It’s official: 2024 is coming to a close, and December’s festivities are nearly upon us. If you’re stocking your cupboards for holiday fun, Trader Joe’s has plenty of new products on the shelves for December (you can find our round-up here!). But if you’re bored of the usual holiday fare, you can check out our guide to cooking a delicious Italian-inspired Christmas feast here.
This week, research implied that certain households might be more likely to step away from the traditional Christmas ham this year than others. A newly published study from Baruch College and the University of Southern California suggested that the people most likely to reduce red meat consumption in the US are those aged over 65, female, and come from nonwhite households. And they’re not alone—King Charles could be joining them. Recently, the monarch’s stepson Tom Parker-Bowles revealed that both the King and Queen Camilla were looking at reducing their meat consumption for health reasons.
Regardless of your food choices this holiday season, the truth is: everyone deserves a treat. Find out where to get everything from free dairy-free mochas to vegan bacon chocolate (yes, that’s bacon chocolate) to delicious festive dairy-free cinnamon buns below. We’ve also got news from the food tech space, fresh information on Oatly’s ongoing legal challenges, and updates on the vegan restaurant scene in India and Australia.
Table of Contents
Holiday food news
If you’re buying treats in the UK, H!P’s new Figs in Blankets chocolate bar with vegan salty bacon is well worth a try. In the US, Cinnaholic has a new vegan holiday menu and Peet’s Coffee is offering free mochas on New Year’s Day.
Cinnaholic launches vegans desserts for the holidays
If you’re craving festive flavors, US cinnamon roll chain Cinnaholic recently announced its new holiday menu, which consists of a Nutcracker Sweet Roll (which is topped with Bavarian candied nuts and creme brulée frosting), an Oh Fudge Roll (which features chocolate frosting, fudge cookie dough, chocolate bark, chocolate sauce, and sprinkles), and CinnaBites (which are basically bite-sized cinnamon rolls). You can also sip on hot cocoa made with plant-based milk and treat yourself to a Wreath Cake (made with cinnamon rolls) and an assorted dessert board.
Peet’s announces free mochas for New Year’s Day
In honor of Pantone’s Color of the Year, coffee chain Peet’s Coffee has announced it will be handing out free mochas on New Year’s Day to anyone who says the codeword “Mocha Mousse.” The coffee chain’s mochas can be made dairy-free with a few tweaks: just ask for dairy-free milk and no whip.
H!p launches vegan bacon and fig chocolate bars
British oat milk chocolate brand H!P is known for its unique chocolate bar flavors (like Salty Pretzel and Cookies No Cream, for example), but for this year’s festive season, it has taken things to a whole new level. The new Figs in Blankets flavor, which combines plant-based bacon seasoning with figs, might sound a little odd at first, but the brand’s founder James Cadbury promises it hits “the sweet spot.” The flavor benefits The King’s Trust charity and is exclusively available on UK Amazon.
Oatly
Food industry and tech news
While the holidays are undeniably a big theme for this week’s roundup, there has also been progress in food innovation—from potato-based cheese to butter alternatives to Oatly’s former president starting a new role with a game-changing plant-based meat brand. Plus, it’s a double mention for Oatly, as recently the UK ruled the company could not use the word “milk” in its marketing.
Former Oatly president moves to plant-based meat brand Tender Food
Mike Messersmith, the former president of Oatly USA, one of the biggest names in the dairy-free industry, is taking his expertise to Tender Food. The Harvard scientist-led food technology brand creates unique, innovative plant-based meat products, including beef short rib and chicken breast, using its own patented technology. With Messersmith as CEO, Tender Food hopes to strengthen its mission and transform the food industry. “Stepping into a leadership role for Tender is a thrilling transition for me, Messersmith said in a statement. “The team has created an extraordinary platform for continued technological development and is on the cusp of a really exciting new chapter.”
Food tech brand raises $8 million to take animal fat out of butter
In more ingredient news, Israel-based food technology company Gavan recently announced it has raised $8 million to replace the animal fat in butter with a highly functional “cutting edge” plant-based alternative. According to the brand, the new funding round “opens the door for Gavan to enter the European food market.”
KMC
Danish company develops key ingredient for stretchy vegan cheese
The dairy-free cheese market, which hit an estimated value of $1.9 billion in 2024, according to some market research reports, has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Thanks to brands like Violife, Daiya, and Follow Your Heart, you can now buy everything from shreds to slices to cream cheese. Danish cooperative KMC believes that with its new potato-based starch ingredient, named CheeseMaker CF66, it can create a vegan mozzarella for pizza that can melt, stretch, and pull just like the dairy version. It hasn’t hit the market yet, but watch this space.
UK rules Oatly can’t use the word ‘milk’ in marketing
Oatly has long used the word “milk” in its branding. One of its most commonly used phrases, for example, is “milk made for humans,” as well as “post-milk generation.” But London’s Court of Appeal recently ruled the leading dairy-free brand must stay away from the term “milk,” as it can only be applied to products made from “normal mammary secretion.”Alex Robinson, the CEO of environmental charity Hubbub, wrote on Linkedin: “This ruling feels regressive but the direction of travel is clear: more people are choosing plant-friendly options. The law will catch up eventually.”
Mr. Charlie’s
Restaurant news
The popular vegan fast-food chain Mr. Charlie’s (a favorite of new investor Mike Tyson), has launched a pop-up in Melbourne, Australia. Plus a new report from Good Food International (GFI) has promising news for the vegan market in India.
Nearly 40% of Mumbai restaurants serve plant-based meat
A new report from GFI India, titled The Next Course: Reimagining Protein, revealed that while the plant-based meat market is still in its “infancy” in India, there has been some positive growth in the industry. The report noted that in Mumbai, for example, 37 percent of restaurants offer plant-based meat on the menu. In Bangalore, it’s 20 percent of restaurants, and in New Delhi, it’s 19 percent. The report acknowledged that while demand for plant-based meat is still low, “targeted education and strategic menu integration” can boost awareness.
Mr. Charlie’s serves up vegan fast food in Melbourne
Melbourne residents who want a taste of vegan fast food from the popular California chain Mr. Charlie’s are in luck. The McDonald ’s-inspired plant-based brand has followed the launch of its Sydney location with a new pop-up in Melbourne. Located at the CoConspirators Brewpub, Mr. Charlies will be serving its burgers and Mr. Frowny meals through December and January.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
