Are You Ready for Veganuary?

12th December 2022

As 2022 draws to a close, it opens a period where people begin to look for resolutions, ready for the start of the New Year. Whether they last a year or just a month, everyone must start somewhere! One of the more popular resolutions of recent times has been cutting out all animal products for a whole month. Yep, we’re talking about Veganuary!

Starting in 2014 with only 3,000 participants, Veganuary’s ambition is to get people off meat and show them that the grass really is greener on the other side of both their diet and their future! Fast forward to this year, and over 600,000 people worldwide have taken part in the initiative, having gained a better understanding in the process.

What is Veganuary?

To become vegan is more than just saying goodbye to meat; it’s to protect any living animal and the natural by-products intended for their use, such as honey or cow milk. There is a big environmental focus in Veganuary’s plans. To go vegan for 31 days seems like a simple concept, but the affects are felt far beyond a break in routine. Over 70 million land animals are killed each year for the sake of food production. Not to mention the additional 2 billion fish that are hauled out of the sea. Of course, Veganuary isn’t the only group trying to change this, but what sets it apart from everything else is that everyone takes part at the same time, taking a collective stand against damage done to the environment. So much so, that adopting a vegan lifestyle makes a bigger difference to our environment than giving up your car.

Here at Kara, we aren’t the only ones jumping on Veganuary’s environmentally friendly bandwagon. New vegan additions have been popping up across the country. KFC, Burger King, and Higgidy have all released new products in the spirit of the event. The latter of which being the most recent, with Higgidy adding 4 new products to their line-up, including muffins, pies, rolls and quiches. Of course, no list of this kind would be complete without Greggs’ viral Vegan Sausage Roll, which caused such a storm on social media and brought veganism under the spotlight in mainstream media. In total, more than 1,540 new vegan products and menus were created for this year’s event, with people from 228 countries taking part.

In a recent poll by YouGov, 4% of 2,079 UK adults planned to participate in 2022, corresponding to potentially over 2 million people taking part. With attitudes towards veganism becoming more positive over the past two years, it’s clear to see why Veganuary doesn’t intend to slow down progress any time soon. By 2027, the organisation intends to have 10 million participants, with a social media reach of 1 billion and expanding their efforts to 10 new countries. To give you an insight into how much of an environmental impact their goal would have; with 10 million people taking part, they would save:

• 5 million animal lives
• 1,038,400 tonnes of CO2
• Over 4,000 tonnes of natural minerals and nutrients
• 62 million litres of water

At Kara, we’ve got a variety of wholesale bakery products that will make your Veganuary a great one! From baguettes to sliced bread, we’ll have you prepared and ready, providing the bases for your own vegan adventures. Fighting climate change has never tasted this good!

Pizza

Just because you’ve gone vegan, that doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun! With our vegan Dough Balls, you can add some personal flair to your dinnertime menus, making sure your customers are satisfied, not only with their meal, but their contribution to the cause. Our Dough Balls can also be used on their own as an inviting little starter, but just make sure you check your butter doesn’t contain any dairy before you use it! If you’re struggling to get some toppings together, then feel free to check one of our recipes.

Breakfast Roll

One of the staple meat dishes, especially in the UK. A vegan breakfast roll offers an inclusive and refreshing take on a much-loved classic. However, with only five ingredients going into our soft floured roll, ready to be served in a matter of minutes, why stop at just breakfast? Our Breakfast Roll would be a great addition for any time of the day. Check our our receipe.

Fish and Chips

Bet you weren’t expecting this one, were you? With some tofu and some Thick Sliced White Bread from Fletchers, the possibilities really are endless. For the feeling of being beside the seaside while trying to save what’s in the sea, this recipe is as good as it can get. Why not give our vegan fish and chips recipe a go?

Chilli and Lemon Dough Sharer

Veganuary is about community, a group that takes a stand. A stand they can take by sitting down and tucking into our Chilli and Lemon Dough sharer together. A dish deserving of being ripped into, containing chilli, coriander, tomato and onion. Whether it be as a starter or a side dish, our sharer could be an impressive addition to your menu. Check out our recipe for our Chilli and Lemon Dough sharer.

Date and Butter Bean Salsa

With the start of the New Year, it’s easy to get bogged down with the ‘January blues.’ Insteaveganuaryd of waiting for Summer to come around again, you can bring Summer to you (and your menu) with our Date and Butter Bean Salsa! Bring some life to your Veganuary by infusing it with some Jalapeno peppers, cumin and coriander. Paired with one of our Fully Baked White Sandwich Half Baguettes, this dish has everything to hit the sweet spot.