A new spring menu launched at Pret a Mange is set to perk up vegans and vegetarians who will spoiled for choice.
The sandwich and coffee chain, which has branches in and around Newcastle , is out to corner the veggie market with the introduction of 20 new products as part of a major menu overhaul following its recent takeover.
Many of the newcomers are aimed specifically at vegans, vegetarians and so-called 'flexitarians': those who may eat meat or fish but mainly follow a veggie diet.
And they include salad pots; vegan sandwiches; vegan breakfast birchers and a bircher smoothie. There will be new meat sandwiches and new desserts too.
Pret is revitalising its menu to have broader appeal and meet more dietary requirements and its changes also include the introduction if its own gluten-free bread.
In response to two-thirds of its customers arriving outside of the lunch-time period, it also will be catering for 'grazers' with food options including filling snacks and smaller meals that can be easily eaten at any time of the day.
Pret's head of food development Hannah Dolan said that such choices are expected to fit in well with customers' busy schedules and added that the chain's menu shake-up is the "biggest change in our history".
Last year, Pret added to its existing vegan menu with the likes of its first vegan cookie and and the year before it trailled veggie-only-fridges in Newcastle and Durham.
The firm's £1.5bn takeover by German investments conglomerate JAB follows a difficult period for Pret which saw it introduce full ingredients labelling on products following the death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse after she ate one of its baguettes without knowing it contained sesame which she was allergic to.
JAB is also behind Krispy Kreme donuts; Kenco coffee and Dr Pepper.
Pret chief executive officer Clive Schlee tweeted about the new range, following an official launch of the spring collection on Thursday, saying: "More vegan, more colour and finally gluten-free bread.
"The new menu will be in shops next week."
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