If you’re heading to Coachella this year, you’re probably looking forward to acts like Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, and Karol G—or maybe Iggy Pop, The Strokes, and Fatboy Slim. And sure, there’s plenty of musical talent to be excited about. But we think the vegan food alone is enough reason to buy a ticket. Want to check out the lineup? Find our guide to the festival’s vegan options here—we’re already craving Cena Vegan’s bacon-wrapped Mexican street-style dogs.
But while we wait for Coachella, we’re taking advantage of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale to stock up on beauty essentials (festival makeup, here we come!) and kitchen gadgets. There are plenty of deals, and even more vegan food news to dig into. Below, we’ve got the lowdown on new flavors from Oatly and Elmhurst, a free party from Impossible Foods, a new vegan butter launch, and an act of kindness from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Daiya’s new vegan mac and cheese packs a punch of taco flavor. | Big Box Vegan
Daiya Foods to launch vegan taco mac and cheese at Walmart
It’s safe to say tacos and mac and cheese are universally loved foods. But what about taco-flavored mac and cheese? Daiya Foods’ latest launch brings these timeless foods together.
According to Big Box Vegan, the popular dairy-free cheese brand is set to release a new dairy-free, gluten-free Taco Mac & Cheese at Walmart. And it gets even better—Walmart is also launching its own plant-based mac and cheese: Tomato Curry Macaroni and Cheeze.
The dairy-free mac and cheese gods have heard our prayers.
Oatly is bringing a new, dessert-inspired oat milk to select markets. | Oatly
Oatly is launching churro milk
Earlier this month, Oatly revealed it was bringing two new flavors to the US market: Matcha Oat Drink and iKaffe Popcorn. But the brand isn’t stopping there. It’s also set to roll out Churro, Coconut, and Matcha Strawberry flavors in the Netherlands and Belgium.
“This goes beyond new SKUs—it’s about taste leading the shift to plant-based,” Christiaan van Doornik, general manager at Oatly Benelux, wrote on LinkedIn. “From shake-and-pour matcha to indulgent coffee flavors, these products are built for real cravings and everyday moments.”
Could they end up on American shelves soon?
Protein shakes made with clean ingredients are joining the Elmhurst product portfolio. | Elmhurst
Elmhurst goes all in on protein with a new line of ready-to-drink shakes
You’ve probably noticed, but protein is all the rage right now. Elmhurst isn’t one to miss out on the hype—its new line of ready-to-drink shakes packs 27 grams of protein each. The new Clean Protein range, which is sweetened with cane sugar and monk fruit, comes in four different flavors: Sea Salt Chocolate, Pistachio Crème, Vanilla, and Strawberries & Cream.
“Too often, shoppers have had to choose between clean ingredients and a protein shake that genuinely tastes good, and that’s exactly the gap we set out to solve,” said Heba Mahmoud, Elmhurst’s senior director of brand innovation.
“Elmhurst has always been committed to offering the cleanest, creamiest, and most nutritious plant-based options on the market,” she continued. “Clean Protein was developed to meet those same high standards. We’re thrilled to meet shoppers in a new aisle and bring better plant-based nutrition to more households than ever before.”
Impossible Foods and Big Boi are teaming up for this year’s 404 Day. | Impossible Foods x Big Boi
Impossible Foods is throwing a free block party with an Atlanta hip hop legend
Every year, on April 4, 404 Day celebrates the culture of Atlanta. (Why April 4? 404 is the city’s area code.) Founded in 2012, the event has grown bigger each year, and 2026 is set to be the biggest yet. Expect multiple free music events in Piedmont Park, including a stage dedicated to hip hop, rap, and R&B artists.
But the celebrations don’t stop there. Over at Smorgasburg Atlanta, Impossible Foods has teamed up with Atlanta rap icon Big Boi to host a free block party.
All day, you can feast on Big Boi Double Smash Burgers made with Impossible patties, get glitter tattoos, and enjoy live music. Big Boi is set to perform at around 4pm, and the event will run from 11am to 7pm. Find out more here.
Better Than Butter is making silky vegan butter from coconuts. | Better Than Butter
New Hawaiian coconut milk butter is hitting stores to help fill gap in the category
Have you been on the hunt for a great vegan butter? You might have noticed the category has felt a little lacking lately. But don’t worry—Hawaiian brand Better Than Butter (which picked up a Hot Product Pick award from VegNews at Natural Products Expo West) is on a mission to fill the gap. Its product is made with 96 percent coconut, but according to the brand, it’s “surprisingly buttery.”
The coconut-based butter has been steadily rolling out across Down to Earth locations in Hawaii, and it’s set to land at Besties Vegan Paradise in Los Angeles soon. You can also find it at MogMog in New York and Pavilions in Southern California.
PETA is giving free vegan groceries to TSA workers. | Pexels
PETA gives away free vegan groceries to unpaid TSA workers at Denver’s airport
Workers at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have been hit hard by the ongoing partial government shutdown. In a bid to help relieve the pressure of missed paychecks, PETA has been delivering suitcases filled with plant-based food to airports across the US.
The suitcases contain shelf-stable items like dairy-free milk, vegan jerky, protein bars, and dairy-free mac and cheese, as well as companion animal food, treats, and toys.
“We know TSA agents have a lot to navigate right now, and eating vegan can help them stay nourished and healthy as they keep travelers safe,” said Tracy Reiman. “PETA thanks our country’s TSA agents for their dedication and hopes this donation helps them through these turbulent times—and shows how vegan staples can benefit animals and budgets alike.”
Don’t miss last week’s must-know food news.
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Subscribe
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 shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
