It seems like everyone and their next-door neighbour has gone vegan this month – and high street chains are cashing in.
LEON has reported that sales of its vegan burgers have actually overtaken meat burgers for the first time.
The ‘naturally fast food’ chain has reported an over increase of 15.5% in year-on-year sales, and the percentage of vegan burger sales has jumped from 41.3% to 56.8% in 2020.
Whether people are dabbling with Veganuary, or making a long-term change, it can’t be denied that the plant-based lifestyle is going to be big news this year.
LEON has been ahead of the curve in that respect, serving vegetarian and vegan dishes since 2004. And the chain has just launched a new vegan option – the Chipotle & Avocado Burger.
Made with a vegan patty, smoky chipotle mayo, freshly smashed guacamole, the new vegan burger is already outperforming the predicted forecast by 57%.
The new burger is the second in the restaurant’s vegan line-up following the success of the original LOVe burger.
With such strong sales, vegan innovations are now replacing meat dishes, and it will be up to retailers and brands to keep up. Almost a quarter of all new food products launches last year were vegan in reflection of this shift.
Meat alternative products now make up almost 60% of total sales across LEON’s 75+ restaurants. In 2019, during Veganuary, vegan sales made up 44% of sales, while vegetarian options reached 10%.
Meat consumption as a whole is changing.
A LEON survey of 3,000 customers has revealed that 55% of people now eat less meat than they did a year ago, many stating that health and the environment were the main reasons for going meat-free.
‘Vegan and veggie dishes have always been on LEON’s menus, but we’re now starting to see the market catch up,’ says Erica Molyneaux, Head of Food at LEON.
‘Sales of our vegan burgers have really taken off, with more than half of our sales now in vegan and vegetarian dishes.
‘It’s always been important to offer food that tastes and does people good, and that includes our range of plant-based dishes – bold, full of flavour and that everyone can enjoy.’
Alongside the new vegan burger, LEON has also launched a new Chilli Con Carne made with British beef, black beans in a dark, rich tomato sauce, spices and brown rice.
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