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Todays’ conversation in April Food News is about new food companies that you will see on your store shelves in the next 6 months, new and recommended plant based and not plant based items.
Let’s start first with new foods on your shelves, and I use the word foods loosely.
I don’t get it. I am part of the vegan community…. a group that is inclusive, that creates events and cooking classes with lots of interesting vegetable creations that aren’t soaked in butter or cream but still bring the flavor. Some classes are taught for Meatless Mondays and some things have ‘add ons’ for meat eaters because I think most households have one maybe two vegans and the rest, meat eaters. For example, last weekend we did a Vegan Pizza Party with Pinot Noir or Craft Beer Pairing. I did bring some pieces of bbq chicken and shredded mozzarella in a separate container, so that if people wanted to create their own pineapple and bbq chicken pizza, they could. But the truth be known? The Vegan Pizza went fast. I had to cook up more, while the chicken one was part of the leftovers.
And while I am a 100% vegan at the moment, (trying to get 100% healthy), I do believe my personal end game is much like Beyoncé’s …. Vegan 90% of the time (or is it vegan most of the time without a percentage)? Either way, that’s my ‘end game’…..
There are just way too many things I am craving that I make and don’t want to give up for the rest of my life. But that doesn’t mean eating eggs for example every Sunday. It means eating eggs maybe once a month, if that. But what it means more importantly is that I can leave off the butter, hollandaise sauce and Canadian bacon or ham, and still get the eggs Benedict with Hash Browns. Letting the egg run over the bread and potatoes is certainly a treat. And that’s how I see it….. things not vegan are an occasional treat, with normal portion control.
I also will say that I’m disgusted by the films I see of how growers treat animals, so that also plays into my consuming and not consuming animals (that are being abused). For example, outside of the occasional egg I talked about, I no longer crave chicken. You can only imagine my list of chicken recipes I created before becoming vegan …. and I still teach them. I just don’t crave or eat them.
I hope you will take the time to see some of those documentaries. Be mindful and aware is half the battle for sure.
Getting back to new vegan and well intentioned but definitely not vegan products on the shelves in our future…..
Here are the brands, and a little bit about them. (This info is paraphrased from Ana Levley and the Specialty Food News, with my added review and comments, in orange if lifted directly off their page):
Seva Foods was founded in 2017 in San Diego. Whoo hoo! I’m in San Diego too! Their intention is promoting love and compassion through nourishment and the belief that food can be a potent form of activism. You will see Organic Vanilla ice Cream, Freeze Dried Ice Cream and Coconut Jerky. The good news is it’s all plant based and the Freeze Dried items last longer and can stored on a shelf. I like that they created both protein and junk food replacements, organically speaking. It’s not just junk made better.
Next is Maya’s Cookies (pictured above). Maya was frustrated with the vegan cookie options, so she decided to make her own. She’s Southern California based and has won awards at the county fair. You will find really good choices in the cookie arena… very diverse like an area-stuffed chocolate chip cookie. And you can find her online. As with all cookies, not necessarily healthy, but vegan.
We then move down (or up) to Orange County and Kelly’s Croutons. She’s using sourdough bread, organic vegan butter, fresh garlic, vegan parmesan, olive oil, and spices. Again, something vegan and new for salads, but not really a food group.
No Evil Foods…. Finally a FOOD GROUP. Created in 2014 by Sarah Schadel and Mike Woliansky in North Carolina, they came up with plant based saucy BBQ Pulled Pork and Italian Sausage. You can find it in selected stores and online. And you’ll also find BBQ Jackfruit, which is a great pulled pork substitute.
Vegan Rob’s is our last junk food item founded in NY in 2015 by Robert Erlich. I have first hand experience with this company and their staff. While some of the products like Brussel Sprout Puffs taste and replace cheese puffs and they do give money to charity (not sure what percentage), as a Retailer, I’m not crazy about doing business with this company. Too new. Too inexperienced in customer service.
You can find them online. And yes, if you do see them in a store, you probably should try them and get addicted, if that’s a hole that needs filing. I do see how they can replace your chips and puffs at home and be a real ‘contender’.
Healthy Happy Eating,
