JJ Foodservice has partnered with Quorn to expand its vegan range.
The wholesaler said the move would increase the variety of plant-based options on restaurant and takeaway menus.
The partnership will see Quorn invest in advertising the new range on the JJ website and app.
It will also help JJ to offer the goods at a reduced rate for customers until the end of February.
The new products in the range, targeted at the hospitality sector, include Quorn ChiQin Buttermilk Style Burger, ChiQin Crispy Wings and ChiQin Fillets.
“Vegan diets are one of the most exciting opportunities for restaurants and takeaways,” said JJ chief product officer Sezer Ozkul. “Meat-free innovation is tasty, creative and constantly evolving – it’s no surprise consumers want more.”
It comes as the size of the market for vegan options at takeaways and restaurants is increasing in the UK. Lumina Intelligence data recently revealed the number of people following vegan diets out of the home increased by 11% in Q4 of 2022, compared with the previous quarter.
Meanwhile, sales of JJ’s own vegan range have increased by 19% since 2019.
Lumina MD Jill Livesey said: “Vegan food has gained mass appeal. Three in four vegan dishes or products are not consumed by vegans, but by experimental diners.”
Quorn national account executive Roberta Radzvilaviciute said: “January is the highest-penetration month in meat-free. This, alongside a growing understanding of the impact diet can have on our health and our planet, show that operators need to be taking meat-free on menus seriously.”
Dishes on UK hospitality menus catering to vegans have doubled since 2019, according to the Lumina Menu & Food Trends Report.
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