We take a look at the most iconic Veganuary launches over the years
A cornerstone of the Veganuary campaign is new vegan options hitting supermarket shelves and delicious additions to menus in our favourite restaurants –and many of them stick around after January!
We’ve been digging through the Veganuary archives to revisit the most iconic launches that have earned a permanent place in our shopping baskets and on our plates.
How does Veganuary work with businesses?
Many people ask us, ‘What does Veganuary do outside of January?’ and it’s a fair question! Outside the main campaign period, we work to engage businesses all year round, encouraging them to take part in Veganuary by launching new vegan products and menu items, or promoting their existing ranges.
The campaign has proved to be a successful launchpad for new products, which we call the ‘Veganuary effect.’ By creating a moment in time when veganism is in the public spotlight, the campaign generates a buzz around plant-based food through media attention, celebrity support and social media activations from brands and influencers.
As delicious vegan options are more widely available in January and companies use their advertising budget to market these vegan offerings, this leads to more people choosing plant-based products over animal products in shops and in restaurants.
Since launching in 2014, we have worked with thousands of businesses around the world to increase their plant-based offerings, and many of the options launched during the Veganuary campaign become permanent. As a result, it is easier to continue eating vegan throughout the rest of the year.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the most memorable Veganuary launches that are still available today.
Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll
The launch of Greggs’ vegan sausage roll in January 2019 was a momentous occasion to say the least. It made headlines, sparked outrage on social media and flew off the shelves so quickly that stores couldn’t keep up with demand.
When Greggs’ profits were struggling, it was the vegan sausage that helped turn things around.
Fast forward to 2024 and the infamous vegan sausage roll is still a fixture in the pastry cabinet and Greggs has since expanded its vegan offerings too.
Burger King Plant-Based Whopper
In 2020 we saw the launch of Burger King’s Plant-Based Rebel Whopper. The burger comes with the Vegetarian Butcher’s vegan patty, which mimics Burger King’s signature Whopper burger.
Although the burger was controversial because it is cooked on the same grill as the meat, we celebrate this as a huge step forward for the fast-food chain, which has committed to making its menu 50% meat-free by 2030.
Papa John’s Vegan Pizzas
Veganuary 2020 was a fantastic time for new vegan products and menu launches! But one of the highlights for us was Papa John’s extending its vegan pizza offering with a range of new items, including the Jackfruit Pepperoni and The Vegan Works.
You can find both of these on the menu today, along with an array of other delicious vegan pizzas.
Cadbury Plant Bar
Back in 2021, Cadbury teased a new product launch with a PR stunt which issued an apology to vegans. The prayers of vegan chocolate lovers were answered when the Plant Bar – a vegan alternative to the beloved Dairy Milk – was soft launched in late 2021.
Cadbury followed with a full nationwide roll-out for Veganuary 2022. According to Cadbury, it took two years to develop the product, which is made with a smooth almond paste to rival the dairy version. The Plant Bar is still available in supermarkets across the UK.
McDonald’s McPlant
The launch of the McPlant for Veganuary 2022 was a sign that veganism had truly hit the mainstream. After a successful soft launch in 2021, McDonald’s rolled out the long-awaited McPlant to all restaurants nationwide in January 2022.
The burger is made with a Beyond Meat patty and complete with vegan cheese and mayo, making it a great alternative to its classic cheeseburger. According to McDonald’s, it took years to get the recipe just right.
Thankfully, the effort paid off and the McPlant remains a permanent fixture on the menu. Hopefully a vegan McFlurry is just around the corner…
Starbucks Beyond Meat Breakfast Sandwich
Coffee chains around the country have embraced Veganuary, but vegan options tend to come and go as they switch up their menus seasonally. Starbucks’ Beyond Meat Breakfast Sandwich hit the shelves in Veganuary 2021 and has stuck around ever since.
Starbucks also removed its surcharge on non-dairy milks in Veganuary 2023.
Domino’s Vegan PepperoNAY
Domino’s has also celebrated Veganuary, with the launch of its vegan nuggets in 2021 and the Vegan PepperoNAY pizza for Veganuary 2022.
While some of its vegan options come and go, the PepperoNAY has been popular with customers and remains on the menu to this day.
Plant-Based Babybel
Eating a Babybel snack is a fond childhood memory for many, and customers calling for a vegan version got exactly what they wanted in January 2022. The Plant-Based Babybel is similar to the original and it’s even wrapped in a peelable green wax.
The product didn’t disappear after January and is still available in supermarkets.
Lindt Vegan Chocolate
To celebrate World Vegan Day in 2021, Lindt announced it would be launching two vegan chocolate bars in time for Veganuary 2022.
The Lindt Classic Recipe Vegan Smooth and Lindt Classic Recipe Vegan Hazelnut were popular with customers looking for a milk chocolate alternative and they have since been rolled out to more supermarkets in the UK.
The Queen Inn Pub
In December 2021, the owners of The Queen Inn pub announced they were celebrating Veganuary by launching a fully vegan menu for a month.
They swapped many of their traditional pub grub dishes with plant-based alternatives and to their surprise, the menu was a phenomenal success. The pub was fully booked for the entire month, making it their busiest period in 17 years.
Following the positive response to their vegan menu, the Queen Inn made the decision to permanently stay vegan, making them the first country pub in Wales to do so.
In 2024, The Queen Inn Pub is still going strong and is popular with vegan and non-vegan customers alike.
Supermarket plant-based ranges
Over the years, the UK’s major supermarkets have introduced own-brand vegan ranges, often launching them to coincide with Veganuary.
Tesco – the UK’s biggest supermarket – pioneered this trend in January 2018 with its Wicked Kitchen range, developed alongside chef Derek Sarno.
Other retailers swiftly followed: Marks and Spencer introduced Plant Kitchen in January 2019, while Aldi’s Plant Menu debuted in December 2019, just in time for Veganuary 2020. The following year saw Co-Op’s GRO and Sainsbury’s Plant Pioneers join the market.
Morrisons entered the scene in 2022 with Plant Revolution and in January 2023, Asda launched two successful vegan brands: OMV! and Plant Based by Asda.
Supermarkets have reported record sales of plant-based items on the back of Veganuary and although some products come and go, own-brand vegan ranges have gone from strength to strength, with new options being added every year.
Hard Rock Cafe
In January 2024, Hard Rock Cafe launched a Veganuary menu in all its locations worldwide with activities in several countries promoting the new vegan dishes.
The iconic restaurant saw an “overwhelming response” to its Veganuary launches all over the world, and as a result, many vegan dishes stayed on the menu post-January.
Veganuary isn’t just for January
Most brands keep a larger and better variety of plant-based options on the shelves after successful launches during Veganuary, and many report record sales due to the campaign. The more we can show businesses that we love their plant-based offerings, the more likely it is they will become permanent.
Year after year, Veganuary participants also report that they plan to continue reducing their consumption of animal products after January. Our 2024 Participant Survey found that 82% of participants who were not already vegan when they joined the challenge planned to permanently change their diet after Veganuary.
It’s clear that Veganuary isn’t just for January and that plant-based food isn’t disappearing any time soon!
