If it feels like plant-based options are popping up everywhere, it’s because they are. In the past year, the number of people reaching for vegan products—whether for health, the planet, or just pure curiosity—has continued to climb.
According to the Plant Based Food Association, an overwhelming 70 percent of the US population consumes plant-based foods. Analysts from Future Market Insights estimate that the plant-based protein market in America is poised to grow from $18.6 billion in 2024 to $42.6 billion in 2034. And companies aren’t afraid to milk the nation’s obsession with alt milk for all its worth—non-dairy milk alternatives dominate the plant-based market as the largest segment by far, with annual sales totalling $2.9 billion. This is more than double the next largest segment, meat alternatives, which bring in 1.2 billion.
With so much happening so fast, it can be hard to keep up. That’s why each year, VegNews editors head to the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA—the world’s biggest showcase of natural and organic products—to taste-test the newest, most exciting vegan launches hitting shelves. And after sampling our way through thousands of products, we’ve rounded up the very best.
Meati
1 Meati’s mycelium Canadian bacon
It’s official: there’s a Meati mycelium cutlet for every meal of the day. The Colorado-based brand previously revolutionized our meals with chicken- and steak-style cutlets perfect for tossing into lunchtime salads or enjoying with mashed potatoes and asparagus for supper. But now, you can kick off your morning with the brand’s new breakfast patties in original and maple flavors. Reminiscent of Canadian bacon, enjoy these porky, high-protein, fiber-rich bites alongside tofu scrambles, waffles, and hash browns. They’re sure to become your new breakfast staples.
Plant Ahead
2 Plant Ahead’s fresh mozzarella pearls
Virtually all vegan cheese companies have a mozzarella cheese—none of them are like these. Quebec-based Plant Ahead’s new Fresh Mozzarella Ciliegine represents a new way for vegans to cheese: the cherry-sized balls of creamy coconut-based mozz kept fresh in a sea salt brine are extra-creamy, slightly bouncy, and making all our Italian deli dreams come true. Skewer them with cherry tomatoes and basil for a handheld caprese; toss with bow tie pasta, pesto, lemon zest, and vegan parm for a mouthwatering meal; or add them to an antipasto charcuterie board with plant-based deli slices, olives, marinated peppers, figs, and grapes—the mozzabilities are truly endless.
Sweet Loren’s
3 Sweet Loren’s’ vegan M&M-studded break-and-bake cookies
There’s no joy like taking that first bite of a hot, freshly-baked monster cookie studded with chocolatey M&Ms. And while these crunchy, chocolate morsels remain off-limits for vegans, nostalgic monster cookies are not—and it’s all thanks to Sweet Loren’s. Boasting an ingredient line up free from dairy, gluten, and allergens, this Veggie Award-winning vegan cookie brand makes indulging easier than ever. Simply pop in the oven, and you’re minutes away from crisp-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside cookies perfect for dunking into oat milk or for ice cream sandwiches.
Azuma Foods
4 Azuma Food’s plant-based caviar
Japanese seafood company Azuma Foods is taking the plunge and investing in the future of plant-based seafood, and sushi platters will never be the same. The company first debuted slabs of marbly vegan tuna and salmon sashimi made from konjac last year. But in 2025, it’s bringing fish-free renditions of caviar and ikura—large, plump, popping orange salmon roe considered a delicacy in Japanese cuisine—to the US, along with other specialties like calamari salad and marinated onigiri fillings. Our sushi rolls, rice bowls, and tofu dishes are sure to get a major upgrade thanks to this plant-based roe, but why stop there? Vegan deviled eggs, blintzes, even avocado toast are all getting the ikura treatment from here on out.
Blackbird Foods
5 Blackbird Foods’ personal-sized pizzas
It’s the plant eater’s eternal struggle: you want vegan pizza, but you don’t want to buy or make an entire vegan pizza. While we wait for our local shops to catch on to the money-making potential of plant-based slices, Blackbird Foods is doing something about it—and it’s so cute. The New York-based brand’s Blackbirdie Pizza Minis are five-inch, personal pie versions of their signature cheese and Beyond Meat pepperoni pizzas, made with its own Blackbird mozzarella on whole grain crusts. Pop one or two in the toaster oven, and you’re minutes away from satisfying those pizza cravings without having to break out the cutter.
Chunk Foods
6 Chunk Foods’ pulled plant-based meats
Meatless grounds, done. Bleeding vegan burgers, check. In the era of plant-based innovation, whole cuts of vegan meat are the next frontier—and Chunk Foods has quickly solidified itself as one of the main players to watch. After making its highly anticipated retail debut across Los Angeles, San Diego, and New York last year, Chunk Foods’ first release of 2025 adds a new format to the company’s product portfolio: juicy, tender pulled meat paired with chef-crafted simmer sauces including teriyaki, Texas barbecue, barbacoa, and Korean barbecue. This latest release builds on Chunk Foods’ commitment to non-GMO plant-based meat alternatives made without additives, artificial thickeners, or preservatives—and our tacos and protein bowls are all the better for it.
