This Veganuary, check out the plant-based food brands booming in Wales:
Human Food is the world’s first organic daily nutrition bar made specifically to support a plant-based diet but is also good for anybody. Developed in Tenby, Pembrokeshire by entrepreneur Ky Wright and supported by Food Centre Wales – these vegan meal replacement bars are made of 100% natural ingredients, fortified only with complex vitamins and minerals derived from organic whole foods. In terms of innovation, it is the only food product in the world to contain 100% of the daily recommended intake of organic vitamin B12. The company launched a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign in 2018 becoming the site’s most funded vegan product of all time.
Having been pioneers in bringing unique, flavoursome vegetarian food to farmers’ markets across Wales and the South West for over 10 years, The Parsnipship’s range of unique, hand-crafted meals is now over 90% vegan. Supported by Zero2Five Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University, The Parsnipship’s Great Taste Award winning vegan Thai Chickpea & Lentil Mash-Up is amongst several products now launched into food service outlets proving the growing demand for tasty, innovative vegan food-on-the-go. Founder Ben Moss says “Now more than ever, any Welsh, or for that matter, global food producer must adapt to the change that science has proved is necessary to provide a healthier planet.”
Good Carma, based in CARMAthenshire, was established by vegan-enthusiast Charlotte Bates in 2013. First to market was a range of vegan Parmesan-style seasoning packaged in shaker tubes and made from ground almonds, yeast flakes, and Himalayan pink mineral salt. This range of dairy-free seasoning was soon followed by a soft vegan cream cheese-style spread. With the assistance of Food Centre Wales, the nutritionally beneficial products have been purposefully designed to provide a convenient, healthy option for both vegans and non-vegans.
Having been on a journey of discovery to overcome his own health struggles, Chris Joll founded Gut Instinct with a desire to provide an evolving range of dairy-alternative products including ‘crafted for coffee’ vegan milks, a vegan friendly mayo and plant-based yoghurts. Following a successful trip to exhibit as part of the Welsh Pavilion at the Food Matter Live trade show in London’s Excel Centre, the New Product Development team based in Zero2Five Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University will be working with Gut Instinct in the new year to support the brand’s mission to develop high-quality, gut-friendly products in an accessible way.
Popular micro-bakery turned deli-café-restaurant-bar Crwst in Cardigan is further testament to the growing demand and mainstreaming of vegan products. The brand recently worked with food technologists at Food Centre Wales to develop a vegan chocolate hazelnut spread available at their deli.
