Plant-based food options pique interest ahead of holidays

The shelves are home to lemon, ginger, and kung pao chick’n.

Nearby, there are calabrese, pepperoni, and smoked beef deli offerings.

But shared among it all, the fact it is plant-based, with ingredients like wheat and beat.

“We don’t care what you eat. We are just here to showcase how easy it can be to eat plant based,” Mike Huget told Kelowna10.

He is the vice president of operations and growth with The Vegetarian Butcher. The store is a hub of plant-based and vegan food in Kelowna.

As traditional holiday meats like turkey and ham fall into short supply, and with people more willing than ever to explore meat alternatives, interest in what is on offer at stores like Huget’s has piqued.

“If you are thinking of changing one meal a year, or one meal a week, or even just for the holiday season, we have something for you,” he said.

For the unfamiliar – or the familiar looking to ease the stress of readying food for the holidays – the shop is offering pre-ordered holiday dinners.

A turkey – with no meat, of course - stuffed with rice, cranberries, and other vegetables, paired with mashed potatoes, stuffing, is available. Pies and a charcuterie board can also be picked up.

“It’s the classics you are familiar with. And if you want it to be plant based, we are here for you,” he said.

Shoppers entering the store, he said, are also often looking to accommodate relatives with allergies over the holidays, be it soy or gluten.

“We’re seeing lots of people who have those questions and are not sure what to do,” he said.

Being able to help those people enjoy a holiday meal or rediscover some long loved food favourites after developing an allergy, brings Huget and the staff great joy.

Many customers are also often surprised with what the store has to offer, especially when it comes to taste. Huget admits plant-based and vegan food was questioned for its flavour not that long ago. Much of it was often described as tasting of cardboard.

But products have come a long way.

“We’ve gotten to the point when many companies have figured out the flavor profile,” he said. “We have a lot of great new and exciting things coming as well, that will remind you of those meat-like products, but no meat whatsoever.”

Price is often cited as a barrier for people who want to explore the world of plant-based alternatives. But as products advance and more and more people make it part of their lives, the cost is coming down.

“For a lot of the time, we are in the same ballpark or maybe even cheaper on some foods,” Huget said. “As the price of food goes up, we are starting to see ourselves be a little more on par with common ingredients that have been around for years.”

The store opened in Kelowna just over a year ago, in the depth of the pandemic. It has a sister location in Vancouver’s Gastown, with stores set to open in White Rock and Langley in 2022.