Italian restaurant chain PizzaExpress are expanding their range of vegan dishes to meet consumer demand, after Mintel shared data revealing that almost one third of evening meals eaten in the UK are either vegan or vegetarian.
To celebrate the rise of veganism, PizzaExpress are offering diners who choose a vegan main on National World Vegan Day (Thursday 1st November) a free portion of vegan dough balls. This iconic starter will be served with their own-brand, dairy-free pestorissa dip.
PizzaExpress now offers a wide range of vegan dishes, including vegan Puttanesca – featuring meat-mimicking jackfruit, and classic Peperonata pasta. For dessert, they have added dairy-free carrot cake to their new vegan menu.
PizzaExpress will also be launching a new vegan Christmas pizza on November 20th in preparation for the festive season.
To meet consumer demand, the chain has also launched their vegan Giardiniera pizza in Waitrose stores, which consists of a classic base topped with artichoke, closed cup mushroom, red onion, black olives, tomato, vegan mozzarella, garlic oil, and finished with fresh parsley.
Richard Mills, head of retail at PizzaExpress, comments: “The launch of our vegan Giardiniera into the grocery range is part of our strategy to broaden our offering around dietary choice.
“It is also set to complement our lighter eating, single-serve Leggera range and gluten-free classic options.
“We have worked hard to ensure each pizza tastes delicious and offers a restaurant quality that families can enjoy at home.”
With popular chains like PizzaExpress offering a large selection of vegan dishes, more restaurants are likely to follow in their footsteps to appeal to consumers opting for plant-based meals.