Cracking open a cold one just got a little more fun with an Olipop x Barbie grown-up soda that’s already outselling eggs at one major grocery retailer. For a little snack with that soda, the mashup of our dreams has come to fruition with Sour Patch Kids Oreos.
Plus, Hailey Bieber just made the dairy-free soft serve of the summer. Read on for more.
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Restaurant news
Veganuary’s new Choose Chicken-Free Week is in full swing through May 5 and there are so many incredible vegan chicken options to choose from.
Restaurants and brands nationwide are participating with special offers and new menu items to celebrate, including sister chains Veggie Grill and Next Level Burger.
Ike’s
Sandwich chain Ike’s is also getting into the chicken-free groove with a few standout sandwiches. The Mel-Lo Kitty features vegan chicken with a zesty orange glaze; the Bonnie-Jill sandwich is a collaboration with actress, model, and sportscaster Bonnie-Jill Laflin; and the Tailor’s Booty is made with vegan fried chicken with zesty orange and yellow barbecue glaze, all topped with vegan cheese.
Veganuary’s Chicken-Free Week is endorsed by Joseph Blair, NBA Assistant Coach for the Washington Wizards, a longtime vegan advocate. “It’s not just a nugget. It’s a soul taken,” Blair said in a statement. “I didn’t give them life, so who am I to take it?
Coach Blair is doing double duty this month as the co-chair, alongside TV personality Bershan Shaw, of DC Veg Week, which will showcase the best of plant-based cuisine across the DMV area from May 6 until May 12.
Scott Suchman
The celebration starts with a VIP party and continues with numerous dining options that highlight innovative vegan dishes at local eateries, including Almeda, El Tamarindo, Equinox on the 19th, and more.
“I’m extremely proud to be a part of this year’s DC VegWeek,” Blair said in a statement. “It’s an honor to stand alongside so many amazing DC area restaurants to promote conscious plant based eating, and demonstrate just how diverse and delicious it can truly be.”
“I hope, through my own experiences and expertise, to serve as a role model for anyone striving to live a more meaningful, fulfilling, and conscious life,” he said.
Grocery news
If you’re headed to Kroger banner stores this week, keep an eye out for a new squeeze bottle format of beloved plant-based Bitchin’ Sauce. The almond-based condiment is coming to more than 1,700 stores in squeeze bottles in two flavors, Chipotle and Dill Pickle, just in time for your Cinco de Mayo celebrations and beyond.
Bitchin’
“With the debut of our Squeeze Bottles, we’re thrilled to offer our customers a new way to enjoy our creamy sauces,” Mike DeGrace, Senior Vice President of Sales at Bitchin’ Sauce, said in a statement.
“The new form factor not only provides a sleek new look but also unlocks endless usage occasions, reaffirming our commitment to making both snacks and meals taste delicious,” DeGrace said.
Eat Just
If you want something new to squeeze some Bitchin’ sauce on, Eat Just has released its first breakfast burritos at Giant Stores. Inspired by the vibrant culinary traditions of San Francisco’s Mission District, these hand-stuffed burritos come in two flavors.
The Skillet Breakfast Burrito features Just Egg, roasted potatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, green bell peppers, and a blend of dill, caramelized onions, and black pepper while the Southwest Breakfast Burrito mixes Just Egg with brown rice, black beans, poblano peppers, and is seasoned with a chipotle sauce and spices like cumin, paprika, and cayenne.
Eat Just will expand the distribution of its burritos to Whole Foods Markets nationwide in July.
Impossible Foods
Speaking of Whole Foods, if you’re looking for a new spot to buy Impossible Foods’ vegan chicken, the grocery chain is now stocking both its plant-based chicken patties and nuggets (in Original and Spicy flavors) for the first time.
“We’re already available in tens of thousands of retail stores across the country, and working with Whole Foods Market allows us to reach even more shoppers,” Peter McGuinness, Impossible Foods CEO, said in a statement. “They’re more conscious about their health and the planet’s health, and are seeking delicious, nutritious food options that match their lifestyle.”
“We look forward to Impossible Chicken being added to their weekly grocery lists,” he said.
Food news
Barbie was the highest-grossing movie of 2023, reeling in $1.4 billion at the box office worldwide—and companies have been launching Barbie-themed products to ride this momentum ever since.
Olipop
This week, Olipop entered the mix with its brightly colored Barbie Peaches & Cream soda and the plant-based beverage is already outsettling eggs at one major retailer. Olipop’s grown-up soda (technically, tonic) was created as an alternative to super sugary beverages with gut health in mind and the Barbie flavor only has 4 grams per serving.
Pick up a case at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Sprout’s, and other retailers and crack it open at the Malibu Dream House.
Cosmic Bliss
In more pink-hued news, a new collaboration between Hailey Rhode Bieber and Cosmic Bliss is bringing vegan Strawberry Glaze Soft Serve pints exclusively to luxury grocery store Erewhon in Los Angeles.
Made with a coconut milk base, the dairy-free soft serve pints are actually a new incarnation of Bieber’s popular soft serve that sold 30,000 units on its first day at the grocery store last summer.
Previously, Bieber partnered with Erewhon on a Strawberry Glaze Smoothie but it was not plant-based as it contains Vital Proteins’ vanilla collagen, which is sourced from beef bones, skin, and cartilage.
Oreo
If you’re hankering for a little treat, Oreo just launched a mashup that we didn’t know we needed: Sour Patch Oreos. These two accidentally vegan snacks have come together in a delightful way that features the best of both worlds: sweet vanilla cookies surrounding an Oreo classic creme flecked with pieces of Sour Patch Kids.
Plus, the brands launched an apparel line that features a crossbody bag, bucket hat, joggers, and a T-shirt so that you can snack in style.
“The Oreo brand is always looking for playful ways to excite our fans,” Caroline Suppiger, Oreo’s Senior Associate Brand Manager, said in a statement. “What better and more unexpected way to do that than letting Sour Patch Kids playfully take over our cookie.”
The new limited-edition Sour Patch Oreos will hit stores on May 6 but you can find them on the Oreo website right now.
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Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.
