Home » A roadmap for a more plant-forward food service sector 

A roadmap for a more plant-forward food service sector 

How can we mainstream plant-based dishes in food service venues

From rising climate pressures to shifting consumer values, the case for more plant-forward menus has never been stronger. Diners are increasingly seeking healthier, more sustainable meals, driven by environmental concerns, personal well-being, ethical considerations, and dietary trends. 

In the UK alone, demand for plant-based food at quick-service restaurants jumped by 56% in 2024,1 with flexitarianism fast becoming the norm rather than the exception. Across the world, more people than ever before are reducing their annual meat intake, with 51% of Europeans doing so,2 according to the latest Smart Protein Project survey. Meanwhile, 27% of Europeans identify as flexitarian,3 and this number rises to 37% in the US.4 

Despite a growing appetite for plant-based options, the reality in most food service settings remains largely unchanged (though there are also restaurants doing fantastic things, which we’ll showcase later!). Generally, menus are still dominated by animal-based dishes, with plant-based options often treated as an afterthought. 

This article sets out a roadmap for change. Drawing on expert interviews, industry case studies, and the latest consumer research, we explore the practical steps needed to move from the current state of lacklustre and tokenistic plant-based dishes to a future where plant-forward menus are the default, not the exception. So, what’s holding operators back? What’s working already? And most importantly, what needs to happen next?

The current state of plant-based in food service

A snapshot of today’s reality

Around the world, plant-based menu listings are growing, but there is still a low penetration of plant-based options in food service compared to animal-based options. ProVeg research found that just 8-10% of menu items in most European fast food settings are plant-based. Additionally, these options are often minimum effort, overpriced, lack variety, have a limited appeal to flexitarians, and are not optimised for taste, familiarity, or cultural relevance. While vegans are still a minority, the flexitarian segment is exponentially growing, and they are actively seeking plant-based dining options. With this in mind, menus must go beyond simply appeasing what is seen as a minority and aim to please diners by bringing delicious, innovative, plant-forward cooking into the mainstream. 

Who’s doing well?

While the ratio of plant-based to animal-based dishes is generally low across the board, it is important to highlight dining areas that are doing better. In the UK, for example, HappyCow consistently ranks London as the most plant-based city in the world. This is based on indicators such as the number of fully plant-based restaurants and vegan-friendly options per square mile.

A red double-decker bus and cars drive past the iconic Big Ben clock tower and the Houses of Parliament in London at sunset, under a colorful cloudy sky.
Source: Lucas Davies

Since HappyCow’s 2024 report, London has seen a 12% growth of vegan restaurants on the app, boasting over 3,620 total vegan-friendly listings and 154 fully plant-based restaurants.5

Germany’s Berlin also leads the way. The city came second in HappyCow’s dining list for 2025, with over 80 plant-based restaurants and 1,772 vegan-friendly spots across the city. 6

There are a number of reasons why plant-based hasn’t been fully embraced by restaurant owners and chefs, as well as consumers. On both the operator and consumer side, several barriers still need to be overcome before we see a greater uptake.

Barriers for operators:

Perceived high cost: plant-based ingredients are often seen as more expensive than animal-based ones, which can make adding them seem less financially attractive for food service venues.

Operational complexity: adding plant-based dishes can be perceived as a complex undertaking, requiring new recipes, ingredient sourcing, and potential alterations to existing cooking processes. Some operators may lack the knowledge, skills, trained staff, or resources to develop and implement plant-based menu items effectively. 

Supply chain limitations: smaller kitchens or chains with centralised purchasing may struggle to source innovative plant-based ingredients.

Limited demand perception: some restaurant bosses believe there just isn’t enough demand for plant-based options to justify adding more to the menu. They may fear consumer resistance or that the dishes won’t be popular, resulting in monetary losses or reputational damage.

Barriers for consumers:

Options are for vegans, not the mass market: flexitarians drive growth, but most plant-based options and menus are not yet designed for them. Generally, restaurants will segregate their plant-based options on a separate vegan menu or label them with a symbolic vegan designation, which can be off-putting for flexitarians.

