Tesco launches cookie dough and birthday cake-flavoured vegan ice cream
Vegan ice cream lovers, rejoice, Tesco’s vegan Wicked Kitchen brand has expanded its ice cream range with six new flavours - including cookie dough and birthday cake.
The new line launched in stores earlier this week and the ice creams substitute dairy with coconut oil and lupin protein.
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The birthday cake flavour has vegan cake pieces scattered throughout, while the cookie dough flavour boasts chunks of cookie dough and chocolate chips.
The new range also sees the introduction of a chai latte ice cream (in stores early April) alongside new “Ice Dream” sticks and cones which come in berry white, chocolate and red berry and chocolate and almond - the latter also available in early April.
Each of the new offerings cost £2.50 per tub and £2.50 for three sticks or four cones.
Derek Sarno, plant-based chef and director of plant-based innovation at Tesco said of the new range: “Our plant team want to provide the nation with the best tasting, most satisfying, everyday plant-based food, for vegans and non-vegans alike. We launched our core ice ‘dream’ flavours of Vanilla, Chocolate and Mint Chocolate Chip in October 2020, selling over 100,000+ tubs to date and providing dessert lovers with a delicious treat.
“We’re really excited to be expanding the range to include an even wider variety of flavour combinations that are aimed to please and delight our taste buds without the use of animals.”
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Tesco’s popular Wicked Kitchen range reflects the nation’s changing eating habits.
According to The Vegan Society, as of 2019 there were 600,000 vegans in the UK, a steep rise from 150,000 in 2014.
A record 500,000 people also took part in “Veganuary” this year, the challenge to eat only vegan food during the month of January, and The Vegan Society says it’s largely due to vegan products being “more accessible”.
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“People of all ages and backgrounds are now trying and transitioning to a vegan way of life. It’s no longer portrayed as an unusual choice. In fact, it’s never been easier or more accessible,” the society told Plant Based News.
“With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that more people than ever before are happily following a plant-based diet. [They are] saving on their shopping bills, lowering their carbon footprint and experimenting more in the kitchen.”
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A 2019 report from The Vegan Society also found that more vegan products were being registered in the UK, with 14,262 products registered in 2019 compared to 9.590 products in 2018 - a 49% increase.
