As we enter Veganuary 2026, the meat-free category is still under pressure.
Down 4.8% in value and 6.5% in volume, according to The Grocer’s meat-free report in the latest Top Products Survey, the growth we are seeing is increasingly coming from innovation around simpler, whole-food formats rather than highly engineered meat alternatives.
Brands built around tofu and tempeh, such as The Tofoo Co and Better Nature, are among the few posting growth, helped by nutritional credentials and cleaner ingredient lists as concerns about ultra-processed foods continue to influence buying behaviour.
That shift chimes with how shoppers now approach Veganuary. An exclusive poll by YouGov for Veganuary shows nearly a third of UK adults prefer whole-food plant options like beans, lentils, tofu and tempeh, while many others are happy to mix those with meat alternatives.
Rather than a month of experimentation, January is now more about low-risk, everyday choices for quicker cooking with fewer ingredients and products that slot easily into existing meals. Veganuary CEO Wendy Matthews says: “Veganuary has never been about being perfect… it’s less about changing and more about returning to who you already are.”
See what’s new this month for plant-based on supermarket shelves:
Aldi
Aldi has launched its new own-label vegan NPD for Veganuary, rolling into stores from late December through early January.
New additions to its Plant Menu range include Vegetable Burgers (£1.99/227g), made from a blend of vegetables and due in stores from 2 January, Vegetable Popcorn Bites (£1.99/225g) and No Chicken Pieces (£1.99/240g), both landing on 30 December, along with Continental Cheese Alternatives (£1.99/100g/200g) in Not’zarella, Greek Style and Italian Style Grated formats from 3 January.
Also new is Plant Menu Kimchi Pieces (£1.99/200g), available now, featuring a mix of beans and vegetables and positioned for use in Asian-inspired dishes. In frozen, the discounter is adding Gianni’s Vegan Ice Cream (£2.99/473ml) in Caramelised Biscuit, Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Choc Chip Cookie Dough flavours from 29 December, alongside a Plant Menu Salted Caramel Spread (£1.69/350g) launching the same day.
The retailer is also going big on protein staples with new Plant Menu Tempeh Pieces (£1.99/200g) arriving on 2 January and Plant Menu Organic Super Firm Tofu (99p/200g), available now.
The Veganuary range will sit alongside returning Plant Menu lines, including meat-free mince, burgers and chicken-style fillets, which remain in stores throughout January.
Allplants
Allplants has unveiled a trio of tofu and tempeh products for Veganuary.
Tofu Goujons (rsp: £3.50/160g) combine “creamy” tofu with spinach and peas, coated in a crispy crumb.
Meanwhile, Veggie Tempeh (rsp: £3/180g), made with legumes, will debut in Pea & Herb and Golden Lentil variants.
All three products were easy to cook and designed to help consumers eat more plants, according to Allplants.
They have hit Tesco, along with Allplants’ Protein Veggie Burgers (rsp: £3.50/2x90g). They will roll into Waitrose and Ocado in early January.
Crave
Free-from bakery brand Crave is expanding its frozen doughnut range with the launch of Choccy Dodoughs.
The gluten and dairy-free half chocolate-covered doughnuts (rsp: £2.95/three-pack) will launch into Morrisons freezers on 4 January, joining the brand’s existing sugar ring Dodoughs.
The new variant has been developed to tap into demand for more indulgent free-from treats, with Crave pointing to strong performance of its original Dodoughs in Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.
Designed to defrost from frozen, the product also aims to reduce food waste by offering a longer shelf life than fresh doughnuts.
“Chocolate doughnuts are universally loved, but many have long been off-limits for people avoiding gluten, dairy or eggs,” said Crave founder Rob Brice. “Choccy Dodoughs are about democratising indulgence – giving everyone access to that rich, fluffy, chocolatey experience without compromise.”
Waitrose
Waitrose is adding a trio of plant-forward cupboard staples to its Veganuary lineup, aimed at helping shoppers boost plant variety with minimal effort.
Launching on 28 December is a Super Plant Seasoning grinder (rsp: £2.50/42g), blending 10 herbs and spices with a gentle chilli kick, positioned as an easy upgrade for everyday savoury dishes.
This is followed on 31 December by two ‘Tasty Topper’ mixes (rsp: £5.50/300g): a Protein Boost blend with more than 30 plant varieties designed for soups and salads, and a Fibre Boost mix featuring over 20 plant varieties aimed at breakfasts such as porridge and yoghurt.
Juicy Marbles
Premium veggie brand Juicy Marbles has launched its Umami Burger (rsp: £4.95/200g) into 225 Tesco stores throughout the UK.
Made with koji, barley, quinoa, flax, miso and seitan, the burger has been described as the “ultimate veggie patty”.
It contains 22g of protein and only 5g of fat, as well as 179 calories per 100g.
Juicy Marbles said the SKU “hit the sweet spot” between classic veggie burgers and hyper-realistic cuts without sacrificing texture or versatility.
Cauldron
Cauldron Foods has launched Cauldron Express, a new four-strong tofu range designed to cut cooking time to five minutes.
Rolling out into Tesco, the range includes two marinated tofu pieces and two grillable tofu blocks, all positioned around speed, flavour and ease of use.
