Catering Trends: Plant-Based Diets

The UK restaurant industry is worth in excess of £38 billion. With over 86,000 restaurants in the sector, 1.7 million Brits are said to eat out at least once a week spending an average of around £18.

Along with veganism, sustainability and technology, people's tastes and preferences are changing. Now more than ever, the industry is having to adapt to changing consumer habits.

The food industry has an ever-growing challenge on their hands as worldwide consumers diets and lifestyles are converting. People are cutting out the meat and dairy for alternative products, this means the industry are ferociously trying to keep up with the high levels of demand.

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Veganism

Veganism is a trend that at a fast rate has become a lifestyle option for many Brits, according to Vegan Society in 2019 over 600,000 people in Britain lead the vegan life which is a 324,000 increase from 2016. As this statistic will tell you, the food industry is having to adapt menus and cooking areas to cater for this significant increase in food preference.

What does the 'Vegan' lifestyle consist of?

The Veganism lifestyle is very similar to your standard vegetarian diet, it consists of excluding meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal derived products. Some vegans also may not eat any foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines. The food industry has had to undergo a huge change to ensure that consumers are kept happy. Worldwide chain McDonald's introduced Veggie Dippers to the menu in the UK which are said to be suitable for vegans, they have even assured consumers that the French fries are also vegan friendly. With the demand for meat-free food having increased by 987% in 2017 there's no wonder that the industry is bringing out more meat and dairy free options. Waitrose have found that 1 in 3 Brits have stopped or reduced their meat consumption so meat-free foods aren't only being targeted at consumers with a vegan lifestyle. In the food industry we are already being welcomed with vegetarian and vegan restaurants, such as Suncraft who are based in Bristol. They are a forward thinking, health conscious plant-based restaurant and takeaway that serve up flavours from all around the world.

House kimchi; Dhal masala; Apple, pear & spinach juice Any side, main & juice for £12, daily 3-6pm!

72 Likes, 3 Comments - Suncraft (@suncraftbristol) on Instagram: "House kimchi; Dhal masala; Apple, pear & spinach juice Any side, main & juice for £12, daily 3-6pm!"

Are there any benefits to the 'Vegan' lifestyle?

The benefits in becoming vegan are endless in terms of health and environment, by incorporating plant-based dishes in the industry it's not only going to keep up with consumer demands, but nutritious meals would be provided.

These benefits include:

Reducing the risk or reduce the suffering of cancer and other diseases. Research shows that by eating a plant-based diet you are more likely to reduce the risk of having cancer and other deadly diseases. A study with 12,000 participants found that those who ate more plant-based foods were 32% less likely to die from heart disease, this being that plant-based foods are packed with phytochemicals and high levels of antioxidants which can be found in fruits and vegetables.

Nutrition. Vegan foods are packed with nutrients that your body needs, the World Health Organisation have said that the first step to healthy eating is “Eat a nutritious diet based on a variety of foods originating mainly from plants, rather than animals”. By eating a healthy vegan diet that consists of rich wholefoods including fruits, vegetables, pulses, grains, nuts and seeds then beneficial fibre, minerals and vitamins will be consumed.

Reducing environmental impact. Researchers have found that cutting meat and dairy could reduce an individual's carbon footprint from food up to 73%, this would also see a major drop in greenhouse gas emissions. This comes from the production of meat and other animal products, from crops and water to feed the animals, to the transport. Almond milk is the most environmentally damaging plant milk type due to the amount of water that needs to be used, but it is still better for the environment than dairy milk as the infographic below shows…

Image Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46654042

Vegan Recipes

• Mushroom, Potato and Watercress Pie made by Keri Astill-Frew. This pie would look divine on our Artisan Andromeda tableware.

• Vegan Minestrone Primavera made by Theo Randall. Why not present this minestrone in our SuperWhite soup bowl.

• Vegan dark chocolate and hazelnut delice recipe with peanut and coconut sorbet made by Matt Worswick. Deliver this stunning dessert on our Revol Equinoxe dessert plate.

Look out for more catering trends on our blog over the next coming weeks, providing tips on how to improve your commercial business.

Enjoyed this article? Read our Catering Trends: Zero Waste article where we go into depth regarding waste in the food industry. Read it Here

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