Once considered a fringe group, vegans are becoming one of the fastest-growing consumer segments – and they’re hungry. Hoteliers are responding to the demand for plant-based dining options with special menus, restaurants, and even cooking classes that highlight vegetables as the main event.
When deciding on a new dining concept for Ovolo Woolloomooloo in New South Wales, Australia, the vegan demographic might not have been top of mind, but the growing trend towards healthier and more sustainable food options was. These factors led the Ovolo group to open Alibi, Australia and New Zealand’s first 100% plant-based bar and restaurant.
Contributed by Kate Kasbee
Designed by plant-based chef Matthew Kenney, the food is meant to be accessible to everyone, vegan or not. “We are attracting a wide array of diners,” says Stephen Howard, director of marketing for Ovolo. The hotel’s food and beverage sales have shot up almost 600% since launching Alibi in March, Howard says.
The dinner menu has dishes like zucchini lasagna, which takes a twist on the dairy version by using textural elements like ginger foam and macadamia nuts whipped into smooth, dairy-free ricotta.
In 2017, Evason Hua Hin, a Six Senses resort in Pranburi, Thailand, opened Blue Lotus, a plant-based learning center, to offer cooking workshops like Raw Asia, Power Bowls, and Green Thai Cuisine to hotel guests. With the foundation in place, Evason is seeing encouraging signs of enrollment; classes are fully booked two months in advance.
“We see an opportunity to develop and grow a new market for ourselves just south of Hua Hin that harnesses the simple quality of life of the community while taking advantage of the positive energy and space,” says Evason Managing Director Alan Thomas. The addition of Lotus has also allowed Evason to initiate new business partnerships relevant to the wellness industry, attracting dietitians, vegan chefs, and yoga instructors to host special events.
U.S. hoteliers are also beginning to cater to guests looking for healthier options. However, there’s still hesitation around going completely plant-based. “Hotels try to be everything to everyone and they’re reticent to go very specialized,” says Kelly Kennedy, vice president of concepts and market development at San Francisco-based restaurant consultant company Puccini Group.
Kennedy says she often finds that hotels want to utilize a quick service model to trial vegan food in existing areas of the property.
“If the plant-based offerings are successful, hotels will work that vegan-friendly operational model into their full-service concepts,” she says.