VEGANUARY’S upon us once again and if you seek inspiration for going plant-based look no further than GRUB ExtraVEGANza, which returns across the weekend of January 24-26.
Now relocated to GRUB’s new Red Bank base, this annual event offers top notch street food and amazing beers and soft drinks with the complete absence of animal products. Plus: it has now expanded to include a vegan and eco-friendly shopping market in tune with the incredible upsurge in the popularity of veganism.
The number of vegans in Great Britain quadrupled between 2014 and 2019, helped in no small part by the launch of big name products like Nando’s vegan perinaise and Greggs vegan sausage roll.
Street food champions GRUB themselves launched the first ever weekly vegan street food market ‘Plant Powered Sundays’ three years ago and many of the traders who have figured will be there for ExtraVEGANza.
Expect special vegan menus from Oh Mei Dumpling, Chou Choux (French patisserie), Sugar Spun Sisters (waffles), Seitan’s Kebab (doners) and fried ‘chicken’ burgers from Huns Vegan (below).
Alongside the grub there will be 22 lines of 100 per cent vegan beers from local breweries on cask and keg plus the usual selection of wines, ciders, hand made sodas, soft drinks, hot drinks and spirits. The ‘plant powered shopping’ market will feature products such as essential oil candles from Therapy and Scent, handmade chocolate from Dormouse Chocolates and vegan honey alternatives from the Northern Pantry.
Veganuary inspires hundreds of thousands of people around the world to try a plant-based diet for a month each year. Participants sign up here. They’re then supported to try vegan through a series of emails, social media content, membership of a Facebook support group, and a website full of helpful resources like recipes, a starter kit and meal plans.
By the end of their month participants know much more about eating a vegan diet, how easy and tasty it can be, and about the many positive impacts it has on animals and the environment.
GRUB director Jules Bailey told us: “It’s been another year of amazing vegan growth in Manchester. We’ve been blown away by the quality and quantity of new vegan grub appearing. We’re super happy to be providing a great end of Veganuary knees up to celebrate with new vegans, food fans who have been vegan for years or just folk who want to try out some smashing food.”
GRUB ExtraVEGANza, The Red Bank Project. 50 Red Bank, Manchester, M4 4HF. Friday, January 24, 4pm-10pm, Saturday, January 25, 12pm-10pm and Sunday, January 12pm-6pm. Free entry, families and dogs welcome. Full details of the event can be found on the Facebook event page here.