Who makes NZ’s best vegan sausages?

Who makes NZ’s best vegan sausages?

Once again New Zealand leads the way in plant-based innovations by being the only country to have Vegan Sausage Awards, which take place annually at the end of June. This year the Awards were hosted with vegan restaurant The Butcher’s Son, judging the country’s best and to celebrate our growing love of and preference for resource-friendly plant-based foods.

The stiff competition of some 30 entrants from around 20 different companies was judged by celebrity vegan comedian Tom Sainsbury and former Head Chef at Heritage Hotel Auckland, Gerrard O’Keefe, who was keen to define the best taste, consistency and appearance of the winners.

New Zealand Winner, Grater Goods’ Beet BBQ Banger

The Beyond Sausage was named the Supreme Winner for the second year running. Hot on its heels was the New Zealand Winner, Grater Goods with their Beet BBQ Banger. Logan McLean’s Black Pudding was the winner in the breakfast sausage category and Ananda won the speciality category with their Bambino!

Howler Hotdogs won the hotdog category for the second time, with their very realistic Vege Dog. Kaiaroha scooped the Sausage Roll winner with their amazing Cashew Cheese and Sage.

Sausages are big business and the winners have been in great demand. The Beyond Meats sales and shares has sky-rocketed since the company was created.

Here in New Zealand, the vegan award winners have grown from their single shops to be delivering to supermarkets, with Grater Goods all set to be in New World stores throughout the South Island, in the next six months. Howler Hotdogs have also seen their sales increase in supermarkets nationwide and with this latest win, will hope to see more of the same. From tiny cocktail sausages, giant chorizos are made!

Why do vegans want to eat burgers and sausages anyway? Celebrity judge vegan comedian Tom Sainsbury said in response “Being a long time vegan, and long-time sausage fan, I feel I am perfect to judge these (non) meaty tasty treats. I was so excited to be asked to judge a sausage competition! Have all my dreams come true?”

Did you know?

According to the 2019 Colmar Brunton poll, one third of New Zealanders are cutting down or cutting out meat from their diets and products like vegan sausages are jumping in to take their place. Last year’s supreme winner, the Beyond Sausage, has gone from strength to strength on the retail market both here and overseas. Their fat and calorific contents are similar to that of a meat sausage, but the difference is, there is no cholesterol, no nitrates and no known carcinogens. And with the knowledge that 31% of Kiwis eat sausages at least once a week, it is clear that the popularity of vegan sausages is likely to continue to increase.

See the full list of winners here https://vegansociety.org.nz/awards/vegan-sausage/results

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