As we look to a healthier New Year in 2022, here are six inspirational veggie victories of sampling campaigns from Veganuary, that all delivered satisfyingly meaty retail results!
VEGANUARY VICTORIES!
1. BELLS & WHISTLES VEGAN CAKES 
The brand
Bells & Whistles make a truly sumptuous range of cakes which are rich, moist and exploding with flavour, using innovative, dairy free and gluten free ingredients. You don’t have to be vegan to appreciate delicious cake!
The retail challenge
Hidden away on the specialist vegan or gluten free aisle, most mainstream consumers don’t see them. If you’re not a vegan or celiac shopper and hadn’t tried them, you might think that a vegan, gluten free brand would not deliver on taste, over an alternative brand which isn’t restricted by dietary ingredients.
The sampling solution
To overcome the discreet position and negative perception of what a vegan cake might taste like, a portable sampling cart was created to engage all shoppers on arrival to store. Taste sampling to mainstream consumers was incredibly positive, but to vegan shoppers with limited choices, it was a revelation!
Retail results
Needless to say, sales were consistently very strong, reaching up to 140 units per store per day, on its tour of Sainsburys and Morrisons across Greater London and major cities of the UK.
2. MEATLESS FARM MINCE 
The brand
A relative newcomer to the UK vegan aisle, Meatless Farm’s range of plant-based mince, sausages and burgers offer a like for like taste comparison with traditional meat options. Their goal was to encourage mainstream shoppers to eat more plant-based meals and substitute Meatless Farm options into shoppers’ regular meat based meals.
The retail challenge
Most carnivorous consumers are suspicious of the drastically different taste experience of lesser plant-based substitutes, so don’t purchase or even consider it. Parents making healthier choices for their families think they’ll get push back, despite their best intentions.
The sampling solution
Portable hot sampling carts fitted with flameless hobs were created and branded using ethically sourced materials, in line with the Meatless brand values. These were positioned in the foyers of Morrisons superstores, to cook up tasters of Chilli “Non” Carne, for all shoppers to see, try and be encouraged buy on arrival to store.
Retail results
Shoppers were consistently amazed by the realistic taste. Record sales results were achieved for the brand, selling upwards of 135 units in a single store, in just one day.
3. OCEAN’S HALO BROTH & NOODLES 
The brand
California based range of wholesome organic broths, ramen noodles, sushi nori seaweed and sauces Ocean’s Halo entered the UK market with listings in Tesco and specialist retailers like Wholefoods Stores.
The retail challenge
The UK shoppers are unfamiliar with who to cook with broths, seaweed and specialist sauces, so without guidance and understanding, many shoppers select more familiar produce.
The solution
Create a visual cookery demonstration based sampling experience, showing shoppers who to blend their hot broth soup bases with ramen noodles, sushi nori seaweed, veg, sauce and seasonings – on a tour across Tesco Extras and a larger scale event day to engage the buyers at Tesco head office.
The results
Over a thousand shoppers were educated on the cooking methods each day, with new brand fans made amongst all types of shoppers. Huge sales uplifts created at each store, reaching over 140 units sold in a single store, in just one event day – with over 1,000 full portion hot lunches serves at Tesco HQ.
4. LEE KUM KEE SAUCES & TOFOO 
The brand
It’s easy to forget that Veganuary isn’t the only consumer focus in January! Chinese New Year is an important seasonal opportunity for Lee Kum Kee who have been making authentic Chinese cooking sauces for over 100 years.
The retail challenge
Despite the brand’s range of high quality, easy to use sauces, many UK consumers don’t feel confident of replicating the same taste experience that they buy from Chinese restaurants.
The sampling solution
The sampling of sauces was brought to life with an oriental themed street side hot food catering cart, to cooking up delicious batches of Lee Kum Kee dishes alongside Chinese veg with noodles, with partnership brand Tofoo.
Retail results
Impulse sales were encouraged with offering rewards such as chopsticks topped with the cutest Chinese Pandas or colourfully branded aprons. Hugely successful activity introducing mainstream consumers to specialist brand, selling upwards of 146 units in a single Waitrose store in a single event day!
5. SOYLENT 
The brand
Soylent is an innovative meal replacement drink brand from the USA which combines soy, lentils and blends them with all the vitamins, nutrients and popular milkshake flavours, to attract busy professionals who might otherwise not have time to fit in their important morning meal.
The retail challenge
Sold in food to go stockists like WHSmith Travel, there is both wide ranging meal choice competition and also a suspicion on how effective a bottle of Soylent is at acting as a genuine replacement for a full breakfast meal.
The sampling solution
As the meal replacement experience requires a whole bottle to work its magic, then short dated stock was allocated to enable tens of thousands of busy commuters to receive a whole bottle, using street sampling outside of stations with WHSmith Travel stockists.
Retail results
Print material with retailer vouchers explained the brand proposition to on the go sample recipients with the coupon aiding retention and converting purchases. The activity helped to both secure and grow their main retailer foothold in the UK.
6. MIGHTY PEA M.LK
The brand
Newly launched Mighty Pea launched its new range of daily milk alternative M.lks made with split peas, into Sainsburys and Marks & Spencers, with tasty natural and blended chocolate, coffee and banana flavours.
The retail challenge
When a new product innovation is as drastic as milk made from peas, both mainstream and vegan consumers just don’t know what to expect; which often leads to more familiar choices being made on aisle.
The sampling solution
Offer chilled taster sip samples poured directly from the stylishly branded cartons, to show consumers what to look for on aisle and let them experience the tasty M.lk alternatives for themselves – and a larger scale exhibition area at Sainsburys HQ to present the stocked range and their latest NPD.
Retail results
Thousands of new brand fans made, amongst vegan, allergy specific and mainstream consumers – with on the day sales upwards of 100 units per store. Over a thousand who samples presented at Sainsburys HQ, with the NPD Barista Blend achieving new position on JS store shelves too.