Pret A Manger Swaps Meatball Wraps For Vegan Alternative Due To Consumer Demand

Following increasing consumer demands for sustainable and animal-free foods during the U.K. based movement, Veganuary, British fast-food chain, Pret A Manger replaces meatball wraps with vegan alternatives.

Since the Veganuary campaign, increasing consumer demand for plant-based foods has led Pret A Manger to eliminate meatball wraps from its menu permanently and feature the vegan substitute instead.

In partnership with British plant-based meat brand Meatless Farm‘s meatballs, the chain has launched a meat-free version of its classic Swedish meatball hot wrap as part of its new vegan range. This new menu item is now a permanent fixture across the chain’s 450 shops in nine countries and will consist of vegan meatballs flavoured with garlic and herbs, topped with a layer of red tapenade, chipotle ketchup, and red onions.

I’m thrilled that we have been able to add a hot vegan item to our already robust vegan range which customers have gone crazy for this Veganuary. At Pret, we’ve never seen a new product come in and shift our best sellers list, and to see it during a lockdown and in less than three weeks says a lot

Guy Meakin, UK Trading Director at Pret A Manger

In a statement, Guy Meakin, UK Trading Director at Pret A Manger said that the new menu hopes to extend support to those who have pledged to go plant-based with the Veganuary campaign. “I’m thrilled that we have been able to add a hot vegan item to our already robust vegan range which customers have gone crazy for this Veganuary. At Pret, we’ve never seen a new product come in and shift our best sellers list, and to see it during a lockdown and in less than three weeks says a lot.”

Aside from this meal option, Pret A Manger launched other vegan options including items such as acai & almond butter bowl, vegan breakfast baguette, vegan hoisin mushroom wrap, and humous & falafel mezze salad among others.

Back in 2018, after the success of Pret a Manger’s three Veggie Pret locations in London and a ‘Not Just For Veggies’ campaign in Hong Kong in 2017, Pret Hong Kong unveiled a vegan summer menu to address Asia’s growing appetite for vegan food.

Morten Toft Bech, founder of Meatless Farm said that the new menu will encourage and promote plant-based foods across the world. “The awareness of the impact intensively-farmed meat has on climate change is driving an increase in ‘ecotarians’ who eat in a way which minimises impact on the environment, and this is something that’s going to be an even keener focus in 2021 as climate change action dominates the global agenda. Consumers are increasingly demanding meat free choices when they are eating out or on the go as plant-based alternatives move from being a specialist option to top-of-menu with demand coming from meat-reducers and the carbon-conscious as much as traditional non-meat eaters.”

Back in December of last year, Meatless Farm announced its expansion in the U.S along with a launch of new products that are slated to release next six months and that it hopes to raise US$75 million in 2021 to fuel its growth across the world.

In January, Veganuary hit a record-breaking 500,000 signups, with people pledging to eat only plant-based food in January 2021, double the number of signups the campaign had last year in January 2019.

Hong Kong burger chain Beef & Liberty also went plant-based for the month of January to support Veganuary with the restaurant’s Lan Kwai Fong location taken over by its sister vegetarian brand, Leaves & Liberty, in order to offer customers a brand new chef-curated meatless menu with a majority of 100% vegan-friendly dishes. 

Lead image courtesy of Pret A Manger Facebook.