New research has revealed that sales linked to ‘Veganuary’ have soared by 27% year-on-year for UK small businesses.
The survey – conducted UK small businesses in the food and drink, hospitality, retail and health and beauty sectors – shows that 81% who stock vegan produce have expanded their ranges this year to cater to increased consumer demand.
However, with more than two thirds of small businesses in the vegan economy saying that January sales are fundamental to the overall prosperity, owners are urging consumers to continue their plant-based preferences over the entire year. Four fifths say they wished their customers would continue to ‘buy vegan’ for the rest of the year.
One such business is vegan pie maker Magpye, based in Newcastle. Owner Chris Fryer said: “We’ve had an excellent January; our sales are up 35% year-on-year. It’s great to see so many people discovering the joys of plant-based alternatives. Our website has played a key role in this growth, contributing to 90% of our sales, and we can’t thank GoDaddy enough for their support and expertise.
“However, it’s important for our business – and many others – that people maintain their support for vegan produce beyond this month. There are so many vegan products around now that it’s possible to find what you want at any time of the year. We hope that people see veganism can be for life, not just for January.”
Ben Law, Head of GoDaddy UK, that carried out the research said: “Vegan products are by no means new, but have increased in popularity substantially in the last year or two. The market for plant-based alternatives presents huge opportunities for small retail and hospitality businesses. Thanks to GoDaddy’s integrated suite of online tools, it’s now easier than ever before to create an online presence and launch a business that caters to the vegan trend.”