Vegan Industry Insights

Welcome to the August edition of the Vegan Trademark’s Vegan Industry Insights. In our newsletter we spotlight our ongoing efforts and share the latest developments in the world of vegan business, offering valuable news and insights to keep you at the forefront of the thriving vegan industry. This month we take a look at some of the many exciting things our Vegan Trademark holders have been up to, where you can find the Vegan Trademark team this month and look further at the continuing conversation around the vegan meat market.

Before we dive into the news we wanted to highlight some of the important work our charity, The Vegan Society does. On Tuesday 11 July 2023 the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vegetarianism and Veganism, sponsored by The Vegan Society and V for Life, held a meeting to discuss why clear labelling of medical products that use animal-derived ingredients is important to the vegan and vegetarian community, as well as members of many of the UK’s largest faith groups. Medication is still a difficult area for vegans to navigate, but strides are being made in this area. In 2022 Paraveganio® made headlines when it became the first medicinal product in the world to be registered with the Vegan Trademark. You can read more about the discussions held on the day and the progress being made in the field here. 

Keep reading to see what’s happening this month:

Consumer appetite for vegan meat

Over the past few years, the alternative protein market has experienced explosive growth, with a significant rise in vegan-labeled food products and meat substitutes being adopted by UK consumers. In 2019 almost a quarter of all new UK food products were labelled vegan and nearly two-thirds of Britons put meat substitutes in their shopping baskets. However, things have not appeared so positive in 2023. Everyone has seen the headlines about the concerns that have arisen due to a reported 7% decline in UK sales of meat-free products in the first half of 2023, yet this dip aligns with common trends in rapidly evolving markets.

Despite concerns, new reports suggest a global increase is still anticipated, with the plant-based meat market projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.34%, reaching a valuation of $14.27 billion by 2030, driven by heightened health awareness and the benefits of plant-based proteins. Currently dominated by North America, there is also great potential in Asia, with countries such as China, Singapore and South Korea predicted to see significant growth opportunities.

Brands that embrace competitive pricing, understand consumers' motivations behind buying vegan foods, and expand internationally, are likely to thrive in this evolving landscape. Ensure your brand is ready to hit new international markets and certify them with the Vegan Trademark - a trusted label, recognised globally.

Vegan Trademark Events

In September the Vegan Trademark team are exhibiting for the first time at our new partner event: Speciality Fine Food Fair where, team member Nina Anderson is on a panel titled: Balancing Buzz and Benefit. We hope to see some of our Trademark holders here including: Ausha, Borough 22, Daesang, DJM Food Solutions Ltd, Luxurients Ltd, MR FITZPATRICKS, PLAYin CHOC, Schoolyard Chillies, Scottish Honeyberry growers & Veg Life. We'll be giving away samples from some of our Trademark holders including: Clearspring, Sweet Freedom, Brave, Protein Ball Co and Cheeky Panda.

Specialty & Fine Food Fair is the UK’s leading showcase of artisanal food & drink that takes place from 11-12 September, at Olympia, London. The Fair will present brands with a golden opportunity to showcase their exceptional products to visitors who are all seeking out new amazing vegan and plant-based products to refresh the offering in their outlets.

With 81% of their visitors having direct purchasing authority, and with stand space selling fast, can your brand afford not to be there? Contact the event today by emailing sfffteam@montgomerygroup.com to find out more about how your brand can connect with these top buyers in the retail, hospitality, and wholesale & distribution sectors.

Nina will also be attending Meat Free Strategies as part of another partnership deal which also sees Claire Ogley deliver a talk titled: Vegan vs. plant-based: do labels matter in how you position your brand? Claire will be speaking alongside some of our Trademark holders including Quorn, One Planet Pizza, Nestle, GOSH! and our partner, Veganuary.

Our Sales Executive Amit Mohan will be visiting Lunch! In London. If you would like to set up an appointment to chat more about vegan certification, you can get in touch with him by emailing Amit.mohan@vegansociety.com .

Vegan Trademark News

It’s been an exciting month for our Trademark holders! Check out what some of them been celebrating this month:

Gosh! Food ltd has joined forces with Nursery Kitchen to introduce #vegan options to over 130 nurseries across the UK.- read more here.

Vegan cheese giant Violife has released a new Vegan Trademark product – Cheddarton. The new product is said to be a ‘crumbly and creamy texture’ aimed at cheddar lovers looking for a vegan alternative.  - read more here.

Innovative vegan material brand Bannatex has achieved the Vegan Trademark certification for their natural material grown from Abacá banana plants. - read more here.

LoveRaw has announced that its Peanut Caramel Bar and M:lk Choc Wafer Multipack will be launching at 2,804 Tesco and Co-op locations across the UK.- read more here.

VFC is broadening its portfolio beyond the supermarket frozen section with its first-ever chilled food products, Crispy Chickn Fillets and Piri Piri Chickn Wings.- read more here.

Ecotricity, the first Vegan Certified electric, is celebrating 5 years of certification with the Vegan Trademark. – read more here.

Make sure you are subscribed to keep up to date with the latest vegan news! Want to make sure your vegan products are accessible to consumers? Shout about your credentials with confidence with the Vegan Trademark. Visit our website for more information.