The V Pud was the worlds first commercially produced Vegetarian Black Pudding. In 2007 the recipe was adapted to be completely Vegan. Unlike other Vegan products, we didn’t have to drastically change our award winning black pudding recipe that much. We removed the blood and fat and replaced it with a mixture we have developed. We use a protein substance that mimics the consistency of blood and we use beetroot for colour. All the ingredients are still to the very best quality. Nothing artificial and no chemicals. This means the V Pud has retained the amazing flavour of our traditional products.
We generally get a lot of questions about this product below are a some of the more popular ones answered for you.
Why did you make this product?
At first it was simply to see if it could be done. Could we make a Vegetarian Black Pudding that tasted just as good? We are always pushing the boundaries of different flavour combinations and striving to make our products as versatile as possible. Not only that but it is our firm belief that everybody should be able to enjoy Black Pudding. Our customer loved this product so much, but we were getting a lot of enquiries into making a Vegan Black Pudding. So we did.
What can it be used for?
Everything that a Black Pudding can be used for, and much more. Have a look at our recipe page for some great ideas.
Don’t you make animal based products?
As is probably evident from our products page, we do make Black Pudding and White Pudding. Which have animal based products in the ingredients. There is no way the V Pud could be contaminated. The factory receives a deep clean before the V Pud is made. All surfaces and machines are microbiologically swabbed, to make sure there is no trace of bacteria or other ingredients. The ingredients used to make the vegan pudding are stored separately from the animal-based ones. The staff change uniforms before production of the V Pud begins. Once it has been made it is hermetically sealed (completely airtight).
In regards to the animal products we use, our BRC we have to be able to trace every product back to its original source. This includes checks that all our suppliers conform to all current animal welfare legislation.
Why do you use Palm Oil?
As you are probably aware because of the media attention to this product, in some regions, palm oil cultivation has caused (and continues to cause) deforestation. This means that land, which was once predominantly covered by primary forest (forest that has never been touched by man) or which housed protected species and biodiversity, was cleared in order to be converted into palm oil plantations.’
The palm oil is contained within one of the ingredients we have substituted so we can’t remove it. However it is sourced from suppliers who are members of the round table for sustainable palm oil (RSPO). The RSPO has developed a set of environmental and social criteria which companies must comply with in order to produce Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO). These criteria are put in place to reduce the negative impact of palm oil cultivation on the environment, wildlife and communities in palm oil-producing regions. As we have an excellent technical manager and as part of our BRC we trace all of ingredients back to the source so we make sure the palm oil we use is only ever from RSPO approved suppliers. We will never use a product that contains palm oil that has not got this certification.
Is it recognised by the Vegetarian Society?
Yes and every year we must re-apply, to prove we are still conforming to the strict guidelines that are put in place.