Taste, familiarity, health, and price are top concerns: common concerns can discourage some consumers from trying plant-based options in food service establishments. For example, in a recent US study, 40% of consumers said they were worried about not being satisfied with the taste of the alternative meat in meals, while 30% were concerned about paying too much for such dishes.7 People also fear spending money on something they may not like – if they know they like chicken, for example, how can they be sure they will like the plant-based substitute? Familiarity similarly plays a key role – nearly two-thirds of consumers prefer products that resemble foods they already know and enjoy.8

Social acceptance of plant-based food: some consumers may feel hesitant to try something new or different in a social setting. 

A group of people enjoying a meal together at a restaurant, with plates of food, drinks, and desserts on the table. A woman in the foreground is smiling and taking a bite of her food.
Source: Unsplash/Alex Haney

Where we need to go

So, what does a more plant-forward food service model look like? 

  • An increased ratio of plant-based options (plant-based options should make up at least 30-50% of menus) across the sector (including in restaurants, workplaces, and institutions). 
  • Inclusive menus that don’t segregate by diet or lifestyle (flexitarianism is embraced!)
  • Plant-based dishes that are as delicious, creative, and varied as their animal-based counterparts – designed for mainstream appeal, not just vegans.
  • Menus feature both plant-centric dishes and plant-based meat dishes (not either or).
  • Highly visible and accessible plant-based options on menus (easy to find, price-matched with animal-based options, and culturally diverse).
  • Promotions and marketing prioritise plant-based dishes over animal-based ones.
  • Certain ingredients, menu items, and dishes are plant-based by default (e.g. butters, sauces, milks, soups, or desserts).
  • Knowledgeable kitchen and service staff who can prepare, recommend, and explain plant-based dishes with the same level of care and expertise as their animal-based dishes.
  • Increased public procurement of plant-based foods.
  • Heightened public awareness of plant-based options in dining settings. 

Benefits to operators 

Plant-based isn’t just a trend, it’s also good for business! By adding plant-based menu items, you can reap a number of rewards. 

Cost savings: contrary to common belief, plant-based food doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, shifting to more plant-based ingredients can actually save you money! Many plant-based ingredients – especially wholefoods like legumes, mushrooms, and vegetables – are typically cheaper than meat and dairy products and also experience less price volatility. By replacing animal ingredients or adjusting the plant-to-animal ratio in dishes, food service operators can reduce costs. Plant-based alternatives also have greater longevity, and many are shelf-stable, which can help save storage space and reduce the frequency of ordering stock.

Meeting ESG goals and improved sustainability credentials: expanding plant-based menu options can significantly help food service operators meet their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals, particularly the environmental pillar. Compared to animal-based foods, plant-based options typically require less land, water, and energy, and result in lower greenhouse gas emissions. For example, greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods, with farmed animals responsible for 32% of global human-made methane emissions.9 Likewise, animal-based foods use 80% of global agricultural land, yet they provide only 18% of calories and 37% of protein.10 By integrating more plant-based dishes, venues can reduce their environmental footprint, support net-zero targets, and align with corporate sustainability strategies. Socially, it promotes inclusivity, caters to diverse dietary needs, and contributes to public health. This shift can also improve ESG performance metrics and reporting, helping operators meet the expectations of investors, procurement teams, and supply chain partners.

Attracting a broader audience of diners: more inclusive menus can help your food service venue attract a broader market, including diners with allergies, vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians, those trying to reduce their meat/dairy intake, people who like trying new things, and environmentally aware and health-conscious diners. 

Increasing menu sales: interestingly, adding more plant-based options to menus can increase the proportion of plant-based sales without damaging overall sales. During a year-long study of over 94,000 meal choices at three college cafeterias at Cambridge University in the UK, it was found that doubling the vegetarian options – from one in four to two in four – increased the proportion of plant-based purchases by between 40-80% without resulting in a drop in overall food sales. The research team found the biggest increases in plant-based dining among the most meat-loving quartile of customers: those who had consistently picked meat or fish before the addition of a second veggie option.11

What needs to happen – a roadmap for the food service sector

Overcoming the barriers to entry and scale in the plant-forward food service sector will require coordinated action across the entire value chain. Several key steps must be taken to unlock progress:

Increase the ratio of plant-based options

A sign reads VEGAN STREETFOOD 100% PLANT POWERED above a chalkboard menu listing Lasagna & King Kong Salad with prices. A card payment device is attached to the menu board.
Source: Unsplash/Fitnish Media

Menus should reflect the growing demand for plant-based food, not just offer ‘token’ dishes. A target of 30-50% plant-based options, fully integrated across the main menu, helps increase the visibility and accessibility of these choices and increase uptake. By doing so, food service venues will normalise these dishes, since so much about what feels ‘normal’ to consumers is related to what is available! If 50% of the menu (or more) is plant-based, that will feel a lot more normal than if only 5% of your menu is plant-based.

