Who said vegan restaurants were over? It certainly wasn’t us.
This week has brought a wave of positive news, from Slutty Vegan’s franchise expansion plans and Matthew Kenney’s new Michigan restaurant to Planta’s ambitions for growth. Find out which cities the latter has its eye on below, along with plenty more vegan food news.
We’re also covering Starbucks’ latest summer sips, the return of Miyoko’s to store shelves, and more.
Starbucks is launching even more dairy-free drinks later this summer. | Starbucks
Starbucks teases new summer menu, including blended matcha lemonades
Starbucks is spoiling customers this summer. Not only has the coffee giant released new dairy-free drinks like the Tropical Butterfly Lemonade Refresher and the Butterfly Drink, but it has also teased even more menu additions on the way.
New Blended Energy Refreshers in flavors like Mango Dragonfruit and Mango Strawberry will combine real fruit, syrup, and ice with either coconut milk or lemonade for an ultra-refreshing summer sip. But that’s not all. The chain has also revealed that a Blended Matcha Lemonade is on the way.
Keep an eye on your local Starbucks from July 14 if you want to try them for yourself.
Miyoko’s Creamery’s popular vegan butter is back in grocery stores, with vegan cheese to follow. | Miyoko’s
Spotted in stores, Miyoko’s has returned to shelves
Miyoko’s Creamery is making its return to store shelves. New owner Prosperity Organic Foods, which outbid founder Miyoko Schinner to acquire the brand earlier this year, confirmed in April that a selection of products would be returning. Shoppers have already spotted the brand’s vegan butter products at retailers including Sprouts Farmers Market, Whole Foods, Kroger, and Safeway. Vegan cheese products, including mozzarella, slices, and shreds, are expected to return soon as well.
Miyoko’s comeback comes after years of upheaval behind the scenes. Since founder Miyoko Schinner’s contentious exit in 2023, the company has faced leadership turnover, litigation, restructuring efforts, and questions about its future. In late 2025, Prosperity Organic Foods acquired the brand following a competitive sale process that included an unsuccessful bid from Schinner to regain ownership of the company she launched.
Healthier Comforts
This egg white protein is made without animals
Healthier Comforts is now selling a biologically equivalent egg white protein powder—without using any animal products. How? Two words: precision fermentation.
This innovative process allows scientists to produce specific organic molecules by programming microorganisms. Sound a little too technical? Here’s what you really need to know: The new protein powder is vegan, packed with protein, and incredibly versatile. Add it to shakes and smoothies, or even whip it into a meringue.
Intrigued? Here’s Aaron Vander Heyden, founder of Healthier Comforts, to tell us more:
VN: Can you explain what makes this product different from other protein powders currently on shelves?
Heyden: Our product serves as a fantastic additional option for consumers looking to add variety to their protein intake. From a nutritional standpoint, it features an excellent PDCAAS score of 1, the highest possible score. It boasts a complete amino acid profile, offering a highly convenient and efficient way for vegan athletes and active individuals to easily meet their protein requirements. Our product provides a perfect, high-quality solution to hit those goals.
What truly sets it apart from a typical protein powder is its incredible versatility. While it can absolutely be used in shakes and smoothies just like other protein powders on the shelves, the animal-free egg white protein gives consumers many additional, unique methods to incorporate protein into their daily diets. Because it behaves exactly like traditional egg whites, you can use it to cook up scrambles, bind ingredients in baking, or even whisk it into stiff peaks for meringues.
VN: What has consumer feedback been like so far?
Heyden: The feedback has been incredibly rewarding, though it has definitely involved a lot of education. Because precision fermentation is still a relatively new concept to many consumers, we often spend time educating our community about the science behind precision fermentation. A crucial part of this education is being very clear that, because the product is bio-equivalent to traditional egg whites, it does contain an egg allergen. While it is completely animal-free, it is not suitable for people with egg allergies.
Once consumers understand this distinction and try the product in their own kitchens, the response is fantastic. People are absolutely thrilled. One of the best parts is seeing customers excitedly sharing that they are finally able to cook and bake things that they haven’t been able to make since transitioning to a vegan lifestyle. Recipes like animal-free angel food cake have gone viral in vegan Reddit communities, and we’re ecstatic to help people reintroduce those old favorites.
VN: How important is precision fermentation to the future of food innovation?
Heyden: Precision fermentation is absolutely foundational to the future of food innovation. It enables the ability to create high-quality proteins that sit between animal-based and plant-based proteins in a category all their own. Proteins produced using precision fermentation are completely animal-free but deliver the best in taste, texture, nutrition, and functionality. The technology has been around for decades, and is now being used to create high-quality food ingredients like proteins and food colorings that deliver exactly what consumers demand.
VN: Which retailers or channels are you hoping to expand into?
Heyden: We would absolutely love to expand our retail footprint and make our products available in more channels! However, there are many complex logistical factors and operational details we need to carefully navigate first. We want to make sure that when we do expand, we are fully prepared to maintain the exceptional quality and customer experience our community expects from us. We don’t have a specific timeline or exact retailers to announce at this moment, but it is certainly a goal we are carefully evaluating for the future!
Planta
Planta names the three cities it’s looking to expand to next
Like many restaurant chains, Planta has faced a challenging few years. In 2025, the plant-based restaurant group filed for bankruptcy and was forced to close multiple locations. But now, it’s gearing up for a comeback. In an exclusive interview with VegNews, COO Daniel Moody revealed that the company is eyeing San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland as key markets for its next chapter.
“[They] have strong food cultures, health-conscious consumers, and communities that embrace sustainability and innovation,” Moody explained. “They align naturally with Planta’s vision and represent the type of environments where plant-forward dining can continue to thrive and evolve.”
Cinnaholic
Cinnaholic rolls out new summer menu
Starbucks isn’t the only chain serving up exciting summer treats. Cinnaholic also has an impressive seasonal lineup, and we can’t wait to dig in. This year, the plant-based chain’s summer menu features the Brookie Roll—a brownie batter cinnamon roll topped with cream cheese frosting and cookie dough—as well as a Brookie Coffee, which combines coffee with chocolate sauce and cookie- and brownie-inspired flavors. To round things out, there’s also fresh, ice-cold lemonade.
Bar Bombón
Vegan Philadelphia bar launches LGBTQ+ matchmaking and margarita service
Latin-inspired vegan restaurant Bar Bombón is hosting a matchmaking event for Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ community on Monday, June 15. The event, hosted in partnership with matchmaking service Three Day Rule, aims to bring people together over complimentary margaritas, chips, and dip.
“Think curated connections, zero pressure, and just the right amount of tequila,” reads the event listing.
Tickets cost $32, and you can learn more about how to get yours here.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
