Vegan wonders at your fingertips
Halfway to becoming vegan? Although Sri Lankan cuisine has many vegan dishes to offer, and there are South Indian vegan and vegetarian restaurants all over the island, the market for vegan food products is still at an infant stage. Check out some of the up-and-coming brands and online stores where you can find everything from vegan chocolates and biscuits to alternative sweeteners.
The Vegan Kade
A group of friends of Sri Lankan origin are the brains behind The Vegan Kade. They have a large variety of products including vegan meat substitutes to help people transition to non-meat products easily.
“We believed that by merging two vibrant markets of vegan products in the UK and Sri Lanka, we could aspire to offer a wide-ranging selection of vegan products to our Sri Lankan customers,” they told the Sunday Times Magazine.
“Our most popular range is dairy alternatives including milk and cheeses. We have been able to meet the demands of our discerning customer base in Sri Lanka with everything from vegan chocolates, biscuits, desserts, salad dressings, marinades, egg replacers, health supplements, superfoods and pasta to frozen products – including plant-based burgers.”
“Our seasonal offerings of vegan panettone, Christmas pudding and mince pies were snapped up even before they hit Sri Lankan shores. Our products are driven by consumer choice. We are always responsive to the requests of our widening customer base, endeavouring to meet them in the shortest possible time scale,” they added.
The Vegan Kade offers a collection service in Colombo 6. They also sell their products via Shoppa.lk and JustGoodness – two online platforms who provide home delivery within Colombo and throughout the island. Customers can also message them on Instagram (thevegankade) and Facebook (The Vegan Kade), and can contact them through email (thevegankade@gmail.com) as well.
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Palmyra Organics
Palmyra Organics takes pure Palmyra jaggery, processes it and dries it to make it into palm sugar.
“Palmyra Organics (Pvt) Ltd. was formed to develop Palmyra palm sugar in Sri Lanka. The company is now a year old and our product has become extremely popular among people who want a healthy alternative to refined white sugar,” the owner and founder of Palmyra Organics told the Sunday Times Magazine.
“We are a fast growing business that works closely with small-time producers of Palmyra palm sugar from the north and east of Sri Lanka. Our products are vegan certified by the EU and UK and are 100% natural,” she said.
Right now, Palmyra Organics is one of the few companies in Sri Lanka that produces and sells Palmyra palm sugar which can be used to sweeten beverages, and in cooking and baking.
“We offer free delivery in Colombo and can ship to any place in Sri Lanka. We also export to health food stores worldwide. Palmyra Organics products can be found in many stores in Sri Lanka including the Good Market, Park Street Gourmet, Just Goodness, Honda Hitha, Milk & Honey, Barefoot, Branas and select Cargills Food City stores,” the owner of Palmyra Organics said.
Customers can also place orders through Instagram (palmyraorganics), Facebook (Palmyra Organics) and their website (www.palmyraorganics.com).
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The Vegan
Electronic and Electrical Engineer Navod Payagala is the founder of The Vegan – a vegan restaurant located in front of the Keells Super store at Raththanapitiya in Boralesgamuwa. Navod who has been a dedicated vegan for more than six years, opened The Vegan in August 2019 with his brother Vinod’s help.
“During my journey of being a vegan I found it extremely difficult to find places to buy vegan food. To address that issue, I decided to start a restaurant chain to bring international experience to the Sri Lankan Vegan Community. We provide a mouth-watering and cruelty-free dining experience,” Navod told the Sunday Times Magazine.
The Vegan’s menu comprises a blend of Sri Lankan and international dishes such as pizza, submarines, burgers, pastas, wraps and Sri Lanka’s trusty favourite kottu. Customers can visit The Vegan’s restaurant in Boralesgamuwa or place their orders through a hotline number (0113 640 470), WhatsApp (0763800470), Instagram (theveganlk) Facebook (The Vegan), UberEats and PickMe Foods.
“We sincerely welcome all of you to visit our store and have an amazing experience with vegan food,” Navod said.
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Oh My Oats
Oh My Oats is a brand of homemade and freshly baked oatmeal cookies run by fashion designer Vidushi Samarasekera. Oatmeal cookies in various flavours and combinations can be bought from Oh My Oats in packs of six or 12.
“Baking was always a family affair for me. As a kid I would bake with my mother, and even after growing up, it is still a part of me. Many cupcakes and brownies later, my sister-in-law introduced me to oat cookies. I poured my heart and soul into developing my unique oat cookie recipes and after many days at home during the lockdown in Colombo, I finally decided to take this passion to the next level,” Vidushi told the Sunday Times Magazine.
“Oatmeal cookies have a high fibre content compared to normal cookies, and they also contain a significant amount of calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. My cookies are 70% oats and they are a healthy snack,” she added.
Some of the popular flavours at Oh My Oats include classic chocolate chip, marshmallow, cashew and raisin and almonds and white chocolate. They also have vegan and sugar free options.
Customers can get in touch with Vidushi through Facebook (ohmyoats.lk) and Instagram (oh_myoats) and a delivery option is available for areas within and right outside Colombo. They are currently working on a website where customers can buy directly and pay online.