Help a vegan business in London

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Got any spare cash?

Picky Wops is a much adored pizza business in London that is currently experiencing severe upheaval and they require community support.

Due to a series of bad experiences that include closing their Fulham branch, Picky Wops is looking for a new home. As you know, London is a brutal place to do business and that becomes infinitely more difficult when you are an independent vegan business.

Picky Wops are trying to raise £60,000 to secure a new restaurant location so they have turned to the goodwill of their vegan community.

If you can afford to spare some cash, please click here to donate.

There are some fantastic rewards on offer including pizza making classes and private catering from the founders.

You can also follow Picky Wops on Instagram.

City Vegan Lunch Market Christmas Edition

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Remember when we took over Guildhall in the City of London with our enormous City Vegan Lunch Market in the summer?

Well, guess what is back just in time for Christmas?!

Fat Gay Vegan (that’s me) is proud to announce City Vegan Lunch Market – Christmas Edition taking place on Friday December 21, 2018 between 11am and 2:30pm on Guildhall Yard.

We are showcasing one of the finest collection of vegan street food traders in the financial heart of London.

The line up for the day includes:

Hot food

  • Rupert’s Street – nutritious and delicious comfort food from the yellow van
  • The Green Grill – burgers, dogs, and comfort food
  • What The Fattoush – plant-based Palestinian street food
  • Cafe SoVegan – seitan wraps and mac n cheese
  • Red Tent Ethiopian – delicious and nutritious stews, curries, and more
  • Vausages – loaded gourmet hot dogs
  • The Nooch – burgers, sandwiches, and nachos!
  • Picky Wops – handcrafted gourmet pizza cooked fresh on site
  • Vegan Earthlings – vegan comfort food including sumptuous curries

Take home cheese

  • Nutkin – nut based cheeses that are current Venn Street faves
  • I AM NUT OK – gourmet artisan cheese taking the UK by storm

Cakes and treats

  • Vegan Delice – our resident superstar bakery at Hackney Downs with sweet treats to make you smile

Gift ideas including candles

Drinks

  • Clarkshaws – our resident brewery at Hackney Downs with refreshing brews to drink on site or take home

More traders to be announced soon. Line up subject to change.

You can RSVP and invite friends over on the Facebook event page.

Extra Xmas news: Saturday 22 and Sunday 23, 2018 will see us hosting a special Christmas version of Hackney Downs Vegan Market.

New vegan eatery in Sheffield

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There is a new vegan eatery in Sheffield called Shed.

Shed is described as:

We create affordable, super-tasty plant-based food that goes big on nutrition and even bigger on flavour. And we’re on a mission to inspire and to nourish the growing number of people embracing a plant-based lifestyle.

The new eatery is housed inside a venue called Cutlery Works which is located about a 1-minute work from mega venue Church and Make No Bones.

Check out some of the Shed food photos below, follow them on Instagram, and see their exact location thanks to Google Maps.

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqKK49ogi5-/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqC_9OWH-8R/

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

Vegan infiltration at Fortnum and Mason

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One of the most non-vegan luxury stores in the world has just started stocking a vegan cheese and spread brand!

Times are changing.

Fortnum & Mason is not known for progressive shopping and has long been criticised for making money from foie gras, however the upmarket department store has just thrown us a curve ball.

They are now stocking superstar vegan cheese brand, I AM NUT OK.

Angela from I AM NUT OK told me:

Our vegan foie gras and vegan cream cheese are now being stocked in Fortnum & Mason. We are the first plant-based alternatives they are stocking (a few steps away from a mountain of foie gras!). I feel like we’ve infiltrated a huge institution. It would be incredible if they started stocking more vegan things and moved away from the animal products.

2018 is full of vegan surprises!

You can see the exact location of the Fortnum & Mason flagship store thanks to Google Maps.

You can follow I AM NUT OK on Instagram. You can shop with them online.

You can also buy I AM NUT OK cheese directly from their stall at Hackney Downs Vegan Market this Saturday November 17, 2018. Click here for full market details.

Half price vegan lunch this week

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Wanna save some money on a tasty vegan lunch this week, London?

Buffalo Vegan Diner of Hackney is giving lunchtime diners 50% off their new lunch menu on Thursday November 15 and Friday November 16, 2018 between midday and 3pm.

Check out the menu below.

Buffalo has been getting rave reviews online so now this is your chance to find out what all the hype is about AND save some money.

You can see the exact location of Buffalo thanks to Google Maps.

