‘Plant Kitchen’ is a new collection of more than 60 meat and dairy-free plant-based fresh meals, salads, snacks and ingredients.
The range launched in stores on 2 January and includes everything from vegan comfort food (we’re looking at you, cauliflower popcorn with buffalo dip and cashew mac), to healthy meals like mushroom stroganoff. Smaller bites start from £2, while meals are priced from £3.
M&S is also breaking boundaries with high-street firsts such as vegan coleslaw and potato salad, as well as vegan-friendly sourdough pizza, which is made using a vegan house sauce and available in two flavours: Margherita and BBQ pulled jackfruit.
But the supermarket is by no means the only place on the high-street catering to vegans – in fact, it’s only just catching up.
Here are some of the new and noteworthy product launches for January 2019 from other retailers.
Tesco
The supermarket has doubled its plant-based Wicked Kitchen range for January to include delicious desserts like red velvet brownies (£4.50) and pineapple cheesecake (£4).
The new vegan certified products include lunch options like curried protein pots (£2.50) and grab-and-go plant-based ‘sausage’ rolls (£2), as well as mealtime favourites in the form of no-fuss sweet potato enchiladas (£4) and a layered pesto lasagne (£4).
Other new additions include:
Cali roll cold cuts sub (£3). A plant-based version of a traditional deli style sub roll. Slices of slow-roasted spiced celeriac are layered over a smokey-vegan cheese and completed with mixed greens and a garden pesto-may
Packed puff pie (£4). A hearty puff pastry pie packed with roasted cauliflower and oyster mushrooms in a brandy gravy and topped with crunchy seeds
Curried cauli pasty (£1.50). A flaky pasty packed with roasted turmeric cauliflower, diced potato and chunky veg
Street market rainbow slaw (£1.75). Chargrilled savoy cabbage, red pepper, sprouted chickpeas and spring greens slaw in a sriracha garlic and chilli dressing.
Mac attack salad bowl (£3.50). A creamy macaroni salad made up with a cheese-style sauce. The salad is completed with Boston-style baked beans, fresh greens and hot red chillies for added heat.
Citrus noodle salad bowl (£3.50). Rice noodle salad with chargrilled green beans, red pepper and cashew nuts and a citrus dressing.
Fiery filthy wedges (£3.50). Spicy potato wedges in a barbeque sauce topped with oyster mushrooms, dairy free mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese alternatives, and red and green jalapeno peppers.
Chinese BBQ shreds and greens (£4). Cooked rice and edamame soya beans with a barbecued shredded mix of Eryngii (king oyster) mushroom, chargrilled broccoli and cauliflower and green beans with a seed topping and a wedge of lime.
Sainsbury’s
The supermarket said it’s seen an 82% increase in customers searching for vegan products online, and a 45% increase in sales of plant-based products year-on-year.
It’s launching 29 new products in January like ‘smoky’ jackfruit quarter pounders (£2.50), vegan chorizo-style shroomdogs (£2.50), and a party-ready cocktail-sized shroomdog known as the ‘shroompup’ (£2.25).
In its frozen range, there are foods from brands at the forefront of innovative plant-based cooking including Deliciously Ella, Sophie’s Kitchen, Lazy Vegan and GARDEIN.
Sophie’s Kitchen does a vegan smoked salmon (£3.50), the perfect fish alternative for those who still want to enjoy Eggs Royale at the weekend.
The GARDEIN range offers family favourites like fishless filets and classic meatless balls as well as weeknight showstoppers like mandarin orange crispy chick’n and sizzling szechuan beefless strips for a plant-based stir fry. All priced at £3.50.
Four frozen dishes by Deliciously Ella will be introduced as a supermarket exclusive to Sainsbury’s. Recipes include five bean chilli, sweet potato and black bean shepherd’s pie, yellow Thai curry, and cauliflower and lentil dahl – all priced at £4.50.
Last but not least, Sainsbury’s is also launching a range of plant-based pizzas (£3.80), with toppings like spicy masala chickpea, and roasted butternut and charred broccoli.
Other products include:
Sainsbury’s Love Your Veg! plain falafels x8 – £1.50
Upton’s Naturals Italian seitan – £3
Vivera Vivera veggie Greek kebab ‘gyros’ – £2.50
Naturli pea protein mince – £3
GARDEIN seven grain crispy tenders – £3.50
Lazy Vegan Provencale meal – £2.25
Lazy Vegan pulled peaz (Mediterranean) – £3.50
Sophie’s Kitchen prawns – £3.50
Iceland
2018 saw the introduction of Iceland’s popular vegan range, including no bull burgers, no porkie sausages and no chick fillets. This month it’s expanding its range to include pizza.
Two new vegan pizzas have been added to the supermarket’s freezers: the no cheese houmous pizza and no cheese Italian garden pizza – both £2.
Waitrose
Waitrose has announced it’s launching own brand fishless fingers (£3.99) in stores, made from breaded seaweed tofu with a crispy coating. It has also launched a further 10 vegan products, in addition to its 25 new releases last October.
From mid-January the store will be selling mains such as beetroot risotto made with spelt and pearl barley (£4); cauliflower, chickpea and potato curry (£4); Asian inspired greens and smoked tofu (£4); and jackfruit burgers (£3.99).
The supermarket will also be selling fishless cakes (£2.99), vegan tartare style sauce (£1.75), jackfruit chilli sauce (£2.75) and Italian-inspired veggie balls (£2.99).
For pizza fans there will be two stonebaked, hand-stretched pizzas on offer: Margherita and barbecue jackfruit (£4.99 each).
