Aldi launches biggest ever vegan Christmas range

© Aldi

Products & Launches

Aldi UK Launches Biggest Ever Vegan Christmas Range, Including Footlong Pig in Blanket

Aldi UK has unveiled its biggest ever vegan Christmas range, featuring a variety of new products alongside old favourites. The range includes what is claimed to be a “supermarket first”, the Plant Menu Ultimate Footlong Vegan Pig in Blanket. The product is made with Aldi’s Ultimate No Pork Sausage and wrapped in smoky vegan bacon. The chain’s regular-sized Plant Menu Vegan Pigs in Blankets will also return this year. As a starter, customers can opt for the Let’s Party Vegan Bites, featuring no duck spring rolls, cauliflower popcorn bites with buffalo dip, and sweet potato bites with katsu sauce. Several new plant-based mains are also on offer: Specially Selected Nut Roast — A vegan melting centre roast with a cranberry sauce filling. Plant Menu Stuffed …

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Albert Heijn

© Albert Heijn

Market & Trends

Albert Heijn Named Most Vegan-Friendly Supermarket in Belgium

Albert Heijn has been recognized as the supermarket chain with the most extensive vegan offerings in Flanders and Brussels, according to a recent study conducted by BE Vegan and ProVeg Belgium. The analysis evaluated the availability of plant-based products in six major supermarket chains: Albert Heijn, Delhaize, Carrefour, Colruyt, Lidl, and Aldi.  Albert Heijn leads the rankings, with Delhaize in second place and Colruyt in third. Notably, Colruyt has moved up to third place, overtaking Carrefour for the first time. “It is mainly the expansion of plant-based ready meals that places Colruyt in third position. There are more options for easy plant-based meals. Colruyt is also catching up in the area of ​​meat and fish substitutes: the offer has increased by 30% since 2022, and …

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Aldi plant-based My Vay range

© Aldi Netherlands

Retail & E-Commerce

ALDI Expands Plant-Based My Vay Brand to the Netherlands

ALDI has rolled out its plant-based My Vay brand in the Netherlands, coinciding with the country’s Week Without Meat and Dairy which took place from March 4-10. The range currently features several plant-based dairy alternatives, including soy, oat, and almond milks along with soy and coconut yogurts. In the coming months, it will be expanded to include a variety of meat and dairy alternatives, including plant-based cheeses. The coconut yogurt has already been recognised in the Netherlands’ 2024 Private Label Product of the Year awards. Dutch consumers voted for the product based on four factors — attractiveness, innovation, purchase intention, and product testing. ALDI previously launched My Vay in Germany during this year’s Veganuary campaign. ALDI Nord is offering more than 850 products under the …

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Aldi fruit and veg

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Retail & E-Commerce

Aldi UK Continues Success Trajectory, Drops Fruit & Veg Prices to Encourage Healthy Eating, Creates 5,500 Jobs

Aldi, currently the UK’s fourth-largest supermarket, operates more than 1,000 stores and employs more than 45,000 employees. Yesterday the discounter revealed it is to create 5,500 jobs as it “continues growing at speed throughout 2024”. Furthermore, this week Aldi decided to drop prices for fresh fruit and vegetables to encourage healthy eating in the UK. Prices for berries, grapes, tomatoes, apples and ready-to-eat salads will be lowered in its biggest price cut so far this year, affecting around a quarter of its range, with prices on more than 50 items falling by an average of 7%. Just last month the chain expanded its Plant Menu range with plant-based smoked salmon slices, which have become extremely popular and are selling out around the country, as well …

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Aldi plant-based smoked salmon slices

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Products & Launches

Aldi UK Launches Plant-Based Smoked Salmon Slices & “Biggest Ever” Vegan Cheese Range

Aldi UK has expanded its Plant Menu range by launching plant-based smoked salmon slices and a new selection of vegan cheeses. The No Salmon Slices are smoked over beechwood for an authentic taste and texture. They have already attracted attention from influencers, with Lilly Assender — who has over 110,000 followers on her Instagram account @foodie_lilly — saying she was “shook at how much this tasted like smoked salmon”. Meanwhile, vegan TikToker @Jadegreenvegan taste-tested the plant-based salmon and rated it 9/10, in a video that received over 12,000 likes and comments. Cheese selection Aldi UK has also just launched its largest-ever vegan cheese range, including three varieties of cheddar alternatives — Sliced, Grated, and Block. Additionally, there is a selection of Continental Cheese alternatives on …

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ALDI, the popular discount supermarket chain, has announced the launch of its new vegan private label brand, MyVay, in celebration of Veganuary.

