Goodwill toward animals: Plant-based offerings shine, while booze makes a buzz in holiday NPD

24 Dec 2021 --- Ringing in the holiday season, F&B brands are providing easy but opulent ways to celebrate in festive gatherings. FoodIngredientsFirst examines the latest offerings to feed consumers’ desire for convenient and nostalgic foods tailored to plant-based lifestyles.

Meanwhile, this year-end’s alcoholic beverage offerings provide wacky inspiration from drinkable beer ornaments to ugly sweater seltzers.

Yuletide plant-based
Seasonal plant-based offerings are making the season merrier for those looking to reduce their meat consumption. 

A recent survey by The Vegan Society revealed that one in five UK consumers will be incorporating vegan dishes and desserts into their Christmas dinner this year – a first-time act for 31% of those surveyed. 

When asked for their motivations behind it, 42% responded they are purposely trying to reduce the amount of meat and dairy they are eating, while 37% are trying to improve their health. 

A further 24% say concerns around climate change have encouraged them to go vegan or introduce vegan dishes, while the same number (24%) are keen to try something new.

Marks & Spencer unveiled its Vegan Beef Wellington this year.Vegan holiday meal kits
UK consumers won’t have to look far to find meat alternative seasonal specialties that are easy to prepare. 

Rudy’s restaurant in London, serving up products from the Vegan Butcher, has crafted Christmas Feast Boxes – meal kits that make creating a full vegan Christmas meal easy to produce at home. 

The Royal Christmas “Meat” Feast box includes the Vegan Butcher’s Turk’y, “peegs in blankets” and “proper Yorkshire puddings,” to name a few. 

In the US, Gracefully Fed, an organic, gluten and dairy-free eatery has unveiled a line of vegan soups, stews, sauces and sweets. The assortment can be shipped nationwide and serves “the ever-growing population of Americans, choosing to exclude animal products and byproducts from their diet throughout the holiday season and beyond.”

Retailers respond  
Meanwhile, in the UK, retailers Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose are providing shoppers with more options than ever to reduce their meat consumption. 

In September last year, Tesco committed to increasing its sales of meat alternatives by 300% by 2025 to help support sustainable food production. 

This season it brings Wicked Kitchen’s No-Turkey Roast Crown from wheat protein, as well as a Plant Chef Portobello Mushroom Wellington. 

Marks & Spencer’s Plant Kitchen range also came out with its own rendition of the English classic with its Vegan Beef Wellington, made from pea and wheat proteins. 

Pizza gets a holiday makeover with Domino’s Pizza UK’s “The Festive One.”“On-the-go feasting”
With consumers resuming mobility, UK retailers Waitrose and Marks & Spencer have brought back festive sandwiches to delight consumers with “the flavors of Christmas.”

“Our new range of Christmas sandwiches are perfect for everyone wanting to enjoy those festive flavors on the move,” says Rebecca Neale, Christmas sandwich developer at Waitrose.

Waitrose’s festive sandwiches reach a range of consumers, from the plant-based explorer to those who seek sophistication and nostalgia. They include:

The Vegan No Lobster Marie Rose Roll, filled with roasted king oyster mushrooms.

The Smoked Salmon, Egg & Truffle Sandwich, made with Scottish smoked salmon and a free-range egg mayonnaise.

The Club Sandwich, a classic British turkey and Wiltshire ham sandwich with a seasonal twist of tangy sherry and onion chutney. 

Marks & Spencer also brings festive sandwiches to the table for vegans and carnivores alike. This year it unveiled its No Beef Welly Roll with “No Beef” slices, as well as its decadent Pigs in a Blankets sandwich with gravy-style mayo. 

In other convenience foods, Domino’s Pizza UK released its holiday pizza “with all the trimmings” dubbed “The Festive One” this year. The offering includes turkey breast marinated in aromatic sage and onion, traditional Cumberland sausage and crispy bacon. 

Miller Lite partnered with actor and comedian, Jimmy O Yang, to introduce beernaments to the market.Bubbling libations
Lastly, alcoholic beverage brands are elevating Christmas cheer with offerings that celebrate gathering together. 

Miller Lite introduced its “beernaments” drinkable Christmas tree ornaments to spend more “Miller time” while decorating the tree. Beernaments can be snapped around a beer can and hung up by the aluminum tab once the drink is finished. 

Anheuser-Busch, meanwhile, is bringing back its Bud Light Seltzer Ugly Sweater Pack introduced last year. The comeback follows “rave reviews” for flavors as loud as tacky sweaters. 

The variety pack includes one permanent cranberry offering, along with three new festive flavors:

Sugar Plum bringing sweet mixed berry, cranberry and plum flavors together. 

Cherry Cordial blending cherry and chocolate tastes for a sweetness balanced by cherry flavor. 

Seltzer Nog pairing egg nog’s sweet cinnamon and vanilla flavors with the bubbliness of a seltzer.

Also bringing boozy bells and whistles, Marks and Spencer has introduced a new spiced sugar plum gin liqueur, which has a “mince pie-like flavor” and contains silver leaf. The offering follows in a range of ornate snow-globe inspired flavored gins, which light up and play festive tunes. 

By Missy Green