With vegan menu options now a mainstream choice for vegans, flexitarians and meat-eaters alike, operators need to give as much thought to plant-based dishes as their meaty counterparts. By giving consumers the opportunity to trade up to gourmet when ordering a vegan dish, it in turn provides a profit opportunity for outlets.
Recently conducted Veganuary research shows that the appetite for vegan or plant-based dishes is growing, with 36% of consumers considering themselves vegan /plant-based or vegetarian. 25% of participants consider themselves to have a flexitarian diet, while just 33% categorise themselves as ‘meat-eaters’. What’s more one in five consumers would opt for a vegan dish at least once a month when dining out even if they usually eat meat.**