Conducting a menu audit is a great way to make a start on this. What animal-based options do you have that you lack in plant-based versions? Try to offer like-for-like plant-based options for animal-based menu items so that diners have a choice. Additionally, can small ingredient tweaks be made to existing menu items to make them fully or more plant-based with minimal effort and no loss of flavour or texture? Basics such as bread, sauces, soups, pastry, and pasta could all be made plant-based with simple ingredient switches. 

When increasing the number of plant-based items on your menu, start with the easy wins – desserts are ideal, as consumers tend to be less choosy about sweet options. Then, move on to mains and other menu areas, allowing your chefs to innovate and push beyond your established menu. Ensure that you have plant-based options for all meal occasions and formats across your menu (from sides to desserts, and from breakfast to dinner). Give consumers variety!

Wagamama UK

At the end of  2021, Wagamama UK confirmed that it had increased the ratio of plant-based options on its menus nationwide to 50% as part of its Plant Pledge. Along with the increased menu options, the restaurant chain also encouraged diners at the time to reduce their meat and dairy consumption and try something plant-based. As part of the Plant Pledge campaign, Wagamama offered a free plant-based side dish to participating customers to encourage uptake and inspire repeat plant-based eaters.

Today, Wagamama has one of the largest plant-based offerings at a non-vegan chain restaurant in the UK, packed with variety and satiating dishes that diners of all diets can enjoy. 

Default to plant-based where possible

A glowing neon sign in a window reads “100% VEGAN” in white letters, indicating that the establishment offers only vegan products. The background is dark, with faint reflections of lights inside.
Source: Unsplash/Samuel Regan Asante

Taking menu ratios further is the plant-based by default concept, where menu items or ingredients are automatically offered as plant-based. In some settings, and for certain menu items, plant-based defaults can be a powerful way to aid behaviour change, supporting the plant-based food service industry without limiting choice.

For example:

  • The core dish could be plant-based, while the option to add meat comes with a surcharge (e.g. salads, nourish bowls, or curries)
  • Plant-based milks are offered by default, with cow’s milk costing extra
  • Plant-based patties are the default burger option, with meat as an additional swap
  • Dairy-free butter comes with all bread, unless dairy butter is requested
  • The ‘soup of the day’ is plant-based, with the meat or dairy option available by request only
  • Staple cooking ingredients are plant-based by default to make more menu items plant-based, for example, butter or milk in mashed potatoes or sauces. 

Venues could even create blended dishes that swap half animal meat for half plant-based meat to ease the transition of a dish. 

“There is a huge potential to make foodservice more sustainable and healthier by simply substituting animal products with plant-based and blended alternatives. Many Dutch contract caterers and restaurant chains have already successfully implemented plant-based butter, mayonnaise and cooking cream as the default. We also see a lot of them substituting meat with plant-based or blended options. These alternatives taste great and are quickly becoming more affordable, which means there are very few obstacles to implementing them in your business.”

Martine van Haperen

Food Service Expert, ProVeg Netherlands

Prioritise plant-based promotions:

  • Put plant-based dishes first on digital kiosks or specials boards (to encourage time-rushed consumers and those who tend to opt for the first menu choice to avoid overwhelm), and prioritise marketing these dishes
  • Offer discounts, special deals, or loyalty schemes for choosing the plant-based option

With plant-based defaults and prioritised promotions, diners have a choice, but are encouraged, nudged, or incentivised to make the plant-based one. 

Work for price parity and improve ingredient affordability

When it comes to eating out, be it in a university cafeteria or a chain restaurant, price can be a significant consumer barrier, and often a make-or-break when deciding where or what to eat. To make plant-based eating mainstream, these dishes must be priced competitively, especially in cost-sensitive settings. 

