Sizzle Without the Pig as Vegan Bacon Crowned Supreme in New Zealand Alt-Meat Awards

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Source: New Zealand Vegan Society 2025 awards

In a country that once worshipped the bacon butty, the New Zealand alt-meat awards has delivered the once unthinkable - a plant-based bacon has taken the crown. That’s right - Let Them Eat Vegan’s ‘Not Bacon’ has been named Supreme Winner at this year’s Vegan Sausage and Deli Meats Awards, leaving sausages, patties, and even pastrami in its crispy, umami-drenched dust.

Judges were all in. “Great crispy texture. Good visually with layers and colour. Great umami and depth of flavour. Shows a very good skill level,” they said, possibly with crumbs still clinging to their judging shirts. The win isn’t just a personal triumph for the Let Them Eat Vegan team, it’s a cultural moment. A seismic shift. Or as New Zealand Vegan Society Media Spokesperson Claire Insley put it: “Maybe people can give up eating pigs after all?”

And that’s the real meat of the matter. As the cost of living climbs and climate anxiety simmers under every supermarket shop, plant-based proteins are stepping in as both a moral and metabolic solution. “Eating plants will always be a good thing, providing healthier foods with lower emissions,” Claire Insley says.

Source: New Zealand Vegan Society - Showing Executive Chef at Sudima Auckland Airport, Rodney Gomes

But bacon wasn’t the only winner sizzling in the spotlight.

Plan*t, back from its near-death experience in 2024, bounced back with a vengeance. The once-struggling brand picked up wins across Chorizo, Bangers, Breakfast Sausages, Specialty Sausages, and Patties. It’s practically a protein pentathlon.

Meanwhile, cult favourite Grater Goods snagged deli gold with their Sopressata and Plant Pastrami. “Great smoky, sweet, sour and umami flavours. Perfectly seasoned,” the judges declared. The brand continues to dominate the niche of artisanal, grown-up alt-meats that don’t need to mimic—they just seduce.

Rounding things out, Blissful landed a strong showing in Seafood Style and Hot-served Meats (their Crispy Chicken Drumsticks got the nod for “nice crunch” and “moreish flavour”), while Beach Pizza and Goodtime Pies kept things grounded with big wins in the comfort food zone: wors-style sausages, burger patties, and that NZ institution, the vegan sausage roll.

Celebrity judge Tom Sainsbury added comic relief to the otherwise meaty business of faux meat tasting. Joined by chefs from Sudima and private kitchens alike, this year’s panel proved that when it comes to plant-based judging, you need a diverse palate and a sense of humour.

With no shortage of entries and increasingly gourmet outcomes, this year’s awards tell a simple truth - plant-based isn’t just here to stay - it’s tasting better than ever.

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