At Sandhurst Fine Foods, we stay ahead of the trends and eating habits of our customers, so we know what’s on the horizon for our industry and your customers’ demands.
For some time, we’ve been watching the growing trend of the vegan food market. It’s now becoming so common and requested, that we believe veganism is here to stay. Whether you’re a vegan or not, many customers are now preferring to eat plant-based as part of their diet, thus furthering increasing the popularity of this style of eating.
The emerging market is growing and is set to reach $215 million in 2020, with Australia expected to continue as the third-fastest-growing vegan market in the world demanding the need to adapt to this shift in consumer tastes and behaviour, or risk missing out on customers.
We’re also sensitive to our environmental footprint and try to limit the journey of our product from farm to table.
That’s why our Brisbane production facility is a crucial part of the plant-based product range. People are often surprised at just how much of our produce is sourced locally in Australia and in fact much of it is from the Sunshine State, Queensland.
Our Basil comes from the Torissi Family in Mareeba. Pumpkin comes from Qualipac in Gatton. Our Eggplant is sourced from both Patane Produce near Bowen and Petrucci Produce depending on the season.
We source our sweet Potatoes from Red Rosies in Bundaberg, and much of our other produce such as Zucchinis are processed at our Brisbane plant.
Operationally, introducing plant-based menu options could increase costs and require changes to how your QSR manages operations. However, vegan options offer an opportunity to charge a higher price as consumers are prepared to pay a little more to buy plant-based options.
Use protein to upsell. For example, by selling a delicious vegan salad, offer chicken or another protein as the value add. Capture the plant-based customer and appeal to the broader audience.
Environmentally, vegan production techniques offer lessened land usage, reduces our footprint, greenhouse gas savings, and less water usage. Helping you to stay competitive by pleasing those looking for sustainability in products they choose to consume.
Niche and alternative ways of eating are sure to become mainstream in the future, with plant-based and sustainable food becoming the norm. Let Sandhurst Fine Foods be your supplier of vegan & vegetarian ingredients and create plant-based magic together.
