Mr. Kipling parent company, Premier Foods, is grabbing a slice of the vegan pie – literally. It’s announced plans to launch a vegan dessert range.
Premier Foods announced the plans, “in response to current consumer trends.” Acting CEO Alistair Murray made the announcement in the company’s annual financial results, which were published last week.
The new range, which will be called ‘Plantastic’ will come under the “Desserts, Cake and Soup categories.” Though there are currently no details on which products it will include, the company revealed it would use “plant-based ingredients.”
The group is looking at “targeting the growing trend of consumers looking for plant-based and vegan products” with the new range.
Vegan Is Good for Business
Veganism has proved big business for companies who have expanded their ranges to cater to vegans and flexitarians alike. The vegan meat market is expected to skyrocket after Beyond Meat became the first vegan meat company to go public. Its stock valued rose 163 percent on opening day.
The year’s biggest vegan success story in the UK may just be the launch of Greggs vegan sausage roll. Launched at the start of the year, the product helped the brand reach £1 billion in profits for the first time.
Since then veganism has hit big brands such as Burger King launching a Whopper made with a vegan patty. KFC in the UK is also trialing vegan chicken sandwiches.
The shift isn’t limited to food, either. Last week, major fashion label Prada announced it would drop fur and explore cruelty-free faux fur options for its forthcoming collections.
The Prada Group is committed to innovation and social responsibility, and our fur-free policy – reached following a positive dialogue with the Fur Free Alliance, in particular with LAV and the Humane Society of the United States – is an extension of that engagement,” Prada head designer Miuccia Prada said in a statement.
She continued, “Focusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design while meeting the demand for ethical products.”
Premier Foods ‘Plantastic’ products are planned for launch sometime later this year.
