Wetherspoons and Pret A Manger Among Winners of PETA’s 2016 Vegan Food Awards

 

For Immediate Release:

20 September 2016

Contact:

Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 222; [email protected]

WETHERSPOONS AND PRET A MANGER AMONG WINNERS OF PETA’S 2016 VEGAN FOOD AWARDS

Trailblazers Honoured for Meeting Growing Demand for Plant-Based Products

London – As the number of British vegans climbs to over half a million, the market for plant-based meals, snacks, and beverages is at an all-time high – and PETA is celebrating some of the hottest new vegan products with its fourth annual Vegan Food Awards.

The group expanded this year’s awards to include 24 categories, and here are just some of the winners:

This sharp cheddar is made using the same process as dairy-based cheese, except it contains animal-friendly nut milk instead of cows’ milk.

These strips of “bacon” are salty and smoky with a hint of maple syrup and are perfect for any vegan breakfast, from a full English fry-up to a stack of fluffy pancakes.

  • Best Vegan Pizza: Zizzi

This chain offers vegan cheese on all its delicious pizzas and seals the deal with refreshing vegan gelatos.

Pret a Manger not only opened up its first all-veggie store this year but also nabbed a PETA award for this Indian-inspired wrap featuring chickpeas, fruity mango compote, and tangy coconut yoghurt. Yum!

Gauthier Soho first offered a 100 per cent plant-based menu for World Vegan Month last year, and it was such a hit that the London restaurant decided to make it permanent with this exquisite eight-course menu.

Other winners include JD Wetherspoon (Best Vegan Curry), Linda McCartney Foods (Best Vegan Burger), Club Mexicana (Best Vegan Street Food), LEON (Best Vegan Salad), Le Pain Quotidien (Best Vegan Cake), and Koko Dairy Free (Best Dairy-Free Milk).

“From the corner shop to luxury restaurants, businesses are jumping to feed the public’s hunger for healthy, humane plant-based food”, says PETA’s Dawn Carr. “Since winners include all-vegan bacon, eggs, aged cheddar, and even caviar, PETA’s Vegan Food Awards show that ethical fare is more diverse and exciting than ever – all without harming a single animal.”

In addition to sparing animals daily suffering and a terrifying death in today’s industrialised meat, egg, and dairy industries, vegan meals are greener, as the United Nations has said that a move towards a vegan lifestyle is necessary to offset the worst effects of climate change. People who go vegan are also less likely to suffer from heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.

Interest in vegan living is at an all-time high, and Google Trends reports that UK residents are searching “vegan” in record numbers. Numerous reports support the buzz, including a recent Mintel survey which found that a staggering 20 per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds have chosen to ditch animal-derived foods. Many celebrities – including David Haye, Joaquin Phoenix, Ellie Goulding, and Alan Cumming – also praise the benefits of vegan eating.

A copy of PETA’s Vegan Food Awards logo is  . To read about all the winners, please visit PETA.org.uk or click here.

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