Veganuary - The New Dry January for Food Lovers & Top Tips to Sell More

Today we continue our occasional series of guest blogs.   As we are well into Veganuary, when non-vegans are encouraged to try a vegan diet for the month of January - and hopefully beyond - we are delighted to welcome Fridge Freezer Direct, who here offers advice to retailers wanting to capitalise on the huge rise in veganism in the UK over the past few years.  

January is the perfect time to set new goals and try out new things.   The adrenaline rush of the new year gives all of us the much needed kick to go beyond what we are used to do and there are plenty of things you can change. One of them is how you eat.   We all know New Year's Resolutions when we promise to diet or exercise more ETC, but you can actually embrace the latest trend and get the best from it: Veganuary!

Switching from a complete diet to a meal, dairy-free one is not an easy thing to do, but you can try it for one month and see if it fits you.   If the answer is yes, then you can continue for the rest of the year with it; otherwise, you can return to your regular diet, without regrets.

Veganuary is a UK based non-profit organisation that encourages people to try to eat vegan for at least one month.   The aim of the organisation is to educate people on veganism and cruelty-free eating.   Their efforts paid off: since they first started their mission in 2014, the number of people who vouch to eat vegan each January has doubled each year.   Veganuary also works with business owners, encouraging them to add more vegetables to their menu.   Thanks to the organisation, now more and more shops and supermarkets welcome their guests with a wide range of vegetables and fruits in their freezer displays.   Joining this booming trend is not only a green option, but it can also be a great business opportunity after December.   Let's face it: January is not exactly the best month for businesses, so adding something new on your menu can bring you a lot more customers, all thanks to Veganuary.

For many people the challenge of Veganuary will continue and will even extend as a new lifestyle.   Considering the fact each year this movement attracts more and more people, there is a growing business of vegan produce.   As an entrepreneur you need to be ready to tap into this growing market, no matter if you own a pub, restaurant or a shop.   One of the first steps in attracting new clients is creating a dedicated section where you display vegan foods in commercial display freezers.

The decision to embrace veganism as a business can be a very important one, as tapping into this niche can help you reach the next level and can become part of your future business plan.   More and more people are now turning to meat-free diets and failing to provide them with the option the want can make your business lose a lot of money.

Depending on your type of business, you can use display freezers to store frozen vegan meals.   There 's plenty of choice available from commercial refrigeration suppliers such as FFD, to make sure you find the best display equipment to suit your stores layout.   High quality commercial display freezers can also help you go greener by extending the shelf life of produce and cut down on the waste.   This itself can bring you more customers, as the new generations are interested in working with business that protect the environment and struggle to cut down on waste, especially when it comes to food.

One of the best ways to draw your customer's attention to your new vegan shelf is to position the commercial display freezers at the entrance of your store, so people who come can easily see the products.   A further way to draw attention to your new vegan display is to position it near the meat section, so your customers can have an alternative when they are looking for their usual meal.

Another smart thing you can do is to provide the complete solution when it comes to a meal: store vegetables, frozen complete meals and drinks in the same freezer or place them next to each other.   This will provide the customer a complete meal when they come to look for a vegetables, sides, mains or desserts.   Pair frozen lasagna or ready to cook meal with salads.

Use multiple frozen display refrigeration solutions to provide variety to your customers.   The more options they have when it comes to vegan foods, the better they will feel in your shop.   Customers always want to choose, to compare and to make sure they made the right decision, so give them the option to do so.   Display multiple brands, multiple types of vegan food and create a sampling booth, if you can.   There is nothing better than being able to actually taste the food you are about to buy, so don't ignore the power of a sampling booth, even if you need to go an extra mile to get one.

Create a focus point from your frozen aisle, by using smart displays and large, high quality images to promote your vegan products.   Commercial display freezers can often look too cold, so try to make them as inviting as possible by using signs and other visual materials which speak to millennials and younger generations.

As a business owner in the food industry you can easily find ways to grow during Veganuary and even expand your business by catering to a new type of customer.   Learning to display your vegan produce with the help of commercial freezers can boost your restaurant, pub or shop.   This change can easily turn into a new department of your business, part of your future plans.