London, United Kingdom-based restaurant chain Wagamama is the latest operator in the country to jump on the plant-based seafood bandwagon.
Wagamama is launching a plant-based tuna analog dish, which is made from brined, seared watermelon. The watermelon, meant to mimic sashimi, is sliced thin and served hot with white rice, soy seasoning, radish, kale, broccoli, and guacamole, according to Eater London.
The dish, priced at GBP 12.95 (USD 17.04, EUR 15.23), will be featured across Wagamama locations nationwide to celebrate the Veganuary challenge, encouraging Brits to eat a plant-based diet for the month of January.
While some say Wagamama is the first U.K. restaurant chain to feature plant-based tuna, many U.K. retailers have added plant-based seafood items over the last year or two.
For example, in late September, Tesco launched a plant-based food line, dubbed Tesco Plant Chef.
The line includes Battered Fish-Free Fillets, which are made from seasoned soya and coated in a crispy tempura batter. Other items in the Tesco Plant Chef line are: Butternut Cauli Mac; Mushroom Pizza; and Breaded Goujons.
Tesco will also add more products to its existing exclusive private label plant-based foods line, Wicked Kitchen.
“The new launches mean that Tesco will now have one of the biggest selections of plant-based foods on the U.K. high street,” Tesco said in a press release.
Tesco is expanding plant-based options as 68 percent of adults have chosen to cut down or cut out meat from their diet over the past two years, the retailer said. In addition, 16 percent of all food product launches in 2018 were plant-based, according to Mintel.
Early last year, Waitrose & Partners launched fish-free fingers in its U.K. stores and online. The fish-free fingers are made from breaded seaweed tofu.
“After the successful launch of our new vegan and vegetarian range in October 2018 we’ve been working to see what other interesting dishes and products we can add to the range. The Fish'less'fingers are a great vegan alternative to a much-loved food which we hope our customers will love,” Chloe Graves, chilled vegan and vegetarian buyer for Waitrose & Partners, said in a press release at the time.
Photo courtesy of Wagamama