Although food pricing is shaped by many factors, we can take several practical steps to close the price gap and drive uptake:

Key strategies include: 

  • Using cost-effective wholefood ingredients such as legumes, vegetables, and grains
  • Getting creative with affordable proteins like TVP, seitan, or tofu (how about making your own meat alternatives in-house?)
  • Working with suppliers to secure bulk-order discounts on alt-protein ingredients
  • Exploring policy support or NGO initiatives to reduce VAT on plant-based meals or subsidise sustainable sourcing
  • Joining collective purchasing schemes or forming cross-restaurant partnerships to buy in bulk and reduce costs at scale
  • Strengthening supply chains to increase availability and lower ingredient costs (more on this next!)

Establish solid supply chains

An assortment of fresh vegetables, including potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, leafy greens, zucchini, leeks, radicchio, and radishes, arranged in a colorful and vibrant display.
Source: Unsplash/Chantal Garnier.

Behind every successful plant-based dish is a reliable, affordable, and responsive supply chain. Yet for many food service operators, ingredient availability, inconsistent pricing, and minimum order sizes remain major pain points when trying to scale up plant-based offerings.

To truly mainstream plant-based dishes, we need to strengthen supply chain infrastructure and improve supplier collaboration. This can be supported in three key ways:

  1. Improve the availability and affordability of alternative proteins and plant-based ingredients

Operators consistently report that core plant-based ingredients – such as jackfruit, dairy-free cheeses, meat substitutes, and even certain pulses or legumes in bulk – are either difficult to source or priced too high for high-volume food service settings.

What needs to happen:

  • Diversify and expand supplier networks so more distributors consistently stock plant-based SKUs
  • Encourage local sourcing of key ingredients like beans, oats, and root vegetables to reduce costs and carbon miles
  • Create more stable supply chains by supporting producers of alternative proteins with better forecasting, wholesale demand data, and guaranteed contracts
  • Encourage government or industry-backed investment in plant-based processing infrastructure, especially regionally
  1. Support bulk ordering and food service-scale procurement

Many alt-protein brands are still geared toward retail or direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales, with pack sizes, pricing, and delivery systems that don’t work for restaurants, schools, or large kitchens. This makes experimentation risky and transition expensive.

Food service-friendly solutions include:

  • Offering bulk formats of plant-based proteins and ingredients at competitive prices
  • Allowing mixed pallet ordering (i.e., combining products across categories or brands)
  • Reducing minimum order quantities or creating food service starter kits
  • Providing transparent pricing tiers for independent versus multi-site operators

NGOs and trade bodies could also facilitate group purchasing schemes for smaller operators, allowing them to access better pricing through shared orders.

  1. Strengthen collaboration between operators, distributors, and brands

More strategic collaboration is needed between all players in the supply chain, especially between brands, wholesalers, and food service operators.

What this could look like:

  • Alt-protein brands directly collaborating with venues to offer menu ideation sessions or co-creation pilots
  • Distributors providing product education, samples, and usage guides
  • Shared innovation between chefs and suppliers to tailor products to specific formats (e.g., grab-and-go versus plated dining)
  • Setting up feedback loops to understand how plant-based products perform in real kitchens

When suppliers actively support food service operators – beyond just product delivery – it increases confidence, lowers operational friction, and leads to more consistent menu success.

Case study

UK chain Oowee (Oowee Diner and Oowee Vegan) has worked closely with suppliers like La Vie, THIS™, and Redefine Meat to test new SKUs, co-market launches, and ensure streamlined delivery. These collaborations have helped the chain launch limited-time offers that drive footfall and generate buzz, while maintaining back-of-house efficiency.

In short, Oowee shows that improving the plant-based supply chain isn’t just about logistics – it’s about enabling creativity, consistency, and cost-effectiveness in the kitchen. The more frictionless the supply chain, the faster food service can innovate and adapt.

Shift the narrative

A variety of Thai dishes on a wooden table, including noodle soup, curry, papaya salad, purple rice, and noodles, garnished with herbs, vegetables, and lime wedges.
Source: Unsplash/Alexandra Tran.

The way we talk about plant-based food matters. In order to attract flexitarian diners, it’s time to move away from a framing that focuses on ethics, sustainability, or health – and towards one that celebrates:

  • Flavour 
  • Creativity
  • Innovation
  • Chef-led craftsmanship

Showcase plant-based options in all their might – share real customer reviews and photos on social media, as well as those from food bloggers. In the same way that you would coordinate menu specials for animal-based meals, coordinate plant-based specials with holidays or awareness days. How about a hearty Sag Aloo pie for British Pie Week? Or a heart-shaped jackfruit and cheeze pizza for Valentine’s Day?

