© The Fog on the Tyne
PETA UK has revealed the results of its annual Vegan Food Awards, featuring 15 categories. The winners for 2024 are:
Best Cheese: La Fauxmagerie – Brixton Blue
This artisan vegan cheese is made from coconut oil, almonds, and vegan cultures. It has been praised by celebrity chef Theo Michaels, who said, “I was hesitant about vegan cheese – until now. Wow! My tastebuds have just been blown. The Brixton Blue is ripe, creamy, full of flavour, and has a certain brittleness that I’d hoped for. It’d pair perfectly with a serendipitously placed glass of red wine.”
The plant-based cheese is available from Waitrose and La Fauxmagerie’s website.
Best Milk: Oato – Barista Whole
Oato is a fresh milk alternative made in Lancashire from 100% British oats. The products are available from Waitrose stores as well as Booths and the milk delivery service Modern Milkman, which offers the oat milk range in reusable glass bottles.
© Oato Best Vegan Chicken: Chick’N’Sours – Vegan MK2
Created by London fried chicken restaurant Chick’N’Sours, this vegan fried chicken patty is served with green slaw, ginger miso, kimchi, and sriracha mayo.
Best Pie: The Fog on the Tyne – Magpye Vegan Steak & Ale Pie
Located in the town of Gateshead, Tyne on Wear, popular pub The Fog on the Tyne serves vegan pies made by award-winning brand Magpye. The pies contain seitan steak in a stout and onion gravy, wrapped in handmade pastry. They are served with crushed potatoes, peas, and vegan gravy. Those not in the Gateshead area can order the pies directly from Magpye.
Best Ready Meal: Strong Roots – Veggie Masala
This frozen ready meal by Strong Roots consists of spiced chickpeas and cauliflower in a tomato sauce alongside jasmine rice.
© One Planet Pizza Best Pizza: One Planet Pizza – Tex Mex
A pizza featuring a wood-fired sourdough base topped with tomato sauce, red onion, sweetcorn, bell peppers, green chilli peppers, and plant-based cheese. The product recently launched at Morrisons stores.
Best Sandwich: M&S Café – Very Veggie Toastie
This toasted sandwich from Marks & Spencer’s cafés contains seasoned butternut squash, red onion, peppers, vegan feta cheese, and a red pepper tapenade, served on sourdough bread.
Best Cake: Cake Box – Vegan Speculoos Bliss Cake
A rich cake with vegan caramel buttercream, available at Cake Box’s 200 locations UK-wide and for delivery.
© CRAVE Best Doughnuts: Crave – Sugared Ring Dodoughs
Claimed to be the first frozen doughnuts designed to be cooked in an air fryer, Crave’s Sugared Ring Dodoughs are both vegan and gluten-free. They can also be prepared in a microwave or oven, for those who do not have an air fryer. The doughnuts can be found at retailers such as Morrisons and Ocado.
Best Chocolate: Knoops – 38% Oat M*lk Hot Chocolate
Café chain Knoops offers this hot chocolate made with oat milk at its locations across the UK. Fans can also make the drink at home by purchasing chocolate flakes from Knoops’ online store.
Best Ice Cream: DÁPPA – Soft Serve
DÁPPA is known for its almond- and cashew-based vegan ice cream, which can be ordered with toppings of choice at the brand’s store in London. The plant-based soft-serve is also available from various stockists across the country.
© The Shortbread Company Best Luxury Product: The Shortbread Company – Vegan Maple Pecan
Handmade, premium vegan shortbreads from The Shortbread Company. Packaged in a tin, they are said to be ideal as a gift.
Best Vegan Egg: Hedgerow Café – VG Poached Egg
Award-winning vegan café Hedgerow is located in Plymouth Market. Its Feggs Florentine dish features vegan poached eggs on toasted sourdough bread with vegan hollandaise sauce, garlic-fried greens, and fresh herbs.
Best Butter: Lurpak – Plant Based
Danish butter brand Lurpak launched its first plant-based butter earlier this year. The product has received the PETA award due to its “exquisite buttery taste”.
© Lurpak Best Christmas Pudding: Fortnum & Mason – Free From St James Christmas Pudding
This Christmas pudding combines vine fruits with nut-free amaretto and Fortnum & Mason’s Cognac and Pusser’s Navy Rum. As well as being suitable for vegans, it is free of gluten and nuts.
“From high-end to the high street, PETA’s Vegan Food Awards are back with a bang for 2024,” says PETA UK. “With the standard getting higher every year, we can guarantee that these winning products will delight vegans and yet-to-be vegans alike!”
