Pret’s Making Vegan Versions Of Its Most Popular Sandwiches

(Updated January 5, 2020) | UK-based café chain Pret a Manger is launching vegan versions of its most popular sandwiches. The move follows increased demand for meat-free options.

Four new sandwiches are available under a new range called The Vegan Classics – a vegan tuna baguette, a BLT, an egg mayo baguette, and a hoisin duck wrap.

The plant-based line will be available from the company’s Veggie Pret shops. Those are Pret locations that only sell vegan and vegetarian food.

There are currently four Veggie Pret shops in the UK. Pret recently acquired fellow sandwich shop chain EAT. Now it will turn EAT sites into Veggie Prets, beginning in Canary Wharf in London.

“Veggie Pret is a space where we’ve had a great opportunity to experiment with vegan and veggie food. It’s our mission to make it easier for customers to eat less meat,” Pret’s Global Head of Food Innovation Hannah Dolan said in a statement. “So we challenged ourselves to recreate the delicious flavors and textures of our meaty bestsellers, using only vegan ingredients.“

She added, “We’re excited for everyone, (vegans and non-vegans alike), to try The Vegan Classics – and to see if they can tell the difference between the new vegan recipes and the originals!”

Vegan Food at Pret

The high street coffee shop recently launched its autumn menu. The new menu includes vegan options like cinnamon apple overnight oats, pumpkin bisque, and four soups. Pret also updated its mushroom risotto recipe to be free from animal products.

Earlier this year, Pret completed its largest menu uphaul in 33 years. The chain introduced 20 new products, eight of which were vegan and six were vegetarian. The plant-based options included a Humous & Chipotle Wrap, the Roast Mushroom & Smashed Avocado Pot, and the Asian-Style Veggie Box.

Pret’s “biggest change in our history” was a “result of listening to what our customers want,” said Dolan.

The moves align with recent reports that more Brits are leaning toward plant-based foods. A survey by Leatherhead Food Research found that more than a third of people in the UK have at least one meat-free day a week.

Pret Launches Vegan Versions of Its Most Popular Sandwiches

Veggie Pret now carries four vegan versions of its best-selling sandwiches and wraps. Here’s what you’ll find.

1. The VLT

The VLT features roasted shiitake mushroom pieces as bacon, sliced tomatoes, green salad, and egg-free mayo served on Pret’s malted bread.

2. Hoisin Mushroom Wrap

The hoisin mushroom wrap features glazed chestnuts mushrooms coated with hoisin sauce with cucumber, carrot, sliced spring onions, coriander, and spinach.

3. Eggless Mayo Baguette

The eggless mayo baguette is packed with finely chopped tofu in vegan mayonnaise with fresh cress on a baguette.

4. ‘Chuna’ Mayo and Cucumber Baguette

The “chuna” mayo and cucumber baguette features crushed chickpea tuna. Seasoned with chopped pickled onions, capers, and seaweed, the salad tastes just like traditional tuna.