Positioning plant-based as exciting, inspiring, delicious, and future-forward – rather than just ‘the responsible choice’ – helps to reframe it for the mainstream.


Create plant-based dishes that are equal to animal-based ones

Often in dining settings where animal-based options are abundant, the plant-based option by comparison seems lacklustre. How many times have you seen a restaurant menu packed with hearty and flavoursome meaty options, but the only plant-based dish is a salad or a burger?

Plant-based menu items should have as much thought, flavour, texture, and creativity behind them as animal-based dishes do. They should have mass appeal and not just attract vegan diners. For example, if you have a creamy dairy and bacon carbonara on the menu, feature a like-for-like plant-based version – don’t just offer a less inspiring pasta dish to appease plant-based diners. 

Empower your chefs to be creative in the kitchen with different cuisines and dish styles, and ask them to recreate familiar favourites you know consumers will love. Craft a menu with plant-based dishes that are just as creative and tasty as your animal-based options – and diners will be spoilt for choice! Less is not more here.

Make plant-based dishes healthy and delicious

A person holds a rectangular white plate with six pieces of sushi rolls topped with avocado, seasoning, and black sesame seeds. The sushi is wrapped in seaweed and neatly arranged in a row.
Source: Usplash/abillion.

A common misconception is that plant-based food is either indulgent or healthy, but not both. In reality, the most successful menus deliver on flavour, nutrition, and satisfaction.

The focus should be on:

  • Balanced meals with protein, fibre, and wholegrains
  • Diverse ingredients with global inspiration
  • Taking the opportunity to use simpler, wholesome ingredients when they can shine
  • Creating dishes that are indulgent enough for omnivores and flexitarians, while also nourishing

Obviously, this varies depending on food service setting (QSR, for instance, will differ from fine dining!), but plant-based food must be seen as better, not just ‘good enough’.

Review menu design for accessibility and appeal

Menu structure, layout, and language can nudge consumer choices. Therefore, it’s vital that plant-based dishes are considered core to menu planning and are not added as an afterthought. Operators should:

  • Place plant-based options at the top of the menu or within popular sections to nudge consumers towards them. Likewise, place dishes you want to sell more at eye level on cafe or canteen counters. 
  • Use positive and sensory-rich language (‘charred’, ‘crispy’, ‘slow-roasted’, ‘creamy’) to describe and name plant-based options (over identity-based labels like ‘vegan’). Instead, emphasise the diverse characteristics of the dish, rather than its ‘veggie-ness’. In a study conducted at Stanford and published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal, four different descriptors were used for the same dish: ‘Green beans’ (basic description), ‘Light ’n low-carb green beans and shallots’ (healthy restrictive description), ‘Healthy energy-boosting green beans and shallots’ (healthy positive description), ‘Sweet sizzlin’ green beans and crispy shallots’ (indulgent description). The indulgent labelling description led to people ordering the green beans 25% more than the basic description, 35% more than the healthy positive description, and 41% more than the healthy restrictive description.12
  • Avoid segregating plant-based dishes in a separate vegan section. Integrating plant-based items throughout the menu avoids signalling them as niche or secondary. In a study undertaken by the London School of Economics, orders for plant-based items doubled among non-vegetarians simply by including such dishes in the main menu.13
  • Use inclusive icons (e.g., a small leaf symbol or ‘PB’ for plant-based) or colour code dishes, rather than labelling them as ‘vegan’ or ‘VE’ / ‘V’, and highlight provenance or chef inspiration.

Bear in mind that a plant-based dish often sells better when it is not overtly presented as such – otherwise, the impression might be created that the offering is intended only for vegans and vegetarians. 

Find out more about menu design here.

Upskill chefs and kitchen staff

plant-forward food service. A person lifts the lid off a pot in a busy kitchen, with various pans and kitchen utensils visible on the countertop. The scene appears to be taken through a glass divider.
Source: Unsplash/Charles Deluvio.

As we’ve noted, some food service venues avoid plant-based food simply because their staff are not confident working with or creating something new from plant-based ingredients. To combat this, we need to upskill chefs and kitchen staff, helping them reach a point where they are confident and excited to work with plant-based food. 

