Offering Inclusivity and Increasing Profits
Vegan diets are more popular than ever, with veganism growing by 400% over the last decade. According to Viva!, the UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity, in 2024 there were an estimated 2.5 million vegans in the UK (4.7 per cent of the adult population).
In fact, Veganism has gained such momentum that the whole of January is now dedicated to it! ‘Veganuary’ was established in 2014 and encourages people worldwide to try vegan for January and beyond. The start of the year is a great time to offer more plant-based options on your menu to attract a growing vegan customer base and enhance your reputation as an inclusive venue.
But why the sudden shift towards meat-free and plant-based foods? We explore why there has been such a radical rise in vegan and flexitarian diets as well as how venues are and should be capitalising on this in terms of menu choices and even choosing sustainable and vegan-friendly restaurant furniture.
Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet
Research has shown that consumption of animal products can be linked to serious health conditions such as cancers, diabetes and heart conditions. Some cite these products as nothing but dangerous due to the body’s negative cellular response. Furthermore, plant-based foods are shown to fight and protect against cancer and other diseases. Bupa extols a vegan diet, benefits of which include protecting your heart, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure as well as reducing calories and chances of obesity.
Nowadays, it’s not only the health of their own bodies concerning consumers, but the health of the planet too. We are becoming more aware of the impact that intense animal farming has on the environment. Last year the world’s biggest-ever food production analysis cited that following a vegan diet is the single best way an individual can reduce their impact on the planet.
Compassion for Animals
Billions of animals around the world are exploited for human gain. Largely, thanks to documentaries, awareness is increasing of the suffering these animals experience in the meat, dairy, and egg industry as well as entertainment and fashion. As a result, many are ditching meat for ethical reasons. Many restaurant owners are also turning to sustainable and vegan-friendly restaurant furniture for the sake of animal welfare.
What is a Flexitarian Lifestyle?
To follow a flexitarian lifestyle means to reduce your intake of animal products without complete elimination. For example, some people follow a plant-based diet throughout the week, leaving meat for the weekends. Flexitarian lifestyles are continually rising in popularity, driven by more choice of vegan restaurants than ever before. According to research, 91% of Brits identify as flexitarian and so as a restaurant, café, pub or bistro, are you capitalising on this huge opportunity?
How to Capitalise on Vegan Cuisine
You only need to look on Instagram to see the colossal usage of the vegan hashtag – Over 70 million posts compared to #meat at a mere 7 million. It’s important that your venue caters for this ever-growing generation that are looking for a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.
It may be that you are an exclusively vegan restaurant or pop-up and so have every angle catered for. However, if you’re a ‘general’ restaurant with a wider menu, it’s important for you to feature both vegan and vegetarian options for your audience. So, ensure you have a good range of dishes available to make sure you are opening your business up to this ever-increasing sector of society.
Some of the big chains who have spearheaded inclusive cuisine are Zizzi, Pizza Hut, and Pret. The top-selling eight new products at ‘Veggie Pret’ are all vegan which shows how strong the movement is and that vegan food can be delicious! All restaurants should be considering how they can make the most of the increasing vegan community.
Grey Chairs: Metola Side Chair
Using the Correct Terminology
The use of the term vegan on UK menus increased 107% this year, compared to last year, demonstrating this is not a fad, it’s huge and it’s cultural. However, what’s important is to make sure that your business uses positive language to back up your offering. Use indulgent language expressing taste and flavour. Some research has suggested to scrap the term ‘vegan’ so as not to label or segregate. Simply make food that’s good for everyone!
Vegan-Friendly Furniture
Obviously Veganism goes further than just your menu and a true vegan would consider your entire restaurant set-up, including your commercial restaurant furniture. It’s worth considering sustainable contract furniture made from materials such as responsibly sourced wood or recycled plastic. Our EKO range of furniture is made from recycled materials and are manufactured to be stronger than natural wood while looking exactly like it. It requires no painting or priming and are completely maintenance free, the perfect option for those looking for a real wood table top without the environmental impact.
From left to right: Telago Side Chair, Arini Olive Green Dining Set, Tavo Stacking Bar Stool
Instead of real leather, you can get the look with high-quality faux leather commercial chairs and stools which offer style, comfort and vegan-friendly standards.
If you’d like any help in choosing sustainable or vegan-friendly contract furniture, please don’t hesitate to call one of our friendly sales advisors on 01452 336 520 or email sales@eclipsefurniture.co.uk.
