It seems that every week in the world of vegan food news is more exciting than the last and this week is no exception. June is when summer really starts to set in and the celebrations have already begun.
Over at Maya’s Cookies, a special Juneteenth vegan cookie set has us craving sweet treats. At vegan chain Next Level Burger, celebrating Pride month means getting a frosty peach shake that supports a LGBTQIA+ organization chosen by team members at each location.
And Dr. Praeger’s is giving birthday celebrations a new spin with its sprinkle-covered Birthday Littles (a bite that hides five different veggies). Read on for more.
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1Maya’s Cookies celebrates Juneteenth
Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day, and Liberation Day, commemorates June 19, 1865—the day when the last enslaved Black Americans were freed, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
For this year’s celebration of the federal holiday, Black-owned vegan business Maya’s Cookies released a special three-cookie Black-History All-Stars collection inspired by poet Amanda Gorman, spirits-disruptor Nathan “Nearest” Green (Uncle Nearest), and the Godmother of Soul, Patti LaBelle.
Maya’s Cookies
These flavors were chosen by founder Maya Madsen from previous collections dedicated to legendary Black Americans and a portion of their sales will go to support Black Girls Code, an organization that empowers young women of color to work in the tech industry.
“For the past 3 years, our Black History-inspired cookies have really resonated with people and I’m thrilled to be able to bring back some of the fan favorites to celebrate Juneteenth,” Madsen said in a statement.
“Donating a portion of proceeds to Black Girls Code was a no-brainer,” Madsen said. “This collection is an honoring of Black excellence and those successes and opportunities should be shared with our next generation of leaders.”
The Black-History All-Stars cookie collection is now available on Maya’s Cookies website and individual cookies can be purchased in-store in San Diego and San Mateo in California.
2Fungi breakfast sausages
Nature’s Fynd uses microbial fermentation to produce its vegan meats which are powered by a little fungi called “Fy,” an animal-free complete protein that contains all 20 amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Another unique thing about this vegan meat is that Fy got its origins from the thermal hot springs found in Yellowstone National Park.
Nature’s Fynd
Intrigued? Well, you can now fynd Nature’s Fynd in more stores because it just expanded its vegan breakfast sausage to 398 Whole Foods Markets nationwide.
“We are optimistic that this expanded distribution will allow more people to enjoy our meatless patties and incorporate sustainability into their daily lives when they shop for groceries,” Thomas Jonas, CEO and Co-Founder of Nature’s Fynd, said in a statement.
“We are a purpose-driven company aiming to nourish people and the planet,” Jonas said.
The Chicago-based company also makes vegan cream cheese using Fy which can be found at Sprouts Farmers Market stores in Original and Chive & Onion flavors.
3Moroccan meals at Whole Foods
In addition to Nature’s Fynd, Whole Foods shoppers will find another new vegan product line on shelves because Mina is making its retail debut this week.
North African company Mina is bringing Moroccan flavors to all 500 Whole Foods Markets locations with four ready-to-eat vegan stews and soups: Hummus Moroccan Chickpea Stew; Moroccan Lentil Stew; Loubia Moroccan White Bean Stew; and Harira Moroccan Chickpea & Lentil Soup.
Mina
“Tradition runs deep in our family kitchen, and our mother Mina’s recipes are at the heart of it all,” Mina’s Founder, Fouad Kallamni said in a statement. “Warm, inviting aromas would fill the air as her pot simmered with rich blends of fresh ingredients, herbs, and spices.”
“Now, we transported this flavorful legacy of traditional stewed beans from Mina’s stove in Morocco to your modern table,” Kallamni said.
While the stews and soups it launched at Whole Foods are made without animal products, Mina is not a vegan company.
4Dr. Praeger’s Birthday Littles
Over at Target, Dr. Praeger’s is helping parents and kids celebrate birthdays (or just the summer sun) with new veggie-packed bites.
The new Birthday Littles come in fun shapes like stars and are packed with five veggies: zucchini, navy beans, sweet potato, cauliflower, and butternut squash. To make them celebratory, the company infused the littles with colorful dye-free and school-safe sprinkles made by Supernatural Kitchen.
Dr. Praeger’s
The new Birthday Littles join Dr. Praeger’s collection of 13 other “littles” that come in fun shapes, including another Brownie Littles, another Target exclusive with hidden veggies.
Other vegan products in this line are Chick’n, Spinach Chick’n, Peas Carrots & Chick’n, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal, and Blueberry Oatmeal. The other flavors all contain eggs.
5Vegan shakes for Pride
This week marks the start of Pride month, a time to celebrate and uplift the LGBTQIA+ community. One way to do that is with a colorful dairy-free shake and vegan fast-food chain Next Level Burger (NLB) has just the thing.
This month’s special is the Peachy Passion Pride Shake made with a base of house-made organic soy or organic coconut soft-serve ice cream that is hand spun with organic peaches and passionfruit, topped with whipped cream, rainbow sugar, and a rainbow love gummy.
Next Level Burger
“From the very beginning, NLB was built on a cornerstone of inclusivity,” NLB Co-founder Matt DeGruyter tells VegNews. “We believe that the new America is an America that celebrates diversity.”
In addition to the Pride shake, NLB stores will celebrate the community throughout June with rainbow-hued “love wins” messaging on its redesigned to-go bags.
“As we celebrate Pride this month, we reflect on how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go for the LGBTQIA+ community,” he says.
Throughout June, all 10 NLB locations will also donate a portion of sales to a local LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization chosen by the team members of each store, including Q Center in Portland, Oregon; Gay City in Seattle, Washington; and The Center on Colfax in Denver, Colorado.
“We’re excited to have some fun celebrating Pride at NLB and making a difference in our communities by supporting the local organizations hand selected by our general manager partners,” he says.
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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.