Image courtesy of ALDI

Retail & E-Commerce

ALDI Launches New Vegan Brand ‘My Vay’ in Germany Expanding Its Offer for Veganuary and Beyond

ALDI, the popular discount supermarket chain, has announced the launch of a new vegan private label brand, My Vay, in Germany coinciding with Veganuary. The introduction of the new brand expands ALDI’s plant-based assortment with vegan products to simplify shopping for customers while providing them with a diverse range of affordable options, said the retailer. The entire My Vay range is vegan and marked with the V-Label, making it easy for consumers to identify their choices. ALDI Nord offers over 850 vegan products, including Shepherd’s Pie, vegan steaks, smoked salmon, soy yogurt, and My Vay Organic Spread Cream, among many others. Meanwhile, ALDI SÜD has an impressive selection of more than 950 vegan options, with everyday products such as oat drink, falafel, vegetable balls, soy yogurt, My Vay Crème …

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Aldi vegan corn dogs

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Retail & E-Commerce

Aldi Launches its Biggest Ever Vegan Range, Predicting 40% Sales Uptick for Veganuary

Aldi announces the addition of several new SKUs to its own-brand Plant Menu range in the UK and states that it predicts a “huge” uptick in plant-based sales of around 40% this Veganuary. The Veganuary offerings, while it is unclear whether they will be permanent or seasonal, come as part of the discounter’s commitment to provide more than 1,000 products in its plant-based range by the end of this year. In Q1 2023 Aldi stated in its nutrition report: “Our goal is to offer our customers 1,000 plant-based product varieties spread across the year in our standard, seasonal and promotional ranges by the end of 2024. To achieve this goal, we are focusing not only on reducing the small quantities of animal-based ingredients in our …

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Aldi launches vegan cheese

© Aldi

Retail & E-Commerce

ALDI Announces it Has Almost Reached Goal of 1,000 Vegan Products

In March of this year, discount retailer ALDI stated its mission to expand its vegan range to 1,000 product varieties. “Our goal is to offer our customers 1,000 plant-based product varieties spread across the year in our standard, seasonal and promotional ranges by the end of 2024. To achieve this goal, we are focusing not only on reducing the small quantities of animal-based ingredients in our products, but also on consistently expanding our vegan range,” commented ALDI at the time. Today the company reveals it has taken a significant step towards this goal and already offers over 950 vegan-labeled product varieties, from vegan cosmetics to plant-based alternative products. Among others, under the ALDI own-brands “Mein Veggie Tag” and “GUT Bio”, the company offers a vast …

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No lamb roasting joint

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Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Aldi UK Relaunches Plant-Based Lamb Roasting Joint in Time For Easter

Aldi UK is relaunching its plant-based No Lamb Roasting Joint first made available a year ago, for Easter 2023. The mushroom-based joint is filled with rosemary and onion stuffing and finished with a pea, rosemary, and panko crumb. It comes with mint and red onion gravy, and is said to be ideally suited to an Easter Sunday roast dinner. When it was first launched last year, the lamb alternative was described by customers as “gloriously flavoured” and “absolutely delicious”. The product will be available from April 4, retailing at £4.49. Consistent expansion Aldi has significantly expanded its vegan range over the past year, launching a selection of Christmas options such as roasts and canapés. For Veganuary 2023, the discount retailer introduced a huge range of …

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Aldi Plant Menu range

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Products & Launches

Aldi UK Expands Plant Menu Range With Battered Sausages, Roasting Joints & More

As reported by Vegan Food & Living, Aldi UK has announced a major expansion of its Plant Menu range for Veganuary. The supermarket chain is now offering three new alt seafood products — No Fish Burgers, No Fish Cakes, and No Fish Scampi. Chicken lovers can enjoy the Battered No Chicken Nuggets and No Chicken Wings, and there are also two brand new duck alternatives on offer — Shredded No Duck and Hoisin No Duck Kit. In what is claimed to be a “supermarket first”, Aldi has also launched takeaway-style plant-based battered sausages. Additionally, customers can choose from Pulled No Pork, Vegan Steak, Organic Tofu, and Roasting Joints in the varieties No Beef and No Chicken. “Plenty of choice at great value” Last year, Aldi …