Plant-based training programmes/courses, and workshops with plant-based chefs can build culinary confidence, offering your staff plant-based cooking techniques, ingredients knowledge, and plating expertise. Make sure to encourage creativity with plant-based proteins, wholefoods, and global cuisines.

But it’s not just those who prepare meals that need attention – educating front-of-house staff is also essential. If they can’t describe and recommend plant- and animal-based dishes with equal knowledge and enthusiasm, flexitarians will not opt for plant-forward meals in the first place!

Get support from policymakers and institutions

A shift toward a more plant-forward food service sector won’t happen in isolation – it requires coordinated support from policymakers and institutions such as schools, hospitals, and universities. Public institutions not only feed millions but also set cultural norms and influence supply chains.

Governments and institutions can accelerate this shift by:

  • Using public procurement to prioritise plant-forward menus in schools, hospitals, universities, and government buildings and events – normalising sustainable meals while driving demand for alternative proteins
  • Making plant-based options the default in public settings, while still offering choice
  • Offering financial incentives, grants, or subsidies to food service operators to support sustainable menu changes
  • Embedding plant-based cooking in culinary education and training schemes, ensuring chefs are equipped to meet evolving consumer expectations
  • Funding awareness campaigns that nudge consumers towards plant-based choices, improving understanding and acceptance

Public procurement is not only a policy opportunity – it’s a demonstration of leadership. When institutions serve plant-forward meals at scale, it sends a strong signal to the private sector and helps to shift both consumer habits and industry norms.

Spotlight on success

Examples of the plant-forward shift in action:

Food service venues across the Netherlands

A recent survey by ProVeg Netherlands found that an increasing number of food service venues – particularly in corporate settings – are making quiet yet effective changes to reduce their reliance on animal products. Out of 25 caterers and restaurants surveyed, many are replacing ingredients such as butter, mayonnaise, and cooking cream with fully plant-based versions, without significant guest resistance.

In addition to full substitutions, many venues are also offering blended products, such as burgers, sausages, and milks that combine animal and plant-based ingredients. This approach helps reduce environmental impact while maintaining the familiar flavour and texture consumers expect.

These blended approaches act as a ‘silent nudge’ toward plant-based eating – effective where full substitution may not yet be viable due to taste preferences or operational barriers. But Martine van Haperen, Food Service Expert for ProVeg Netherlands, stresses that ‘silent’ does not mean ‘secret’:

“Transparency about the composition of products is a basic requirement, as is compliance with laws and regulations. So people will know what’s in their food,” van Haperen added. 

“Interestingly, caterers also told us that the most important success factor for plant-based variants was taste. People appreciate it most when a familiar taste is retained or even improved,” she added. “Over-communicating sustainability and health aspects can lead guests to think that the food might taste different and not as good.”

This shift also reflects public appetite for change. A separate survey of 9,000 Dutch consumers conducted by Kieskompas revealed broad support for partially replacing animal-based ingredients. Crucially, support cuts across age groups and geographic regions.

“The greatest support is for replacing ingredients that are not characteristic of a dish, such as eggs or cream in sauces. But a majority is also positive or neutral about the partial and complete replacement of meat or fish in meals and snacks,” van Haperen said. 

For more information (in Dutch), read here.

The University of Cambridge, UK 

In 2023, students from the University of Cambridge voted in favour of beginning negotiations to remove all animal products from its catering services. The following year, the university’s Student Union voted to make its catering 100% plant-based. 

In response to these votes, CamEATS ZERO, a university-wide working group on sustainable food, made “increasing the proportion of plant-based meals” its number one priority across all Cambridge colleges. As a first step, the initiative aims to make at least half of all college meals plant-based. So far, their work has included launching the CamEATS ZERO Sustainable Food Guidance, and chef training programmes in plant-based cuisine from plant-based restaurants and chefs at Market House in the UK.

The initiative shows great motivation for adopting a more plant-based food service model, with real steps put in place to support college chefs in their plant-based cooking skills. 

IKEA

At the beginning of 2025, Swedish homeware store IKEA added sausages from plant-based meat brand THIS to 19 IKEA restaurants across the UK. THIS Isn’t Pork Sausages are served as part of IKEA’s Veggie Sausages and Mash meal, which includes three sausages with mashed potatoes, gravy, leek and cabbage. Priced at £4.95, the meal provides an affordable and sustainable choice for IKEA customers to enjoy mid-shop.

