Marks & Spencers Commits to a Vegan-Friendly Wine Range by 2022
On the 1st November, M&S Food welcomed World Vegan Day with a promise to provide an entirely vegan-friendly, own-label wine range by the end of 2022.
Back in 1998, M&S was the first company to their label wines as ‘suitable for vegetarians’, with a ‘suitable for vegans’ label following in 2005.
70 per cent of the current M&S wine range is vegan-friendly, with popular wines such as M&S Prosecco, Chablis, Vinalta Malbec and Delacourt Champagne NV all sporting the vegan label.
Animal-based ingredients such as egg whites, milk protein and animal gelatine are commonly used in wine production across the globe. However, companies are now substituting these for plant-based alternatives such as pea protein. Modifying vine management and winemaking techniques also means that wines can be made suitable for those following a plant-based diet.
M&S winemaker, Sue Daniels, commented: “We’ve made this commitment as part of our overall aim to make M&S products more relevant to more customers and to take action to reflect their changing dietary demands.
“Obviously, such a large-scale commitment isn’t without its challenges, however, we have been working on alternatives with winemakers for several years and have already seen radical changes in more traditional areas such as France and Spain. We will be supporting the rest of our partner wineries every step of the way towards this goal.”
Earlier this year, M&S Foods launched its vegan-friendly range Plant Kitchen, which comprises of over 60 products including a coleslaw, Cauliflower Popcorn Bites and Cashew Mac & Cheese.
Now, for the first time this Christmas, the retailer is extending its vegan range to offer customers a completely vegan-friendly Christmas dinner. Recently, the retailer also launched a brand new vegan sandwich – the Plant Kitchen Nutcracker Sandwich, retailing at £3.50.