Orlando, Fla.—There were vegan food options at this year’s Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show. The reason why, in part, was because they launched a concurrent show called the Healthy Food Expo which featured vegan food and drink companies, farmers and other green companies. I interviewed six vegan food products companies that were attending the show.
 |
| Teese Vegan Cheese Alternative, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Orlando, Fla. Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey |
Teese Vegan Cheese alternative is sold in long log-style packaging, made with pea protein and available in four flavors (mozzarella, cheddar, creamy cheddar and nacho sauce). It is wheat-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, soy-free, palm oil-free, gluten-free and tree nut-free. I had the nacho cheese flavor over corn nachos and it was delicious. Unfortunately it is only available through distribution companies on a wholesale bases.
 |
| Pero Family Farms Organic Snipped Green Beans, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Orlando, Fla. Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey |
Pero Family Farms® established in 1908, grows local sustainable vegetables at their Boynton Beach farm. At the Florida Healthy Food Expo they showcased several produce items including organic Snipped Green Beans™ that had been pollinated and bred, the natural way, with the help of bees, in a field, under the warmth of the sun. You can find their tasty beans at many grocery stores in Florida including Publix.
 |
| Oumph! plant-protein, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Orlando, Fla. Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey |
Oumph!™ Is a Lake Worth, Florida, based company. It is a plant-based protein made with soy. It was founded by Chef Anders “The Duck” Linden of Sweden. Launched several years ago in Europe, vegan Chef Linden wanted to make a versatile vegan protein item that consumers and chefs could use in new, delicious ways. Oumph! is gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher, non-GMO, eco-conscious, and vegan. I found it to be very delicious and addictive.
If you live in Europe, you can find Oumph! in several grocery stores. But if you live in North America, you will only find it at local restaurants, as it is only sold wholesale.
 |
| Matcha Love by Ito En Ltd., Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Orlando, Fla. Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey |
Matcha Love™ by Ito En Ltd., a Brooklyn, N.Y., based company sells green tea macha products. Macha is a varietal of Japanese green tea that is most commonly ground up into a powder and used in cooking, baking and beverage making. It has high antioxidant properties.
I tried the culinary grade mocha at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show. It was very bitter and I understood why it is mixed with other ingredients. According to Ryan Glosniak of Ito En, Matcha Love also comes in a first flush ceremonial style that has a lighter, more delicate flavor. Both can be purchased online through Amazon or at Whole Foods Stores.
 |
| The Vegan Knife, gluten-free vegan chocolate Birthday cake samples, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Orlando, Fla. Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey |
The Vegan Knife , a Naples, Florida, based company makes vegan, gluten-free boxed baking mixes. The founder and owner of the company, Julie Butcher, created this line of vegan products after getting diagnosed with several allergies that stopped her from eating desserts. All her mixes are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and wheat-free. You can buy her tasty treats online directly from The Vegan Knife or at some west coast Florida stores like Lucky's in Naples and Sarasota.
 |
| The Ice Cream Club's Coffee Almond Fudge non-dairy dessert, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Orlando, Fla. Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey |
The Ice Cream Club, a Boynton Beach, Florida, based company, has been making artisan ice cream since 1982. All of their products are kosher and free from artificial colors and flavors. This year, at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show they launched their non-dairy frozen dessert line made with coconut milk.
My favorite of three flavors offered at the show (coconut almond fudge, coffee almond fudge, and strawberry) was the Coffee Almond Fudge, it was extremely creamy and I couldn't tell it was made with coconut milk. Unfortunately, at this point in time, these non-dairy frozen desserts are only available wholesale to companies.
I look forward to seeing what new vegan food items will be at next year's show.
