Plant-based boom: New vegan products flood supermarkets and fast food

Several new plant-based products have hit supermarket shelves and restaurant menus in recent weeks. Brands across the US and Europe are expanding their vegan offerings, from ready meals to protein bars and upcycled pasta.

The latest launches include everything from fast-food burgers to dairy-free milks, with major retailers and chains getting involved. In the US, Maizly’s corn-based milks—both original and chocolate flavours—have secured space in 600 additional stores. Meanwhile, Costco is now stocking Elmhurst 1925’s Unsweetened Cashew Milk in a three-pack for $13.69, but only in Los Angeles and Hawaii.

Fast-food chain A&W has also introduced a new vegan burger, now available at all 1,070 of its locations nationwide. Over in the UK, Bosh has added eight vegan ready meals to Tesco’s freezer aisles.

Health-focused brand L-Nutra has released the Prolon L plant protein bar, packing 14g of protein from black beans, chickpeas, and peas. For coffee lovers, Gregorys Coffee has teamed up with Nuzest to launch Protein Buzz, a plant-based protein coffee drink.

In Europe, Planted’s Crispy mycoprotein range has launched in Germany and Austria. Danish brand Wasted has rolled out an upcycled caserecce pasta made from bread waste, priced at 249 Danish kroner ($39) for six 400g packs. Schouten Europe has also unveiled a new vegan tuna, claiming improvements in both texture and taste.

However, not all brands are expanding. Hain Celestial will discontinue its Yves Veggie Cuisine line by the end of the year. On the other hand, Gusta is set to launch vegan deli slices, burger patties, and hash browns starting in October. The wave of new plant-based products reflects growing demand for vegan options in both retail and food service. Consumers now have more choices, from protein-packed snacks to meat-free fast food and dairy alternatives.

Some brands are scaling back, but others are filling the gap with innovative alternatives, ensuring the market continues to evolve.