Which Brand Won Veganuary? Consumers Give Their Verdict

But who won the fast food wars of 2020?

More than 200 new vegan products and menus were launched for 2019’s challenge, according to Veganuary.

And, in the UK, Vegan takeaways are now the UK’s fastest growing takeout choice, increasing 388% between 2016 and 2018, according to research from the British Takeaway Campaign.

This year I noticed so many UK fast food chains smashing headlines selling out of their Veganuary releases that I had to investigate – which one was rated highest by consumers?

I looked at the brands seeming to get the most traction in the media, and then looked at the social data around how people were reacting to the various product releases:

Greggs laughed in the face of competition, raking in 176K mentions with their new vegan stake bake and glazed ring donut, as well as a bean wrap and soup.

Consumers on social particularly enjoyed the steak bake’s pastry coating.

I managed to get my hands on @GreggsOfficial new vegan steak bake (yes that title has caused a stir) I’ve nothing to compare it to, but I thought it was savoury, flaky, tasty and filling. All in all a winner. #nutritioncoach1 #greggs #Veganuary #vegan #pastry #savoury pic.twitter.com/xMvPMbFFvD

— Susan Hart (@SH_nutrition) January 4, 2020

But this is not the first time the Northern bakery chain dominated our news feeds. Greggs released their vegan sausage roll back in January 2019 following strong consumer demand, including a PETA petition in 2018 which was signed by more than 20,000 people.

It was a major success, with 21.3k mentions on the premiere date. People couldn’t get their hands on the rolls with the rate they were flying off of the shelves, and there was a major debate on social about the name of the roll that was boosted by TV chat show coverage.

Greggs’ vegan sausage roll was a huge part of the company’s success in 2019, and they gifted their hardworking 25,000 employees with a bonus of up to £300 this January to celebrate their impressive financial results.

In the shadow of Greggs’ social success lies Mcdonald’s Veggie Fingers (3.8K mentions), KFC’s Original Recipe Vegan Burger (23K mentions), and Subway’s Meatless Marinara (6.9K.)

The most controversial release was Burger King’s Rebel Whopper, with 5K mentions. Many were outraged after it emerged the plant-based burger was not suitable for vegetarians, as it may be cooked on the same grill as meat burgers.

These mentions just go to show the age old tale is true: quality is better than quantity (though Greggs managed to get both).