Why A Veganuary-ready Menu Makes Business Sense

Since Veganuary launched in January 2014, it has been a significant force in driving the popularity of plant-based diets. While participation has decreased over the last few years, vegan dishes are still an important inclusion on any out-of-home (OOH) menu. Almost a third (30%)¹ of Brits order a vegan dish once a month when eating out of home, and 28%¹ do so simply because they like to try new dishes, demonstrating the strength of consumer demand.

To help operators explore the opportunity that plant-based diets offer, we delved into UK dining habits:

45%² of Brits were gearing up to participate in Veganuary this year
86%¹ of Brits are planning to cut down on their meat consumption or remain vegan upon completion of Veganuary
76% of Brits say they would order a vegan dish any time of the year¹
Almost a third (30%)¹ of Brits order a vegan dish once a month when eating out of home, and 28%¹ do so simply because they like to try new dishes
22%¹ of adults identifying as flexitarian

The opportunity for operators

Continued consumer interest in plant-based foods encourages menu innovation and culinary exploration and as such, Veganuary is an exciting opportunity for food operators to showcase creativity. And consumers love it; 50%¹ say that innovation in vegan dishes is important or very important. It keeps menus fresh and exciting, creating opportunities to incorporate new trends into dishes and drive consumer interest. Learnings from this month of fresh approaches can also be fed into the rest of the year, ensuring consumers keep coming back for more.

Menu innovation during Veganuary also invariably leads to variety which, for 54%¹ of those we surveyed, positively influences the decision-making process when choosing where to dine.

Demand for vegan burgers

When considering what vegan dishes to put on menus, it is important not to forgo the classics. Two thirds of Brits (67%)¹ say they would consider ordering a plant-based burger when eating out of home, and while 35% would opt for a meat-substitute, 38% prefer vegetable-based patties¹.

This highlights the importance of balancing menu innovation with well-loved classics – get creative with vegan burger offerings while offering staples such as a classic plant-based burger. This will cater for a range of tastes and develop the overall sales opportunity. And don’t forget, it’s not just about the patty – to create a totally vegan dish, it’s important to consider all the different components, and the bun makes up 69%³ of the burger so is key to the overall experience.

Vegan burger inspiration

Bring excitement to your plant-based menu this year with these vegan burger recipes.

Vegan Mushroom Korean Kimchi Burger, featuring the Americana Grill Marked Vegan Brioche Style Bun
Japanese Teriyaki Bean Burger, featuring the Americana Gourmet Burger Bun

All Americana buns are registered with The Vegan Society - except the Americana Brioche Bun which is vegetarian – making it easy to offer a quality bun to go with any burger on the menu, whether meat, veggie or vegan.