This Week in Food News: New York’s New Vegan-ish Bakery, Subway Goes Plant-Based, and Cheese-Pull Cheese is Coming

Have you made up your mind about Taylor Swift’s divisive new album, The Life of a Showgirl, yet? While you’re still deciding on your hot take, we hope you found a moment to bake our vegan version of her favorite iced chai sugar cookies. 

And while you’re snacking, catch up on all the latest food news we’ve rounded up for you this week. From new bakeries to Subway sandwiches to celebrity coffee beer, there’s a little something for everyone.

Bub’s Bakery

RELATED: 7 Healthy(ish) Vegan Fast-Food Meals You Can Get for Under $10

New allergen-friendly, vegan-friendly bakery opens in New York

An allergen-free, vegan-friendly bakery has opened in New York. One week ago, James Beard-nominated baker Melissa Weller and restaurateur Jenn Saesue opened the doors to Bub’s Bakery on Lafayette Street, offering everything from plant-based egg and cheese sandwiches to dairy-free cheesecake and pumpkin pie. Announcing the opening back in August, Bub’s Bakery posted on Instagram: “Innovation meets classic celebratory treats for everyone to enjoy, no constraints for the patron who wants to taste it all but hasn’t had the opportunity to.”

Starbucks

Starbucks’ holiday menu has been revealed—and there’s nothing vegan

When Starbucks’ fall menu dropped, we were excited to see several vegan offerings in the lineup, like the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte, for example, and the Pecan Oatmilk Cortado. But unfortunately, the Starbucks holiday menu has not delivered in the same way. In fact, there are zero festive vegan offerings this year.

That said, it’s not all bad news for dairy-free fans of the coffee chain. Oatmilk Apple Crisp drinks are officially back on the chain’s fall menu, but only for a limited time. Apple Crisp Cold Foam, which can be requested vegan, has also returned. 

Planted

Subway just launched a vegan chicken sandwich in this country because of just 191 likes on an Instagram comment 

Subway has added a new vegan chicken teriyaki sandwich to the menu in Switzerland, all because of a playful Instagram exchange. After the country’s Federal Supreme Court ruled that the word “chicken” could no longer be used on Swiss brand Planted’s meat-free products, the vegan company posted about its disappointment on Instagram. 

Subway commented on the post at the time, stating: “If we get 10 likes on this comment, we will support @eatplanted by ordering your planted-not-calling-it-chicken-anymore products at Subway.” The comment got 191 likes in the end, and now the vegan chicken sandwich is finally here. 

“This collaboration marks an exciting milestone in making delicious, sustainable proteins even more accessible to everyone, everywhere,” Planted posted on Instagram. “Together with Subway Switzerland, we’re proving that plant-based eating can be tasty, satisfying, and better for the planet.”

Bettani Farms

Is this rebranded vegan food tech company finally going to give us super stretchy cheese pulls?

Bettani Farms, formerly known as Climax Foods, has raised $6.5 million in Series A funding and has undergone a major rebrand. The food tech company is on a mission to make vegan cheese better than ever with its proprietary ingredient, Caseed, which behaves just like the dairy protein casein. 

“Bettani is poised to do for pizza what oat milk has done for coffee,” promises new CEO Sandeep Patel. “Just as oat won coffee over the last five years with its superior taste, mouthfeel, performance, and allergen profile, our Caseed-powered cheeses deliver the melt, stretch, texture, and flavor consumers crave in pizza and other hot foods—without the allergens and high carbon footprint of dairy.”

Bero

Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr. team up for two accidentally vegan launches

Non-alcoholic beer brand Bero, co-founded by Tom Holland, and Happy Coffee, co-founded by Robert Downey Jr., have teamed up on new accidentally vegan products: BERO Coffee Draught & Happy Eternal Hoptimist ground coffee. The former is a smooth stout-style, coffee-flavored alcohol-free beer, while the latter blends coffee beans and Bero’s own hops to create a unique ground coffee.

“This is the kind of collaboration you can only do with a friend,” said Holland. “Robert knows coffee better than anyone, and we wanted to bring that same level of care to a beer that celebrates what both our brands stand for: quality, craft, and a premium experience in every sip.”

Pexels

The European Union votes to ban ‘burger’ and other ‘meat’ terms for vegan food

The European Parliament has voted that plant-based brands cannot use meat-related words on their products. This includes words like “burger,” “bacon,” and “sausage,” for example. The decision is not final, however. It is still subject to approval, and now moves to the next stage of the legislative process. Next, the ban will need the backing of the European Commission as well as the governments of the 27 member countries.

The Better Meat Co

Time names mycoprotein as one of 2025’s “best inventions”

Time magazine has named The Better Meat Co.’s Rhiza mycoprotein as one of the Best Inventions of 2025. The Sacramento-based startup uses a proprietary fermentation process to turn microscopic fungi into mycoprotein in just a few hours. The result is a nutrient-rich whole food with a naturally meaty taste and texture, packed with protein, fiber, and iron.

“The future is fungi, and it’s delicious too,” Paul Shapiro, Better Meat Co. CEO, said in a statement. “With Rhiza mycoprotein, we can offer food companies a high-protein, all-natural ingredient that proves the sustainable option can also be the most affordable.”

New vegan salami launches nationwide

Renegade Foods has launched a new line of vegan salami sticks in flavors like Smoky Soppressata, Sweet Toscana, and Spicy Chorizo. Each stick packs more than 13 grams of protein per serving and is available in nine-piece packs through Renegade Foods’ website and on Amazon.

“We are all on the go and our need for a quick and satiating snack that’s good for you and delivers a punch of protein is sorely needed in the space,” said Iona Campbell, CEO and Co-Founder of Renegade Foods. “We have heard the feedback and have released our delicious and convenient artisan vegan salami sticks.”

Lion Dance Cafe

Lion Dance Cafe is looking to self-publish the world’s first vegan Singaporean cookbook, then leave

C-Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge, the duo behind Oakland’s award-winning Lion Dance Cafe, are beginning a new chapter in Singapore next year. But before they go, they’re gearing up to self-publish the first-ever vegan Singaporean cookbook—and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to make it happen.

“You’ve been asking us for a cookbook for over 10 years now, from when we were just starting out as the S+M Vegan pop-up,” the pair wrote on Kickstarter. “We are now closer than ever—by backing this project, you’ll help us bring our cookbook into your kitchen!”

Find out more about the Kickstarter here.