All aboard: Virgin Trains becomes UK's first train operator to offer full vegan menu

18 Dec 2018 --- Virgin Trains has become the UK’s first train operator to offer a vegan menu for its customers on all services across Britain. Passengers on board Virgin Trains will now be able to choose from a range of vegan-friendly options at almost any time of day following a revamp of its onboard Shop and First Class menus.

The move comes just a few months after The Vegan Society called on rail companies in the UK in a bid to improve catering for vegans in the travel sector this summer. According to The Vegan Society, the number of vegans in the UK has doubled twice in the past four years: from up to 150,000 in 2014 to 276,000 in 2016, and then to 600,000 in 2018.

Data from Innova Market Insights has revealed there has been a 45 percent average annual growth of food and beverage launches with a vegan positioning (CAGR, 2013-2017). New launches with a vegan positioning increased its market penetration in Europe from 1.5 percent in 2013, to 7 percent in 2017. 

The CAGR in products featuring plant-based claims, such as “plant-based” and “100 percent plant,” has been +60 percent from 2012-2016.

There has also been a 55 percent average annual growth for new food and beverage launches tracked with vegan positioning in Europe (CAGR, 2013-2017). In 2017, 12 percent of all new food and beverage launches tracked with vegan positioning were snacks.

Louise Davies, Head of Campaigns, Policy and Research at The Vegan Society, comments: “We’ve been campaigning for decent vegan options on trains over the last few months and it’s great to see Virgin respond with a menu that anyone can enjoy. Market trends are showing rapid growth in plant-based eating. We hope that others will follow Virgin’s lead and take notice of the power of the vegan pound.”

As well as ensuring vegan options are consistently available onboard all train services, Virgin Trains has also clearly labeled its First and Standard class menus to help identify vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Moreover, the onboard Shop in Standard and First Class kitchens will be stocked with dairy alternatives like soy milk so that train travelers can enjoy a hot beverage on their journey.

Virgin Trains is also working to increase the amount of locally-sourced food options served onboard its trains and to include more fresh ingredients in its meals, according to the company.

Options for vegans in the Virgin Trains Shop currently include a vegan breakfast pot complete with mushrooms, hash browns, spinach and baked beans, or vegan chili. A weekend breakfast with a vegan option is also currently being trialed and will then be rolled out across all services over the coming weeks. Its First Class menus now also include items such as a potato hash breakfast, Mediterranean pasta salad and spicy Bombay potato.

Campaigns and Policy Officer at The Vegan Society, Elena Orde, tells FoodIngredientsFirst: “We are very pleased to see so many train companies make positive changes to their vegan food and drink offering. These businesses are showing the way the market is going – vegans need to be catered for, and those who fail to recognize this risk missing out on a growing segment of the market.”

“Vegan food options are inclusive of most dietary requirements and often promote sustainability. We’re looking forward to working with more businesses on this,” she adds.

Julie Harper, Virgin Trains’ Food & Beverage Proposition Manager, says: “The clear message we’ve had from vegan customers is they need consistency, so they have peace of mind when they board the train. We’ve worked really hard to ensure that our menus in First and Standard deliver that consistency throughout the day and include some really delicious, appetizing options that we hope will tempt vegans and non-vegans alike.”

Last week, FoodIngredientsFirst reported that Tesco hailed veganism as the “fastest growing culinary trend of 2018.” Other major retailers also increased their range of plant-based Christmas dinner centerpiece dishes. 2018 will likely be known as the year that veganism turned mainstream as more shoppers continue to adopt vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets and record numbers are set to enjoy meat-free feasts during the festive season this year.