Tesco, Yo! Sushi and Hyatt Regency among winners of PETA’s Vegan Food Awards 2014

The demand for vegan fare in the UK has skyrocketed in recent years – the non-dairy milk market grew by 155 per cent in just two years, the market for meat-free products shot up 21 per cent in five years and government surveys reveal the lowest rates of meat and fish consumption in at least a decade. That’s why PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” – had no trouble finding volunteers to taste-test the hottest plant-based products on the market for the second annual Vegan Food Awards.

This year’s contest expanded to 20 categories, and here are just some of the winners:

• Best Dairy-Free Milk: Marks & Spencer doesn’t stop at soya – its non-dairy milk range also includes oat, rice and coconut milks.
• Best Vegan Burger: Fry’s Chicken-Style Burger is irresistibly tasty and made from Fry’s secret family recipe.
• Best Faux Fish: VBites Fish-Free Fish Fingers are popular with adults and kids alike.
• Best Vegan Pasty: Linda McCartney Country Pie is packed with soya mince in rich onion gravy inside a light flaky pastry.
• Most Innovative Vegan Product: IKEA’s Tångkorn Seaweed Topping.

Other winners include the following: Best Egg-Free Mayonnaise – granoVita Mayola Original, Best Dairy-Free Cheese – Tesco Free From Soya Smoked, Best Vegan Noodles – YO! Sushi Vegetable Yakisoba, Best Vegan Menu – Hyatt Regency and Best Vegan Luxury Food Item – Hotel Chocolat Fruit and Nut Frenzy Giant Slab.

“PETA’s winners are the perfect example of how today’s businesses – from the finest hotels to the price-conscious supermarket – are meeting the demand for food that’s healthy, humane and eco-friendly”, says PETA’s Mimi Bekhechi. “With so many delicious products available at the click of a button and at the local grocery store, there has never been a better time to go vegan.”

In addition to causing the suffering of animals on factory farms, raising and killing animals for food is catastrophic for the environment. The United Nations has said that a move towards a vegan diet is necessary to offset the worst effects of climate change. The consumption of dairy products and other animal-derived items has also been linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity and cancer. Whether out of environmental concern, to alleviate animal suffering or for health reasons, interest in a plant-based diet is higher than ever before. Celebrities such as US President Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Anne Hathaway, Jared Leto and Scotland’s own Alan Cumming are praising the benefits of a plant-based diet, so it’s no surprise that Forbes magazine recently named high-end vegan dining a top food trend.