STORY: Pâtissier Tipiak launches Vegan Cocktail Selection

Pâtissier Tipiak launched its Vegan Cocktail Selection bite-sized canapes exclusively to the UK food service sector in 2020 in response to increasing consumer demand for plant-based products.

Marie-Emmanuelle Chessé, international development project manager at Tipiak, which supplies frozen, authentic French sweet and savoury pâtisserie to the hospitality sector in the UK, explains the process.

“Firstly, we needed to source new raw materials, so we looked for the best ingredients and best sellers in vegan cuisine such as soy milk, almond milk, different vegetables etc.

“In terms of production, we ensure that our vegan products are made at the beginning of the production process to avoid cross-contamination. This makes things simpler. 

“We use good quality vegan ingredients such as vegetables, almond cream and soy milk, and team different flavours together to make exceptional combinations. Taste is undoubtedly very important but creating vegan products that are visually appealing is also key. Think carefully about colours. We also worked on using different textures in our vegan cocktail selection, so, for example, we used soft bread, crackers, tartlets and other baked options, such as muffins and polenta, for the bases of each variety in the range.

“We’ve worked hard to create a unique and delicious range of vegan savoury finger food snacks that are popular with all consumers, not just those looking for plant-based options.

“The vegan market is still growing but starting to become more established, so the sector needs to continue to innovate to meet consumers’ evolving expectations. We search for inspiration from a variety of sources such as blogs on vegan cuisine which gives us ideas for new products and helps us with options for replacing non-vegan ingredients such as eggs and butter. Then we brainstorm, and after that we trial different ideas. It’s all about combining taste, colours, textures and visuals to create delicious plant-based options that will appeal to both vegans and the increasing number of people who are cutting down or reducing their meat and dairy intake. Undoubtedly more people are choosing a plant-based diet, but much of the growing demand is coming from flexitarians who are changing the way they eat. The pandemic has focused people’s minds on health and the environment, and the plant-based market continues to flourish as a result of this.”

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