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Rob Brice Crave

Rob Brice © Crave

Interviews

Crave: “We Have Been the Fastest-Selling of All the Next Big Thing Winners”

This week on UK’s Channel 4 show Aldi’s Next Big Thing, Rob Brice, founder of vegan snack brand Crave, impressed the judges with his veganised versions of British crisp classics. The win secured Rob a retail listing as well as a place in the heart of UK audiences. Crave’s Pickled Onion Monster Feet and Smokey Flavoured Streakers are available on ALDI shelves as of this week. “It goes to show that vegan and free-from can be mainstream,” said Brice upon the win this week. We had to catch up with Rob to find out more! Tell us more about the story behind your vegan snack brand – what made you decide to veganise these British classics? We are all about FOMO (fear of missing out) …

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Rob Brice Crave

Rob Brice © Crave

Marketing & Media

UK Vegan Snack Brand Crave Wins Channel 4 TV Show & Aldi Listing 

Rob Brice, founder of snack producer Crave, is celebrating a victory today following his brand being named winner of the UK TV Show Aldi’s Next Big Thing, as broadcast last night. The Channel 4 show follows British food and beverage startups who are looking to become the next big thing and secure a listing at the increasingly popular retailer, in a Dragon’s Den / Shark Tank style judging panel format. “We almost didn’t enter, as we thought they were looking for artisan foods, and we didn’t think a vegan and free-from brand was what they were after but what the hell. They can only say no right? So, we entered online and thought nothing of it,” says Brice.  Crave was founded in 2020 with a …

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Aldi vegan Christmas range

© Aldi UK

Products & Launches

Aldi UK Launches Vegan Christmas Range Including Roast & Cheese Selection

Aldi UK has revealed its vegan Christmas range for 2022, featuring the most popular products from previous years and a selection of new ones. Mains will include: No Turkey Roast — a soy-based joint with chestnut and cranberry stuffing, topped with plant-based bacon. No Beef Wellington — a soy mixture covered in creamy mushroom paste and encased in puff pastry. Nut Roast — Walnuts and roasted vegetables with cranberry sauce and plant-based Camembert. Vegan Festive Wreath — a dish consisting of butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, and chestnuts, topped with a cranberry glaze, orange slices, and rosemary. Sides and snacks The mains can be accompanied by Aldi’s No Pigs in Blankets, vegan stuffing balls, and plant-based gravy. The chain has also introduced a new range of …

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ProVeg NFH

©ProVeg International

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

ProVeg: There’s No Stopping the Rise of Plant-Based Meat

Several recent reports have speculated that setbacks in the plant-based sector are a sign that the appetite for plant-based food has reached its peak. ProVeg International has recently published an article which explores the sources of this misleading reporting and looks at whether plant-based meat sales have dropped overall. Market data released by data technology company SPINS towards the end of 2021 suggested the plant-based meat market had fallen by 1.8% year-on-year in the four-week period ending 3 October 2021. The number has been cited by a host of articles proclaiming that this signifies the wider decline of the plant-based industry. Other reports have also cited a press release by Maple Leaf Foods, which highlights a decline in its plant-based sales. Although plant-based refrigerated meat …

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BettaF!sh Tu-NAH

©BettaF!sh

Products & Launches

BettaF!sh Launches TU-NAH Pizza in ALDI Switzerland 

German plant-based seafood brand BettaF!sh is to launch its vegan tuna pizza into ALDI Suisse supermarkets. Featuring plant-based mozzarella, the TU-NAH frozen pizza will be available across Switzerland from 6th June 2022.  BettaF!sh claims its Pizza TU-NAH is an authentic-tasting, affordable 100% plant-based, and soy-free offering made with convenience in mind. The alt tuna is sustainably produced with organic fava beans sourced from Europe and organic seaweed from Norway and Ireland. BettaF!sh was named as a finalist in the Best in Positive Impact category at the International V-Label Awards 2021. The BettaF!sh range of TU-NAH Sandwiches is already available at ALDI Suisse in the refrigerated section, while the German alt seafood brand has also rolled out into the Austrian retail market.    

