Tastewise, founded by former Google big-shot Alon Chen, has but one mission: to find out what’s selling and where – and to share that information with its customers. The company collects its gen from billions of data points across social media, recipes, and menus to provide a complete view of how consumer needs drive food & beverage trends – and give a valuable insight into which products will – and won’t – be flying out of vending machines in the near future.
Maybe it’s a coincidence, or maybe the pandemic has caused us all to focus on our health and wellbeing; but the truth discovered by Tastewise is that people have increasingly turned to Vegan food products during lockdown. The survey finds that health benefits of a Vegan lifestyle attracts four times more converts than the issue of animal rights and this new ‘mainstream; positioning of veganism mean that health-focused vegans can now find attractive options at many popular UK restaurant chains.
What exactly are UK consumers looking for and how can restaurants, Consumer Packaged Goods and food brands tap into the zeitgeist?
Vegan eating is gaining significant traction across the UK. There’s been a rise of 57% in the number of menus featuringvegan dishes In the UK since Jan 20 and during a similar period, iInterest in veganism has grown by 47%.
Here are the Tastewise headlines:
- Consumers in Brighton are 2x more interested in vegan food and beverage than Londoners, while Welsh interest eclipses English by 13%
- Scotland leads the UK’s vegan growth wave, with interest in vegan food & beverage growing 2x faster than in England.
- South Indian cuisine is rising in demand +97%, YoY, as vegans are drawn to Southeast Asian cuisines – both traditional and fusion-style iterations.
- Rice flour is up 50% on menus as gluten-free flour spark interest among vegan consumers looking for high protein content.
- Demand for sustainable ingredients is up 52% YoY as UK consumers turn to the category for health, rather than planetary, concerns.
Alon Chen - British interest in vitamin-rich green beans is up +112% in the morning, reshaping the classic baked bean breakfast during COVID-19.
- Consumers aim to replicate pre-pandemic experiences with meal kits; the Welsh use the medium to tap back into weight loss +70% more.
- L-theanine skyrockets (+300%) as UK consumers lean on coffee + tea blends to replace CBD (-40%) during these stressful times.
- Interest in edible flowers is up +286%, as the pandemic pushes consumers to look for ingredients that are both organic and aesthetic.
- Korean gochujang, up +46% a month on average across the UK, is poised to replace sriracha as the new hot sauce on UK tables.
(Pausing for a moment of conjecture as to which UK vending operator will be the first to offer edible flowers…)
It’s not a passing fad, this veganism. And to mix a metaphor or two, if you’re not in the loop, you’ll be out on a limb…
Visit Planet Vending for all the information you need…
Tastewise are here: https://tastewise.io
