Frozen food distributor Central Foods urges foodservice operators to plan for National Vegetarian Week 2017

Chefs and caterers are being urged to plan ahead for National Vegetarian Week 2017, which runs from 15^th to 21^st May.

The special week aims to encourage people to go veggie for a week and enjoy delicious, exciting food.

With growing numbers of consumers choosing either a vegan or vegetarian diet, it makes good commercial sense for operators to offer a range of veggie options – both during National Vegetarian Week and beyond.

“According to an IPSOS Mori poll last year, the number of vegans in Britain has risen by more than 360 per cent over the past decade. Some 542,000 people aged 15 or over have adopted a plant-based diet, up from 150,000 in 2006.  It’s a trend that shows no sign of slowing,” said Central Foods MD Gordon Lauder.

“To cater for this demand from vegetarians and vegans, there is an increasing number of frozen meat-free products available for foodservice operators and we are seeing a definite increase in demand for these items. In 2016, Central Foods sold almost 6.7 million Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages, which, if laid end to end, would be the equivalent of five times the length of Hadrian’s Wall. The new improved Linda McCartney VegeBangers™ available through Central Foods have been reformulated with reduced levels of salt and fat, which is likely to boost their appeal even further.”

The Linda McCartney VegeBangers™ are part of a range of vegetarian and vegan products available through Central Foods, including burgers, sausages, vegemince and meatballs, made from soya, which provide complete protein. Cooked straight from the freezer, for maximum convenience, they can be served with salads, rice, vegetables and other accompaniments, very often as a hand-held snack, in a wrap or baguette, as well as in a dish as a sit-down meal – offering good versatile options for both food-to-go and inside dining.

The Central Foods vegetarian range also includes ready meals, pizzas, pies and pastries, omelettes, various breads and accompaniments, desserts and sweet items.

Visit http://www.nationalvegetarianweek.org/ for more details and ideas about how to mark National Vegetarian Week.

Central Foods, which is based at Collingtree near Northampton, supplies more than 220 independent wholesalers, as well as larger national and regional wholesalers. It also supplies to foodservice caterers across the entire foodservice industry, including pubs, hotels, restaurants, staff canteens, schools, hospitals, coffee shops, football grounds and universities.

Offering a one-stop shop to the foodservice sector, it sources products from around the world and the UK, supplying more than 400 different lines, ranging from meat, bakery items and canapés through to buffet products, desserts and puddings.