Vegan Favourites Wine Pack

© Aldi UK

Beverages

Aldi UK Launches Vegan Favourites Wine Pack After Plant-Based Sales Soar by 500%

Discount supermarket Aldi has introduced a Vegan Favourites Wine Pack in the UK. The pack contains six premium animal-free wines, including reds, whites, and rosés. Aldi decided to launch the vegan wine selection after its sales of plant-based products soared by 500% during Veganuary. The supermarket introduced a huge new vegan range to coincide with the campaign, including plant-based cheese, bacon, sponge puddings, and ready meals. The Vegan Favourites Wine Pack is available online only, retailing at £59.44. The wines included are Specially Selected Swiss Fendant, Winemaster’s Lot Amarone, La Pergola Rosé, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie, Pays d’Herault Rosé, and Chilean País. Vegan wine in the UK Aldi is not the only UK supermarket to recently increase its range of animal-free wines — …

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aldi uk's plant-based sales soar

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Food & Beverage

Aldi UK’s Plant-Based Sales Rise by 500% in Veganuary

Aldi UK’s plant-based sales soared by 500% last month compared to January 2021, the supermarket has reported. The increase has been attributed to the growing number of people signing up for Veganuary. Aldi launched a huge range of new vegan products to coincide with this year’s campaign, including plant-based cheese, ice cream, bacon, ready meals, brownies, and more. The increased availability of plant-based products at the supermarket may be another factor contributing to the rise in sales. Taking on major brands With its extensive vegan product launches in the past few years, Aldi UK has been intentionally taking on major plant-based brands. The supermarket’s recently launched dairy-free cheese underprices other supermarkets and brands such as Sheese, while its Ultimate No Beef burgers are 60% cheaper …

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Aldi launches vegan cheese

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Products & Launches

Aldi Launches Vegan Cheese in the UK, Underpricing Major Brands

Discount retailer Aldi launches vegan cheese, targeting customers participating in Veganuary. Aldi UK has launched its first ever vegan cheese, sold under the chain’s Plant Menu brand. The 200g Mature Cheddar block is made from coconut oil and is free of gluten and soy. The cheese is also available grated in a 150g pack. Both products will retail at £1.39, significantly underpricing the vegan cheeses offered by supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s and major brands like Violife. Aldi is not alone in launching vegan cheese for Veganuary — Babybel has also just unveiled its first dairy-free mini waxed cheeses in the UK, wrapped in a recyclable green jacket instead of the usual red. Plant-based at Aldi Aldi UK has previously launched plant-based products that …

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Tesco Mince Pies

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Market & Trends

UK: Where to Find the Best Vegan Mince Pies This Christmas

Christmas would not be Christmas without a mince pie. Historically, mince pies contained minced meat along with festive fruits and spices – hence the name – but the modern mince pie is thankfully meat-free. However, most mince pies on the supermarket shelves are still not vegan-friendly, often containing butter, milk, or egg.  Vegan mince pies first hit the mainstream in 2017, with UK supermarket Asda the first to launch its own brand plant-based version with dairy-free pastry. Over the following years, other major UK supermarket brands have released their own vegan versions of the Christmas treat.  According to research by Money.co.uk, Tesco Plant Chef Mince Pies are the best value from the big supermarkets, with each pie costing 21p each. Aldi Free From Mince Pies …

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aldi np beef burger

©ALDI

Products & Launches

ALDI Brings New Ultimate No Beef Burger to UK Stores, Undercuts Beyond Meat by 60%  

After being named at PETA’s Vegan Food Award 2020 as the most vegan-friendly supermarket, ALDI has now launched its new Ultimate No Beef Burger into UK stores nationwide, as reported first by Vegan Food & Living.  Priced at £1.99, the patties are 60% cheaper than those of alt protein leader Beyond Meat, in keeping with ALDI’s budget supermarket strategy. The new pea-based burger comes as part of ALDI’s successful Plant Menu range, which includes vegan burgers, alt chicken, sausages, power bowls, and more.  Aldi continues to offer plant-based products at accessible price points across the globe. In the US, ALDI offers a wide range of products with the Good Housekeeping seal, including the recent addition of 34 Earth Grown products – the ALDI US plant-based …

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