UK supermarket, Tesco, has released a vegan haggis in the lead up to Burns Night, the traditional Scottish celebration, started by poet Robert Burns.
Haggis is traditionally made from offal, typically from sheep, but the plant-based option is comprised of seeds, pulses, vegetables, oats and spices.
The demand for vegan haggis has soared by 120 per cent in Tesco stores since last year, and the supermarket has responded to the demand with the plant-based version. With the call for a meat-free version being so strong in Scottish stores, it is also going to be trialled in stores in England and Wales.
South of Scotland over the border, the demand for meat-free haggis rose by 700 per cent, proving the demand for a vegan version to be made accessible.
The two best-selling meat-free haggis’ are made by Simon Howie and Macsween, both of which have been approved by The Vegan Society, with the accreditation being added to packaging soon.
Tesco Scottish food buyer, James Lamont, said: “The current clamour for vegan and vegetarian food has really helped send sales soaring for the non-meat version of the haggis.
“Even though vegetarian haggis has been around for a few years, we’ve never seen anything like the current demand – and it’s not just during Burns’ week, it’s all year round!”
He added: “Veggie haggis is a delicious meal in its own right, not too dissimilar to a nutroast and we think vegetarians and vegans are buying them as centrepieces for roast dinners.”
Veganism the biggest food trend of the past year, and the demand for plant-based food increased by 50 per cent in 2018, and the UK meat-free market is now worth £310 million.
In the run up to Burns Night, Tesco will be offering a £5 Burns Week Meal Deal, including a haggis (original or plant-based), a sachet of whisky sauce, a side of neeps and tatties, plus a bottle of Irn-Bru.