“Our consumer research identified that tofu is still commonly seen to be tricky to cook and prepare, often resulting in a bland flavourless finish and kitchen frustrations,” said marketing director Lucy Grogut. “The new Cauldron Express range brings delicious punchy flavours, with a five-minute cook time and convenient pressed and dressed formats that address these barriers, giving consumers the tofu ‘ta-da’ moment they need.”
The launch targets shoppers put off tofu by lengthy prep and bland results, with Cauldron aiming to widen appeal beyond core plant-based consumers.
Variants include Teriyaki and Ginger & Garlic Marinated Tofu Pieces (rsp: £2.75/160g) alongside Oregano & Thyme and Smoky BBQ Grillable Tofu (rsp: £2.30/180g).
“Tofu is growing fast, but many shoppers still find it intimidating,” said Grogut. “This range removes the faff.”
Further rollout is planned from May 2026.
Bosh
Vegan cookery brand Bosh has added frozen ready meals and seasoning blends to its retail range.
Hearty Lasagne, Tofu Tikka Masala, and Comforting Veg Pie, all 400g, will hit Tesco freezers on 29 December, complementing Bosh’s range of chilled meals, already listed by the supermarket.
Each is a good source of fibre and protein, with an rsp of £3.75.
On 16 February, three 120g seasoning blends – Sweet & Smoky BBQ, Citrus & Spice Zesty and Rich & Savoury Umami – will launch into Ocado, each with an rsp of £4.
Suitable for adding during cooking or sprinkled over finished dishes, the seasonings were “carefully crafted with ease and versatility in mind”, said Bosh.
Ocado will also list Bosh’s Nooch Nutritional Yeast (rsp: £4/100g) from February.
“Being able to bring yet more new, great-tasting, convenient, nutritious products to retail is massively exciting for us as a business,” said Bosh.
Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat has announced the launch of reformulated chicken-style tenders.
The Beyond Tenders (rsp: £3) now have a “chunkier breaded coating” which the brand said provides a crunchy bite and increased levels of fibre.
The product can be cooked in the oven or air fryer and will be launching into Tesco and Sainsbury’s in January.
Richmond
Richmond has announced the expansion of its meat-free portfolio with the launch of Veggie Tasty, a new sub-range of veggie-based sausages.
The sausages are made from 42% vegetables including broccoli, carrot, sweetcorn and peas, along with Richmond’s “iconic seasoning blend”.
They are also high in protein and fibre, and promise to offer consumers a “product with a cleaner, more natural ingredient deck”.
The range launches into retailers from December with a frozen line set to launch in March.
Grubby
Plant-based recipe kit brand Grubby has unveiled its largest Veganuary menu to date, featuring 144 plant-based recipes.
Available from 5 January, the range spans global flavours, comfort dishes and a new high-protein selection, with meals delivering up to 47g of protein.
The menu also includes 10 new recipes developed in collaboration with vegan brand Bosh, alongside internationally inspired dishes such as jerk tofu, Thai noodle bowls and Mexican-style tacos.
Grubby said the range is designed to meet growing demand for flavour-led, nutritionally balanced plant-based meals, with dishes averaging 14.6g of fibre.
“Veganuary is unsurprisingly one of the biggest moments in our calendar, and this year we’re going bigger than ever as an official sponsor of this year’s campaign,” said founder Martin Holden-White.
“We know people want vibrant plant-packed dishes that are nutritionally balanced, as well as being quick, easy and fun to cook – our January menu delivers exactly that.”
Better Nature
Better Nature has launched Peri Peri Tempeh.
The brand has extended its tempeh range with the new launch, designed to encourage meat-eaters to ‘Give Chicken The Night Off’.
Better Nature Peri Peri Tempeh (rsp: £3/220g) contains 44g of protein per pack and naturally contains fibre and gut health benefits, as well as being a source of iron, the brand said.
It will be rolled out into Tesco stores this month.
Symplicity
Chef-led, plant-based brand Symplicity has launched into retail for the first time with a three-strong range.
From 2 January, Waitrose will stock Symplicity Burgers (rsp: £4.25/230g), Symplicity Sausages (rsp: £4.25/270g), and Symplicity Vegetable ’Nduja (rsp: £4.50/120g).
The products are made by using lacto-fermentation on whole vegetables to create a “depth of flavour without relying on heavy processing”.
Used in Michelin-starred kitchens, Symplicity was created by chef Neil Rankin and co-founded with restaurateurs Alan and Mark Wogan.
The launch into Waitrose builds on the brand’s reputation in foodservice, where it works with over 1,000 businesses in the UK.
Candy Kittens
Jamie Laing’s sweets brand Candy Kittens has unveiled Smittens, a competitively priced spin-off of its “gourmet” range.
Smittens has debuted with three “edits”: Strawberry Edit, Sour Edit and Blueberry Edit, each with an rsp of £1.60 for a 130g pack.
Described by Candy Kittens as a “fresh evolution” of its signature range, Smittens are larger sweets, featuring a “soft, foamy” base in the shape of its distinctive cat’s head emblem, with gummy, heart-shaped eyes.
The sweets feature Candy Kittens’ recognisable checkerboard design in “full, vivid colour”, which gave Smittens “a look as confident as its flavour”, according to the brand.
In line with the wider Candy Kittens range, Smittens are gelatine-free and vegan.
They are exclusive to the Tesco Group and have rolled into Tesco, Booker, Budgens, Londis and Premier from 2 January.
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