitchen manager and team member for Colindale, plus a supervisor and team member for South London, near Brixton. You can email Dan@templeofseitan.co.uk with your CV and let him know which position/s you are interested in.

Follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram.

Café Van Gogh

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPXu2bMph5A/

Café Van Gogh is one of my favourite places to eat in London. Everyone on their team is so friendly and the food is always gorgeous. I love the place so much, I even recently interviewed founder Steve Clarke for my podcast and you can listen to that online here.

The restaurant on Brixton Road is searching for an experienced café manager for their front of house team. You can see more details in the Instagram post above and email info@cafevangogh.co.uk if you are interested.

Follow Café Van Gogh on Instagram.