The menu addition is the latest in a line of IKEA plant-based menu launches around the world and follows IKEA’s 2020 protein balance commitment. The retail giant promised that 50% of the main meals offered in its restaurants and 80% of its packaged foods would be plant-based by 2025.14 The company has been taking other actions to make plant-based food more affordable and accessible, including making some popular plant-based restaurant meals cheaper than comparable meat-based ones.

“We got the feedback from customers all over the world that we need more plant-based options in our range,’ Sharla Halvorson, Health and Sustainability Manager at IKEA, said. “I think companies have an important role to play in turning consumer thoughts and values into action, by making sustainable options more affordable.”15

Halvorson continued: “We know that around 70 per cent of the climate footprint of our ingredients comes from beef and pork. So, if we want to make a big difference here, we need to focus on plant-based products and non-red meat. That’s what the new goals represent and the understanding that that’s where the impact on health and climate comes from.”16

Conclusion – turning momentum into mainstream

plant-forward food service. A person wearing a blue shirt and black apron holds a white plate with a fresh salad, garnished with pomegranate seeds, outdoors.
Source: Unsplash/Lefteris Kallergis.

A more plant-based food service sector won’t happen overnight; it will take time, dedication, and cross-industry collaboration. Luckily, most of the tools to enact this change, along with the consumer demand for more plant-forward menus, are already here. However, adoption needs to be intentional by stakeholders working in food service and influencing the wider food industry. 

Whatever steps you can take to influence menus and/or the future of the food service sector, act now – small changes can lead to big wins

Actionable insights

Don’t know what steps to take first? ProVeg International makes the following recommendations for stakeholders across the food service sector:

For food service operators: where to start

  • Audit your menu. Identify existing dishes that can be made plant-based with minimal effort, such as spreads, sauces, and desserts.
  • Set a plant-based ratio goal. Aim for at least 30-50% of your menu to be plant-based, across all dayparts and formats.
  • Price competitively: Use quality but cost-effective ingredients and work with suppliers to keep plant-based dishes affordable.
  • Revamp your menu language and layout. Integrate plant-based options into the main menu, using sensory-rich language and inclusive icons rather than ‘vegan’ labels.
  • Upskill your team. Invest in plant-based culinary training for kitchen and front-of-house staff to boost confidence and consistency.
  • Default where possible. Offer plant-based milk, desserts, and mains by default, with meat or dairy as optional add-ons.
  • Promote plant-based dishes proactively through specials boards, kiosks, loyalty schemes, and social media.
  • Collaborate with suppliers and brands to access bulk ordering, sampling, and co-branded menu support.
  • Track performance. Monitor sales, feedback, and food waste to refine your approach and build a business case.

For alternative protein brands: how to support the shift

  • Offer food service-ready formats. Supply bulk SKUs, reduce minimum order quantities, and tailor products for back-of-house needs.
  • Provide operator support. Offer training, sample kits, and menu development resources for chefs and buyers.
  • Partner with chains for co-creation. Work with operators to design and test plant-based dishes that meet price and prep requirements.
  • Support marketing efforts. Provide assets, POS materials, and co-promotion opportunities for new menu items.
  • Gather and share data. Help operators understand how your products perform on menus, both in terms of cost and customer response.

For policymakers and investors: where intervention can have an impact

  • Leverage public procurement. Mandate or encourage plant-based offerings in public institutions like schools, hospitals, and government buildings.
  • Incentivise menu shifts. Provide grants, tax relief, or subsidies for restaurants prioritising sustainable, plant-based meals.
  • Fund culinary training. Support plant-based cooking education in vocational programmes and hospitality schools.
  • Back infrastructure and R&D. Invest in regional alt-protein processing hubs and sustainable ingredient supply chains.
  • Raise public awareness. Launch education campaigns that normalise and celebrate plant-based eating across all demographics.
  • Support data and transparency. Encourage restaurants to track and share data on plant-based sales, emissions reduction, and consumer trends.

For more support on your alternative protein strategy, get in touch with our experts at [email protected] and subscribe to our newsletter and podcast.

Gemma Tadman

References

  1.  Vita Mojo reveals 2024 consumer eating and drinking trends, (2024). Vita Mojo. Available at: https://www.vitamojo.com/blog/qsr-consumer-eating-and-drinking-trends/. Accessed: 2025-04-01.
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