You can follow Buffalo on Instagram.

Limited vegan Xmas gift box

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Oh, wow!

You all know about Vegan Tuck Box, right? This fabulous company specialises in delivering subscription boxes filled with tasty vegan treats.

The boxes are available as one off purchases or you can choose to subscribe to monthly boxes for you or a friend.

But what’s new?

There is a special Christmas box shipping now!

The contents of this special Christmas box include:

  • Moo Free Santa Chocolate Bar
  • 108 Foods Rhythm Almond Chocolate Bar
  • Mini Vego
  • Kuhbonbon Caramels
  • Mummy Meagz Orange Rocky Road

Click here to order now for £8. Be quick as the website states they only have 50 boxes in stock.

Vegan themed Christmas cards

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Hey friends.

If you celebrate Christmas, how about getting into the festive spirit by sending these cute vegan-themed greeting cards?!

Cute, right?

1 Tree Cards was born from the idea that the love sent through cards could be amplified to have positive effects around the world. Every 1 Tree Card plants a tree through their partner charity Eden Reforestation Projects.

Their cards and envelopes are 100% recycled and printed with vegan, vegetable-based inks. Their optional compostable sleeves for retailers are made of corn and yam, menaing they are even plastic free!

See all the Christmas-themed cards online here and shop for all your festive needs. 1 Tree Cards aren’t just making Christmas cards, so take a good look around their shop.

Follow 1 Tree Cards on Instagram.

Imitation croc skin bags

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Vrocskin. Yep, vegan croc skin bags and clutches.

If you admire the beauty of animal skins but can’t fathom the idea of killing a creature for fashion, this collection of U.K.-made bags, clutches, and pouches by Wilby Sustainable might appeal to you.

The company describe their items as ultra lightweight, vegan and sustainable croc skin bags made from cork leather in the U.K.

I don’t know a lot about fashion but Wilby describe these fashionable and kinder pieces as being suitable for formalwear or any occasion.

There is a seasonal sale on over at their website and they currently offer free U.K. shopping and they ship worldwide for a fee if you are further afield.

Click here to see the full range.

Buy 3-pack bundles of vegan chocolate

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If you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen me post quite a number of times about No Whey Foods.

This US company makes some of my all-time favourite candy and chocolate products.

It is difficult to get my hands on these products when I am in the UK, so it is good news to my ears to find out that No Whey has started selling online via Amazon.

The three products available right now are shown below, with more to come over weeks and months.

And in even better news, the candies above are available as lots of three. Yes, you order three packets at a time!

Click here to visit the No Whey product page on Amazon.

Extra note: some of these products are also starting to show up in independent vegan grocery stores and online shops around the UK. Please make it a priority to support these businesses before shopping with Amazon if you can.

Extra extra note: I have just realised that No Whey are in the ‘can’t recommend’ section of the Food Empowerment Project chocolate list. This list documents responses from companies related to their ethical and fair trade chocolate practices. You can see the full list online here.

Vegan business attacked online by trolls

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The owners of UK vegan BnB Loaf have recently experienced targeted online trolling and hate comments.

Loaf is a bed and breakfast located in Northumberland that lists its selling points as the glorious countryside, nearby coast, lovely rooms, log fires, and of course the fab vegan food.

The comments directed at the owners and vegans in general are hateful and vile.

You can see them below in a series of screengrabs shared here with permission from Loaf co-owner Karen.

As you can see, the comments are not only anti-vegan but also anti-Muslim and homophobic.

All of this because a vegan company shared a photo of vegan food on their own Facebook page.

I asked co-owner Karen if she could share how she felt about the abuse.

This is what she told me:

Sadly this is not uncommon. In the past I have deleted or hidden these sort of comments, almost feeling the shame the writer should have. I think it’s time we all stop dismissing online abuse as ‘just trolling’ and recognise it for what it is. Hate speech. The lowest, most cowardly form of bullying, hidden behind a social media profile. I think it’s time we all start calling people out on this. It shames us all and social media platforms should have a zero tolerance to this sort of behaviour. I also have to question why an ethical choice to do the least harm causes so much anger to some people.

I would like to express my sincere solidarity with Karen and Loaf and offer my support. I implore you to show your support for Loaf by booking with them and following them on social media.

You can visit the Loaf website here to view their rooms and book a stay. You can support independent vegan business AND holiday in beautiful Berwick-upon-Tweed close to the Scottish border.

Please follow Loaf on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.