10 ways to tap into the plant-based market

18 January 2023 by

Industry experts share their advice on how to engage chefs and guests with the ever-growing plant-based trend

1. Have a USP to stand out from the crowd

In an increasingly crowded marketplace, it's more important than ever for operators to shout about their plant-based offerings, says Patrick O'Shea, co-founder of Temple of Seitan, London's first vegan fried chicken shop. "Having a USP is incredibly important because if you are simply selling a burger that you can get from any other restaurant, including McDonald's or KFC, you're going to have a lot of trouble standing out."

2. Be specific in your marketing

Plant-based is a new, catch-all term, but there's a danger of everything being lumped under it. "We're seeing a lot of evidence that vegetarians are actually getting annoyed about the amount of pure vegan offerings, because they're not looking to cut out dairy and they feel their options are being limited," says Nigel White, plant-based marketing expert and chief executive of the Marketing Place.

"Equally I've seen gluten-free people being offered a vegan alternative, as if as if they are the same thing. Recognise there are many different needs going on here."

3. Think beyond leather and wool for interior design

There are plenty of innovative solutions when it comes to sourcing vegan materials and products for interior design, says DesignLSM managing director Holly Hallam. "Biomaterials such as mycelium, malai or hemp, or bio-concrete made from knotweed, shells or sand can add an earthy and raw feel to an interior concept.

Plant-based leathers are becoming widely used as long-lasting and durable vegan upholstery solutions, while vegan fibres and wools, deriving from ramie, bamboo and linen, are great options to add layering of materiality to a space to enhance the engagement with our senses through tactility.

"While materials may be vegan, it is also important to review how sustainable the production of them are, as some ‘animal-free' materials can be complex and environmentally detrimental in their production."

4. Be innovative to encourage uptake

It's important to keep up with the plant-based trend when so many operators are veganising their offer, but it can also be difficult to stand out from the crowd. Take a leaf out of high-street burrito chain Tortilla's book, and think a little differently. The operator has grown its plant-based menu to over 70% of the dishes, including a new vegan chipotle mayo.

The update to its loyalty club this January will see one million free plant-based rewards gifted to club members. Customers will gain plant-based perks like free guacamole when ordering its vegan chilli no carne, which it hopes with encourage regulars to switch from barbacoa beef or pork carnitas to try a plant-based alternative.

5. Check the ingredients of bathroom products

Consider the products you offer guests in bathrooms, such as handwash, moisturiser, bodywash, shampoo and conditioner – some use animal products, such as honey or beeswax, so be careful to assess what's inside those bottles.

Over 60% of those taking part in Veganuary do so because of their concerns about animal welfare. Operators can't assume that vegan products aren't tested on animals, so check for the cruelty-free ‘leaping bunny' labelling, says Chloe Luxton, founder and creative director of Bramley Products, who notes her end users are increasingly conscious of what they are putting on their bodies.

"All the products we supply to hotels use ingredients that are natural and plant-based and we don't use artificial ingredients. The plant-based ingredients not only make the products smell amazing, they have therapeutic effects on the mind and senses as well."

She started Bramley with her husband Charlie Luxton co-founded the Beckford Group, which has a number of pubs with rooms in the south west. "I saw an opportunity to do something different," she says. "Back then hotels were offering guests mini toiletries, but our business model offers full-size bottles which are refillable. We sell direct to consumers, but also supply hotels, including the Pig, Chewton Glen and the Dorchester."

6. Promote plant-based milks

Switching from cow's milk to oat or soy in your morning latte is one way to cut out dairy and more operators are offering plant-based milks. Foodservice operator and high-street coffee chain Benugo has offered plant-based milks for many years but given their increased cost over dairy they were charged for. In 2019 it made plant-based milks free across all of its stores, and as a result saw steady growth in sales.

"Removing price as a barrier definitely drives uptake of plant-based milks, and there is no doubt they have a lower carbon impact than dairy milks," which is a win-win for Shane Kavanagh, commercial director, Benugo.

7. Switch out meat in classic canteen dishes

"It is important to work collaboratively with supply partners to create a range of exciting plant-based alternatives that give customers the chance to enjoy the flavours they love in a plant-based format," says Charlotte Wright, director of CSR and wellness ar Elior. The foodservice company replaces ingredients such as beef or lamb with alternatives like pulses or beans to create dishes which are not only suitable for a vegan diet are also low carbon and support sustainability goals.

Classic switches include the likes of chickenless chicken tikka kati roll with mint and poppy seed carrot salad; chickenless chicken satay skewers with sticky rice and Asian slaw; no beef burger with barbecue pulled jackfruit and skin-on fries; and Tex Mex no mince chimichanga with plant-based sour cream and seasoned potatoes.

"At Elior, we have also created internal competition for coming up with creative vegan recipes which has really got our menu evolution moving," says Wright.

8. Quiz alternative meat suppliers about their supply chain

The plant-based market is big business and taps into an increasingly environmentally-minded consumer. But operators would be wise to dig a little deeper into what exactly is in meat-alternative products hitting the market before adding them to menus, keeping in mind to steer clear of problematic ingredients such as palm oil, by really quizzing the credentials of suppliers.

Chef Neil Rankin has spent a lot of time learning about food provenance, which led him to create Symplicity Foods, which produces plant-based burgers and sausages using minimal ingredients and simple methods.

He warns operators to remember they're not buying just veg when they're buying a plant-based product, but often a product which has individual elements which collectively must be more expensive than most meat.

"If it's as cheap as meat, somebody in that supply chain is not making enough money," he says, pointing to the labour, travel, insurance and tax costs that all add up when working with multiple ingredients.

9. Don't forget your wine list

"Make sure you take a good look at your wine list," says Juliane Caillouette-Noble, managing director of the Sustainable Restaurant Association. "It's completely normal to assume that wine would be vegan, but actually when winemakers are adding fining agents to bring more clarity to wine, those are animal products."

10. Take a moment to think about the bigger picture

More and more consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the future of the planet. And while plant-based doesn't always directly counter climate change – just Google how many air miles your favourite imported foods accumulate and you'll be reluctant to serve avocados ever again – 54% of those who are taking part in Veganuary are doing so for environmental reasons.

With some care and attention plant-based and sustainability can be a match made in heaven and an opportunity for operators to attract eco-concious guests. One area that deserves more attention is the topic of soil degradation.

"There's a lot of money being invested into plant-based or vegan products, but not enough money being invested in regenerative farming and supporting seasonal and local produce. I think we have 60 years of crops left and it's something that we need to action now," says Bettina Campolucci Bordi, author, plant-based chef and founder of Bettina's Kitchen.

Thomasina Miers, co-founder of Wahaca – which is increasingly adding plant-based dishes to its menu, including its ‘Wahacamole', a vegan take of guacamole made from organic fava beans, mint and coriander – is also deeply concerned about soil. "Soil is critical to human survival. It sounds dramatic, but what we're doing to our soil will kill us much quicker than the world heating up."

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