Veganuary has grown from a niche campaign into one of the biggest annual shifts in UK eating habits, with millions of people trying plant-based food every January. For cafés, bakeries and juice bars, that's a genuine commercial opportunity — but only if your plant-based menu actually looks like it was designed with intention, rather than bolted onto your existing offer at the last minute.
Why Veganuary Matters for UK Cafés and Bakeries
January is traditionally a quiet month for hospitality, as customers cut back after Christmas spending. Veganuary gives independent cafés a reason for people to come back through the door with a specific craving: new plant-based drinks, bakes and snacks they can't easily get at home. Customers trying a vegan menu for the first time are also more likely to photograph and share it — which means your packaging is doing double duty as both product and marketing.
Packaging That Suits a Plant-Based Menu
You don't need to overhaul your entire packaging range for one month, but a few targeted choices make a plant-based menu feel properly thought-through rather than an afterthought.
Clear Cups for Smoothies, Juices and Iced Drinks
Plant-based drinks — oat milk lattes aside — often lean toward smoothies, cold-pressed juices and iced coffee. Custom clear cups let the colour and layers of the drink do the selling, and paired with a clear cup lid printed with your logo, they photograph far better than a plain cup ever will.
Ice Cream Cups for Dairy-Free Desserts
If you're running a dairy-free or sorbet option this January, custom ice cream cups give you a consistent way to present it without customers assuming it's an afterthought scoop from the back of the freezer.
Greaseproof Paper and Pastry Bags for Vegan Bakes
Pastry bags and greaseproof paper sheets are ideal for vegan pastries, flatbreads and bakes that need to stay fresh without plastic. Printing your branding directly onto them also signals a more premium, considered product than a generic unbranded wrap.
Stickers for Labelling Allergens and Vegan Claims
Clear labelling matters more during Veganuary than almost any other time of year, as customers who don't usually check ingredients will be reading labels closely. Custom round stickers are a fast, low-cost way to mark items as vegan, plant-based or allergen-free without reprinting your entire menu packaging.
Timing Your Order Before the January Rush
Because Veganuary falls right at the start of January, the real risk isn't running out of time before the campaign — it's ordering too close to Christmas, when every café and bakery in the UK is placing bulk orders for the festive season and lead times stretch out. Cups and lids typically take 1–2 weeks to produce after artwork approval, while bags and boxes take 4–5 weeks. To avoid getting queued behind the Christmas rush, aim to finalise your artwork and place your Veganuary order by early December at the latest.
Get Your Veganuary Menu Ready
A well-branded plant-based menu does more than look good for one month — it's a chance to introduce your café to customers who might not have walked in otherwise. Start with clear cups and lids for your drinks menu, add stickers for clear allergen labelling, and finish with branded bags for takeaway bakes.
Explore custom cups, stickers and paper bags at ifbrandworks.co.uk and order early to have everything ready before the new year.