Early Vegans
Many people who transitioned to veganism years ago we’re not afforded the same luxuries as we have today. They struggled to find plant-based alternatives in their local supermarkets. Things like vegan cheese, butter and milk that are so readily available today were almost unheard off. These poor vegans of the past were forced to make plant-based alternatives from scratch. This would often take a lot of research. Additionally many hours were put into cooking with trail and error. Don’t you feel lucky that we don’t have to share that struggle today?
2021
In 2021 vegans have ample choice thanks to the ever-evolving food industry and the growing popularity of veganism. Now going to the supermarket and finding a vegan option is not a monumental task. These days all supermarkets have a ever growing selection of plant based products.
But is it really enough? Is veganism accepted by society in 2021? The plant-based way of life is still challenged. Some still believe the only protein you can get is from animal meat and by-products. The miseducation of the public has played a big role in the common misconceptions behind plant protein. This convenient narrative was created by certain industries in order to further their agenda. Can you guess which industries we are referring to?
Vegan Butter
Vegan butter is an essential ingredient to quite a few plant-based dishes. Up until recently we haven’t seen this many types of vegan butter available on the market for consumers. Now more and more brands are creating plant-based butter options as the consumption of dairy is declining. Food companies are noticing the change in customer eating habits and are responding with more non-dairy options than ever before. Have you noticed an increased in cruelty-free butter options in your local supermarket? Do you finally feel that you’re spoilt for choice?
The Dairy Industry
The horrors of the dairy industry are one of the main reasons most people go vegan. Male cows are used as sperm donors. Female cows on the other hand unfortunately have to endure a lot more than their male counterparts. Female cows are repeatedly inseminated against their will so they can continually provide the dairy industry and consumers with milk. Their babies are ripped from them not long after birth. The males are slaughtered and the females are destined for a life of slavery like their mothers. The life of most cows equates to an endless cycle of murder and slavery. Why would anyone want to consume products from such a cruel industry when there are vegan products that tastes just as good?
Plant-Based Butter Brands
With so many plant-based butter brands out there to choose from it can all get a bit overwhelming. So to help you pick the right vegan butter option for you the team at Caavakushi have put together a list. We breakdown our favourite plant-based butter brands. The strengths and weaknesses of each brand are revealed below in no particular order.
Flora plant butter salted
Everyone’s probably heard off flora butter, but did you know they actually have plant-based options too? In fact they now have a collection to choose from. Flora plant butter is also not the cheapest option available in the supermarket. As a well-known respected brand in the UK they charge premium prices for their products.
Vitalite dairy-free spread
One thing about the plant-based Vitalite is that you won’t accidentally miss it. Well, you can’t help but notice it in the supermarket fridge. That’s all thanks to its use of highlighter colours in its packaging. You’ll definitely be able to spot this plant-based option from quite a distance. It’s a trusted household brand that makes great tasty options.
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Pure dairy-free butter spread
This dairy-free butter spread is definitely a great option. It was definitely one of the favourites amongst the Cavakushi team. Most of us agreed that it tastes a lot like butter. In fact if it wasn’t stated on the tub that the product contains olives we would have never guessed it. Talking of packaging we love the colours and graphics used (very vegan). The team also liked the halo above the R in Pure. It alludes to a purity and innocence of the vegan brand.
Tesco sunflower spread
Tesco is definitely one of the best supermarkets to visit if you’re a vegan in the UK. They have a large ever expanding collection of plant-based products. Their vegan butter range isn’t too shabby either. Tesco sunflower spread is definitely competitively priced. It’s a great option for a vegan on a budget.
Vegan gold butter alternative mouses favourite
A delightful interesting artisan vegan butter. We would also dare to say it might just taste as good as gold. Unfortunately this butter may not be as well known as the other brands we have mentioned. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth a try. Most UK vegan online retailers stock this butter. The team liked the taste a lot. We hope it is stocked in UK supermarkets across the country very soon.
Naturli organic vegan spreadable
The spreadable is packaged in an elegant black plastic tub. We found the packaging to be very unique and different. Not a lot of butter brands would dare to package their products in all black. On the plus side it does help them stand out from the crowd. We also noticed that it does have a distinctly buttery taste.
Flora plant butter unsalted
The Caavakushi team really appreciated Floras efforts when it came to making a great plant-based butter. They took into consideration that not everyone can eat salted butter. The creation of this alternative is perfect for so many people. Especially for those vegans suffering from health conditions such as high blood pressure. The team also loved the new pastel tone packaging of products they’ve added to their plant-based collection.
Tesco light olive spread
This particular vegan butter from Tesco is surprisingly delicious. It has a soft creamy texture that effortlessly melts in your mouth. Even though it’s an olive spread it tastes remarkably like butter. It’s actually much cheaper than the big butter and spread brands currently on the market. The Caavakushi team thought it’s worth mentioning that Tesco’s own brand plant-based products are generally of quite a high standard. This is definitely one of the top contenders.
Mouses favourite slightly salted vegan butter alternative
This plant-based artisan butter is lovely. The slight salting of this dairy-free butter really does make all the difference. This butter maybe a little harder to track down than the others. From what we know it is not available at most of the major supermarkets in the UK. If your interested in trying the butter, it’s stocked in most online vegan supermarkets.
Plant Kitchen Sunflower Spread
Marks & Spencer’s have a high quality collection of plant-based products. The M&S Plant Kitchen range is regularly expanding (fingers crossed it stays that way). The sunflower spread is a nice addition to their collection of plant kitchen products. We love the rich blue packaging. How do they get the spread to just melt in your mouth? We would also love to see a vegan olive and soya based spread hit their shelves in the future.
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Naturli organic vegan butter block
The Naturli packaging is very distinctive. Each block of plant-based butter is neatly wrapped in black. Currently some but not all UK supermarkets stock this brand. This is definitely one of our favourites as the butter is very thick and luxurious in texture.
ASDA free from dairy-free sunflower spread
The ASDA sunflower spread definitely has a great price point. It’s the perfect option for those who are looking to save a bit of money on their groceries. A plastic tub was the packaging of choice for the spread. We found it to be easy to locate amongst the sea of dairy products. That’s because it shares the same branding colour as ASDAs free from range.
Thoughts
Do you have a favourite vegan butter brand? Which plant-based butter or spread brand on our list do you use? You can find many more plant-based butter choices on the Caavakushi vegan search engine. We have also found a great list of vegan butter & spread options. Let us know if you’ve tried a vegan butter brand that didn’t make it onto our list and you feel deserves a shout out.