However you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day—whether it’s with your partner, your friends, or on your own—we think chocolate is non-negotiable.
That’s why we’ve rounded up the best boxes of vegan chocolate for the day of love, from classic heart-shaped assortments to decadent truffles and even Turkish delight. It’s not too late to order your favorite sweet treat, just as Cupid would have wanted.
And while you wait for those chocolates to arrive at your door, catch up on this week’s food news. We’ve got the details on everything from build-your-own ramen bowls with vegan hard-boiled eggs at Whole Foods, to a new chip launch from Bitchin’ Sauce, and even a spreadable dairy-free brie.
Bitchin’ Sauce just launched chips designed for dipping into the brand’s signature sauces. | Bitchin’ Sauce
Bitchin’ Sauce is making chips now
If you love Bitchin’ Sauce, there’s good news: the vegan brand is now making chips designed specifically for dipping into its signature sauces. According to Bitchin’ Sauce, the new chips are made with almond oil, are gluten-free, and have been crafted to hold up under pressure. In other words, no crumbling, no breaking, and no frustrating chunks left behind in your dip.
“Our heritage has always been California almonds,” said Starr Edwards, founder and CEO of Bitchin’ Sauce. “Creating a chip made with almond oil felt like a natural extension of who we are. These chips were made to dip, and made to do it well.”
Crafty Counter is bringing a make-your-own-ramen experience to Whole Foods. | Crafty Counter
You can now get hard-boiled vegan eggs on your ramen at Whole Foods
Vegan egg brand Crafty Counter has teamed up with Whole Foods Market on a new build-your-own ramen promotion. Every day through February 24, the company is offering its plant-based hard-boiled WunderEggs at interactive ramen-making tables in 250 Whole Foods stores nationwide.
WunderEggs debuted in 2021 and launched at Whole Foods locations across the country two years later. The hard-boiled vegan egg—made with ingredients like cashews, almonds, coconut milk, agar, turmeric, and nutritional yeast—is designed to look, taste, and function like a traditional hard-boiled egg.
Crafty Counter is also running a social media giveaway alongside the promotion. To enter, shoppers simply need to build a ramen bowl at a participating Whole Foods, snap a photo, post it on social media, and then tag (and follow) Crafty Counter. The prize? Six trays of hard-boiled WunderEggs. Count us in.
Kettle just added two new vegan flavors to its potato chip lineup. | Kettle
Kettle launches two new spicy vegan flavors
Potato chip lovers, this one’s for you. Kettle has just launched two new flavors—spicy kimchi and smoky buffalo—and both are vegan.
According to the brand, smoky buffalo combines “bold heat with rich, smoky undertones,” while spicy kimchi, made with avocado oil, delivers a punchy blend of “tang, garlic, and heat.”
Kettle already offers several vegan-friendly flavors. For more, check out our guide to the brand here.
RIND’s new product offers a delicious twist on dairy-free brie. | RIND
RIND launches new spreadable vegan Brie
RIND, a New York-based brand specializing in dairy-free artisanal cheese, has launched brie crème. The new offering is a spreadable, plant-based take on traditional brie, made with cultured cashews and tofu instead of dairy. Initially, brie crème will be available exclusively to wholesale customers.
“After months of development, we’re finally ready to introduce brie crème,” said RIND’s co-founder Dina DiCenso. “We focused on perfecting its rich, spreadable texture and flavor, creating an offering that’s unique to the market. It’s a delicious new addition to our lineup of aged, artisanal vegan cheeses—one we love, and hope our customers love just as much!”
Oatly
Oatly isn’t allowed to say ‘milk’ in the UK anymore
The UK Supreme Court has ruled that Oatly can no longer use the word “milk” to market its products, including its signature slogan, “Post Milk Generation.” The decision follows a lengthy legal battle with Dairy UK, which argued that using the term “milk” to promote oat-based products was misleading to consumers.
However, research suggests that terms traditionally associated with animal products—such as milk, bacon, and sausages—do not generally confuse shoppers when used for plant-based alternatives. Still, similar moves around the world have tried to restrict the language that plant-based brands can use to market their products.
BECOME A VEGNEWS VIP: Get exclusive product deals, freebies, and perks galore!
“We are deeply disappointed by today’s UK Supreme Court ruling,” Bryan Carroll, General Manager for Oatly UK and Ireland, said in a statement. “At Oatly, we will always stand up for what is right, and in our view, prohibiting the trademarking of the slogan ‘Post Milk Generation’ for use on our products in the UK is a way to stifle competition and is not in the interests of the British public. This decision creates unnecessary confusion and an uneven playing field for plant-based products that solely benefits Big Dairy.”
“Despite today’s ruling, we remain committed to driving positive change and advocating for a food system that helps people eat better without recklessly taxing the planet’s resources,” Carroll continued. “And rest assured, we’ll be finding a way to get our ‘Post Milk Generation’ merchandise into the hands of our brilliant community.”
Red Bamboo, a New York vegan institution, is closing. | Red Bamboo
Famed vegan New York restaurant Red Bamboo is closing after 24 years
Red Bamboo, a popular vegan restaurant in New York’s Greenwich Village, is closing its doors for good. The longtime favorite was known for its pioneering approach to plant-based comfort food, with a menu beloved for vegan takes on meaty classics like barbecue ribs and sesame beef.
“We are so grateful for all of the love and support that you’ve shown us over the years, and we hope that you find time to celebrate with us before we close on the 28th,” a statement on Red Bamboo’s website reads.
The statement also encourages fans to support the restaurant by purchasing merchandise or contributing to its GoFundMe page. At the time of writing, the fundraiser—which details the restaurant’s struggles since the pandemic, including rising rents and costly structural repairs—has raised just over $44,300 of its $100,000 goal.
“With your help, we hope we can continue to serve the vegan community,” the GoFundMe page reads.
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.
