The top 10 vegan news stories of 2019

There’s no denying that veganism dominated the headlines in 2019, with stories such as Gregg’s now-infamous vegan sausage roll becoming a viral sensation thanks to Piers Morgan.

This year we welcomed huge new vegans to supermarkets such as Marks & Spencer’s Plant Kitchen range, and even saw the likes of KFC jump on the bandwagon with a vegan version of its popular chicken fillet burger.

But which were the stories that had the word vegan on everyone’s lips in 2019? Check out the top 10 most read articles from veganfoodandliving.com this year…

10) Sainsbury’s becomes the first UK supermarket to sell tempeh

We vegans love to cook and try ingredients from around the world so it’s no surprise that the news that ‘tofu’s cooler younger brother’s’ arrival at Sainsbury’s supermarkets in the UK got everyone excited. Although tofu has been widely available to purchase for many years, this was the first time a major supermarket had stocked this ingredient in the UK.

9) Tesco launches a huge new affordable own-brand vegan ‘Plant Chef’ range

Supermarkets realised the power of plants in 2019, with every major supermarket competing with each other to launch the most impressive range. Many people feel that cost is a barrier to them going vegan, so the news of Tesco’s massive new affordable plant-based range was welcomed by the community.

Plant Chef aims to make it easier for consumers to find plant-based alternatives to their favourite dishes such as breaded goujons and fish-free fillets and has increased the supermarket’s plant-based offerings by 48% to 267 products.

8) Sainsbury’s releases 25 new vegan products – including 5 pizzas and seitan bacon!

As a Veganuary treat to the nation, Sainsbury’s announced the launch of a tempting new array of products such as a realistic seitan bacon alternative and a selection of pizzas proving vegans can still enjoy the same treats without the cruelty.

7) Iceland releases details of its vegan and palm oil-free Christmas range for 2019

Iceland hit the headlines last year thanks to its controversial palm-oil advert, but conscious consumers couldn’t get enough of the frozen food specialists palm-oil free range. The retailer gave us an early Christmas present in October when it announced the tempting festive products customers could expect to enjoy this year from its store. As an added bonus, you loved that the range was virtually plastic-free!

6) Aldi adds affordable vegan ready meals and store cupboard essentials to vegan range

Saving money on essentials is always great, and you celebrated when budget supermarket Aldi introduced a whole host of new products to its affordable vegan range in the UK back in January. The supermarket also added a range of store cupboard essentials to make it easier for those looking to save some dosh to shop for vegan products.

5) Tesco announces its festive vegan Christmas range for 2019

There’s nothing like Christmas in July to get you feeling festive, and when Tesco teased details of the festive fare it was launching this year you certainly started the Christmas celebrations! The UK’s largest supermarket chain tempted you with everything from hors d’oeuvre to show-stopping mains to help ease the stress of cooking at Christmas.

4) Domino’s Pizza is trialling a vegan cheese pizza in the UK

One of the last major takeaway chains in the UK not to offer vegan options, we all collectively cheered when news broke that Domino’s was finally attempting to offer vegan version with the trial of a vegan cheese pizza. After a successful trial in September, the pizza takeaway giant announced in November that it would be launched vegan pizza bases and vegan cheese in the UK.

3) McDonald’s is launching its first-ever vegan-friendly Happy Meal and veggie wrap

Whilst many vegans wouldn’t opt to eat at McDonald’s, we couldn’t help but celebrate the news that the global fast-food giant was normalising veganism and making it more accessible with the launch of its first vegan-friendly Happy Meal and veggie wrap. McDonald’s chose not to market the meals as vegan thanks to cross-contamination from shared preparation areas but has recently announced the launch of a fully-vegan meal made in a separate area.

2) Marks & Spencer launches vegan range filled with 60 brand new meals, snacks, and ingredients

Coming in at a close second for the most-read news story of 2019, the exciting launch of Marks & Spencer’s impressive Plant Kitchen vegan range had us all rushing to stores to try the new dishes. The retailer has continued to add to the range throughout the year with innovative dishes such as vegan mozzarella sticks and a delicious range of festive products for Christmas.

1) Beyond Meat is launching a vegan ‘ground beef’ mince with more protein than beef

Few companies are making so many waves as plant-based meat pioneers Beyond Meat, so it’s no surprise that the news that the meat-free giant was working on a realistic mince alternative with more protein than beef was the most popular story of 2019. Known for its realistic plant-based patties, the company launched its vegan sausages in the UK this year and is reported to be working on vegan alternatives to bacon and steak.