Plant-based tuna just swam onto the menu at build-your-own-bowl chain Pokeworks. Burger King is clapping back at Wendy’s with an Impossible Whopper deal you can’t resist. And if you’ve got a sweet tooth, Reese’s, Magnum, and Trader Joe’s have new treats for you. Read on for more.
Vegan restaurant news
Fast-casual chain Pokeworks has some great news for plant-eaters and ocean creatures alike. A new plant-based tuna option, crafted by Impact Food, swam onto the menu at its Bay Area this week.
Impact Food
Made from pea protein and seaweed, the plant-based tuna is part of Pokeworks’ broader initiative to diversify its menu to include options for various dietary needs, including vegan and keto-friendly choices.
“As we strive to create a memorable dining experience for guests with dietary preferences of any kind, we are diligently listening and implementing action to address our consumer’s feedback, and the desire for more plant-based options continually grows,” Mike Wu, co-founder of Pokeworks, said in a statement.
Pokeworks plans to extend the vegan tuna option to its New York City locations in late March. The plant-based tuna will be available as a protein in Pokeworks’ customizable poke bowls for a limited time.
Outside of the US, seafood fans in the Netherlands will get a fun pop-up next week thanks to Dutch company Vegan Zeastar. At Zèta, a vegan café located at Grote Markt in The Hague, this unique event will showcase Vegan Zeastar’s wide variety of products, including Sashimi, King No Crab, Shrimpz, and King No Crab Cakes, all prepared by Zèta’s chefs.
Burger King
Back in the United States, Wendy’s angered a lot of folks earlier this week when it announced that it would implement surge pricing on its food in the coming years. But you know what? Wendy’s has zero meatless options, aside from sad salads and sides.
You know who does have plant-based burgers? Burger King. And we’re in luck because, in response to Wendy’s pricing announcement, the King is offering free Impossible Whoppers through the end of today (with a $3 purchase).
Savory vegan food news
Today, Ichiran, renowned for its tonkotsu ramen and solo dining concept, is launching a Vegan Ramen Kit at its New York City locations (and online starting March 15). This new offering is the result of six years of dedicated research and development, aiming to replicate the depth, richness, and smoky flavors of its traditional Tonkotsu Ramen.
The two-serving vegan ramen kit ($20) features a liquid broth concentrate made with soy, roasted garlic, onion, shiitake, ginger, and other vegetables. A specially developed ramen oil ensures the creamy texture Ichiran’s ramen is known for, while the Original Spicy Red Seasoning, made with togarashi peppers, adds heat and spice.
Ichiran
The kit includes Ichiran’s signature Hakata-style thin noodles, known for their smoothness and firm texture, crafted from a unique blend of rare flour.
Konscious Foods
For more innovation, we turn to Konscious Foods, which just expanded its fish-free line with three new products: Smoked Salmon, Kimbap Korean Veggie Rice Roll, and Salmon Avocado Roll. These additions build on the brand’s reputation for innovative, chef-created plant-based foods that go from frozen to fresh in minutes.
The Smoked Salmon, made with carrots and konjac, mimics traditional smoked salmon’s taste and buttery texture. The Kimbap and Salmon Avocado Roll offers a mix of flavors with ingredients like seasoned rice, marinated vegetables, and creamy avocado.
“We’ve applied our learnings from creating sushi, onigiri, and poke to now add this line of new and creative options that can help people incorporate more vegetables into their diet without sacrificing flavor,” Yves Potvin, president and founder, said in a statement.
“Our ongoing mission at Konscious Foods is to make eating our foods an easy choice,” Potvin said.
We’re already thinking about how to spice up our Konscious Foods salmon bowls, and Haven’s Kitchen has a new aioli line that’ll do the trick. Featuring a 12-month shelf life, these aiolis are free from artificial ingredients and get their creamy texture from high oleic sunflower oil.
The aioli lineup includes Zesty Jalapeño, Chili Bang Bang, Sunshine Chili, and Herby Yuzz, each crafted with unique spices, chickpea broth, and natural flavors.
Sweet vegan food news
In coffee news this week, Oatly is moving into a new category with the launch of four oat milk creamers. The company’s new Oatly Oatmilk Creamers come in classic flavors: Sweet & Creamy, Vanilla, Caramel, and Mocha, crafted for those desiring a sweet and indulgent coffee experience at home.
Oatly
“At Oatly, we’re passionate about all things coffee, and naturally saw an opportunity to bring our expertise to the diverse and popular creamer category,” Leah Hoxie, SVP of Innovation at Oatly North America, said in a statement.
“We’re committed to converting cow’s milk drinkers into oat milk buyers, so we’re excited to now offer fantastic, flavored creamers to people looking for a sweeter, more indulgent coffee experience,” Hoxie said.
Oatly’s foray into flavored creamers is timely, with plant-based creamers seeing a significant increase in sales, up 13 percent in dollar sales and 9 percent in unit sales over the last year. The creamers will be available in the refrigerated aisle of major retailers nationwide, such as Walmart, Target, Albertsons, Kroger, and Stop & Shop, with a suggested retail price of $5.99.
Oatly’s creamers are great for warming up on colder days. And while we dream of warmer temperatures, Trader Joe’s is giving us a little taste of summer in a new way with the release of Just the Tips, a cone bottom filled with dark chocolate.
With no refrigeration required, this is a brilliant way to enjoy arguably the best part of its Hold the Cone ice creams—which the grocer offers in non-dairy flavors.
Magnum
But if you are seeking ice cream right now, Unilever brand Magnum is expanding its vegan ice cream line. Available at retailers in the United Kingdom, Magnum Chill Blueberry Cookie promises a vegan indulgence like no other, featuring a core of tangy blueberry sorbet enveloped in creamy biscuit and vanilla-flavored ice cream, all encased in a rich, vegan chocolate shell sprinkled with decadent dark cookie pieces.
And speaking of chocolate, The Hershey Company is also doubling down on its vegan chocolates. Last March, the company launched Reese’s Plant-Based peanut butter cups and Hershey’s Plant-Based Extra Creamy with Almonds and Sea Salt—oat milk remakes of its classics.
@letmeeatkale/Instagram
This spring, the chocolate giant is expanding its oat milk chocolate portfolio with miniature versions of both of these, which have already been spotted by Instagrammer @letmeeatkale at a ShopRite in New Jersey.
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Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.
