Get to Grips with Veganism

Over half a million people in Britain now follow a vegan diet and that number is constantly rising, so stocking your shop with vegan-friendly items could be a shred move:

What to stock
This can broadly be broken down into two areas - foods that are naturally plant-based and products which can be specifically designed as substitutes. Having a mixture of both will maximise your appeal.

Grab attention
To make sure that you don’t miss any potential passing trade, it would be a good idea to make it clear you cater to vegans. Social media and signs are an effective way to do this. Inside, you could even have a ‘vegan friendly’ section if you have enough products to warrant it.

Consider dairy-free
Vegans might not consume milk, but that doesn’t stop a large majority of them being self-confessed chocaholics! And while there are plenty of ‘vegan’ chocolates available, you could simply stock up on a range of dark chocolate, which in many cases are already naturally dairy-free. Raw chocolate is not only delicious, but will also appeal to a range of health-conscious customers looking to get their sweet fix.

Cover all bases
If you’re not convinced you have many vegan customers then you might be reluctant to buy in oodles of substitute items which have a limited appeal. With that in mind you could still accommodate vegan shoppers by stocking up on food that just so happens to be naturally vegan. Protein is currently high on everyone’s priority list and there are plenty of high-protein vegan foods. Tofu and tempeh are soybean-based products known for their high-protein content. Instead of purchasing them in their raw state, offer up flavoured artisan products which would be more appealing in a deli. Another option is seitan - the marinated versions will likely prove popular.

A word of warning
It pays to do your homework and study the ingredients list. If in doubt, ball the stockist and double check if it is appropriate for vegans.

Read the full feature by Abby Driver in the September issue of Speciality Food