If you love vegan restaurants, relaxing at luxury resorts, and indulging in the occasional spa day, then you need to vote in the 2026 VegNews Restaurant Awards.
For our fourth annual awards, we’re giving everyone who votes for their favorite plant-based eatery a chance to win an Ultimate Luxury Vegan Weekend in Las Vegas from Resorts World. Yes, seriously. So just by supporting your favorite vegan restaurants, you could win a free vacation for two! For your chance to win, all you need to do is vote.
But before that, it’s time for this week’s food news, of course. We’ve got updates on everything from new vegan white chocolate chips to soda-flavored ice cream to a plant-based seafood brand hitting Times Square. It’s been a busy week in the vegan food world.
Daiya’s new mac and cheese is wheat-based and protein-packed. | Daiya
Daiya just dropped protein-packed mac and cheese
How do you get your protein? Beans, a morning shake, or maybe even protein yogurt? Well, now Daiya has a new suggestion: mac and cheese. Yep, the popular dairy-free brand has just dropped two new protein-packed mac and cheese options on Amazon.
The new Protein Mac & Cheese, made with wheat pasta, is available in Cheddar and Herb & Garlic flavors, and each serving packs in 10 grams of protein. Some shoppers who have already tried it say it’s “one of the best Daiya products yet” and praise its “smooth and rich texture” in Amazon reviews—grab yours here.
Dairy Whip’s new Mountain Dew soft-serve ice cream is dairy-free. | Dairy Whip
Detroit parlor brings back popular Mountain Dew-flavored vegan ice cream
You might assume that an ice cream shop called Dairy Whip isn’t the place to find delicious, creative vegan ice cream, but in Detroit, that’s far from the case.
The popular spot has just brought back its viral Mountain Moo soft serve, which is flavored with Mountain Dew and is entirely vegan. The ice cream first launched in 2021, and the owners have brought it back several times since due to its popularity. If you’re not a Mountain Dew fan, the vegan-friendly parlor also offers a rotating selection of dairy-free soft serve flavors.
Love soft serve? Find more of our favorite picks here.
Healthy Crunch’s Vegan White Chocolate Chips are 48 percent cacao. | Healthy Crunch
Vegan white chocolate chips land at Kroger
If you love baking, this one is for you. Canadian brand Healthy Crunch has just launched two new vegan chocolate chip products in Kroger stores across the US.
The first is the brand’s popular Coconut Sugar Dark Chocolate Chips, which are made with just three ingredients: cocoa paste, cocoa butter, and, you guessed it, coconut sugar. According to the brand, they’re just as creamy and sweet as regular chocolate chips, only healthier. The second is Healthy Crunch’s Vegan White Chocolate Chips, which, unlike many white chocolate products on the market, are made with 48 percent cacao.
Now, all you need is a great recipe. Might we suggest these vegan white chocolate chip sugar cookie bars?
Häppy Candy’s gummies are made with pectin instead of gelatin. | Häppy Candy
Whole Foods Market has a new selection of vegan gummies
Sweet-toothed readers, we have another update that’s right up your alley. Better-for-you candy brand Häppy Candy has launched its gelatin-free, pectin-based gummies in select Whole Foods Market stores.
Flavors include Italian Summer, which features lemon- and cherry-flavored gummy hearts and, thanks to its plant-based ingredients, seven grams of fiber per serving. There’s also Big Apple, which features red and green apple flavors.
“We are incredibly proud and excited to launch Häppy Candy at Whole Foods Market,” said Maxi Heidenblut, founder and CEO. “Whole Foods has always been a retailer we deeply admire for their high food quality and ingredient standards, and their commitment to supporting innovative, mission-driven brands.”
Look out for the gummies in Whole Foods stores across California, Arizona, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Oshi unveiled a billboard in Times Square this week. | Oshi
A vegan seafood brand has taken over Times Square
In a first for the plant-based seafood industry, Oshi, which is also currently raising investment on Wefunder, launched a billboard in New York City’s Times Square this week. The video billboard reads, “To every fish in the ocean, we got this,” before revealing that Oshi’s vegan seafood products, including its plant-based salmon and white fish fillets, are now available in stores.
Billboards in Times Square have enormous reach. In fact, on an average day, roughly 330,000 people pass through the New York City tourist hub.
“We are taking our message to the biggest stage in the world because our oceans cannot wait,” said Ofek Ron, CEO and co-founder of Oshi. “Despite recent market challenges, the drive to protect marine life is stronger than ever. This billboard is a rallying cry for the entire movement, a call to action for consumers, and a celebration of how far plant-based innovation has come.”
Unburger is opening a new location this August. | Unburger
Michigan vegan fast-food favorite Unburger is franchising
Right now, you can only experience Unburger’s extensive vegan fast food menu, which features favorites like the Brunch Burger, the Double Double Cheeseburger, and Hot Hunny Chick’n, if you’re in Dearborn, MI. But fortunately for plant-based foodies everywhere, that’s about to change.
In fact, its very first franchised location is set to open in nearby Ann Arbor in August. “Unburger immediately stood out to me because it makes plant-based food feel exciting and accessible,” said new franchisee Bobak Bakhtiari, who is also founder of California plant-based store Hangry Planet.
But Unburger isn’t stopping at Ann Arbor. The vegan fast-food restaurant is currently accepting applications for new franchises across the country. “We wanted to build something that felt fun, familiar, and craveable for everyone,” added Moe Abdallah, Unburger’s Chief Brand & Technology Officer. “The response from the community has been incredible, and franchising gives us the opportunity to bring that experience to more people.”
Think you’ve got what it takes? You can find out more here.
Check out last week’s Top food news
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