Kula Foods
7 Kula Food’s plant-based goat curry
Making its way to the States by way of Vancouver, BC comes a bold, flavorful new vegan entry that has the potential to become—dare we say—the greatest of all time. Inspired by her family’s East African recipes, owner Asha Wheeldon launched Kula Foods to bring plant-based nourishment rooted in culture to the masses. Her G.O.A.T Curry Protein starts with tender, meaty chunks of pea protein “goat” that’s stewed in an aromatic curry teeming with Afro-Caribbean flavors like garlic, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, thyme, cloves, and Scotch bonnet peppers. Heat it up and serve with coconutty Jamaican rice and peas, sweet plantains, or fried dumplings, and enjoy all the warmth Afro-Caribbean cuisine has to offer.
Mezete
8 Mezete’s Middle Eastern favorites
Dinner guests arrive in 10 minutes. The main you’re making still needs 45 minutes in the oven, but you need nosh now. What to do? Thanks to Jordanian company Mezete—and its line of shelf-stable Middle Eastern staples—all you need to do is simply reach into the pantry. Breakthrough packaging, no added oil, and an extra hefty dose of tahini keeps Mezete’s super-smooth hummuses (in flavors like za’atar, hot chili, and sundried tomato) and baba ghanouj shelf stable for 18 months without preservatives (emergency tubs of hummus? Now totally a thing). Make it an authentic culinary tour of the Middle East with red pepper-and-pomegranate-infused muhammara dip, cinnamon-spiked shatta hot chili sauce, smoky freekeh soup, and more.
FamBam Foods
9 FamBam Foods’ vegan Doritos dupes
Ahhh, 1998. This seminal year gave us Brittany Spears’ “… Baby One More Time,” HBO’s cult classic Sex and the City, and the very first iMac. And in the snack realm, another icon made its debut that same year: the cult-favorite Doritos 3D. The puffed snack was ultimately discontinued in 2004, but FamBam Foods’ new Caulitos may just bring this nostalgic favorite back to life with a modern, plant-forward twist. Made with a blend of organic lentils, rice, and cauliflower, Caulitos are coated in a cheesy, vegan seasoning made with real food ingredients—think bell peppers, onions, garlic, and a touch of jalapeño. The family-owned brand set out to create delicious, better-for-you snacks their children would enjoy—mission accomplished if we say so ourselves.
Pop & Bottle
10 Pop & Bottle’s strawberry matcha latte
Sipping on an earthy, emerald green matcha latte is a key part of our morning routines—sifting away clumps, whisking with hot water, and adding a splash of plant milk borders on therapeutic. But on busy mornings when we’re rushing out the door and can’t pop into the nearest café for our matcha fix, we’re reaching for Pop & Bottle’s latest creation: strawberry matcha almond milk lattes. Strawberry juice, almond milk, coconut nectar, and Himalayan pink salt are combined with premium, organic Japanese matcha for a morning brew that rivals barista-crafted creations. Trust us: you’ll want to stock your fridge with the pink-and-green bottles of this Glinda-and-Elphaba-approved concoction.
Pop Up Grocer
11 Cocojune’s coconut yogurt dips
With spring picnics and summer potlucks on the horizon, it’s nearly showtime for one of our favorite food groups: dip. Cocojune’s spin makes use of its clean, minimal-ingredient, coconut yogurt, made slightly cheesy thanks to its cultures, as the base, in which smoky peppers, fresh herbs, and crunchy cucumbers are added. The result? Chipotle, Lemon Dill, and Tzatziki dips that are clean, tangy, and all but destined for your next shindig.
Bbang by Unlimeat
12 Bbang by Unlimeat’s Korean desserts
Korea’s leading plant-based meat company has made quite the splash stateside. From barbecue bulgogi to juicy pulled pork and Korean-style fried chicken made from mushrooms, Unlimeat delivers rich, cultural flavors featuring upcycled vegan ingredients. And while plant-based meats ushered this global brand to the forefront, its line of Korean desserts are not to be overlooked. Unlimeat’s new dessert-focused brand Bbang allow you to immerse yourself in Korean desserts with pancake-style hotteok filled with crunchy almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and peanuts—all sweetened with a dash of cinnamon sugar. Or, for a taste of the ever trendy milk cream donut, go for the oat cream bun: a pillowy soft bun featuring whipped oat cream. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong.
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Richard Bowie (@wichiebowie) is VegNews' editorial director based in Oakland, CA.
Jocelyn Martinez is VegNews' senior editor based in Los Angeles, CA.
