VEDGEco, a leading wholesaler of 100% plant-based food, has announced the launch of the Planted Chef Challenge: Bakery Edition, a campaign that encourages independent bakeries across the country to veganize one of their popular baked goods.

Each participating bakery received ForA: Butter, a Michelin-starred chef endorsed plant-based butter that bakes, cooks, spreads and tastes like traditional butter and can be used 1:1 in every cooking application.

Four women-owned bakeries are part of the initial launch and include:

• Oui Pastries (Philadelphia) – The bakery is making a rich “Chocolate Flower Pot” with chocolate cake, balsamic dark chocolate ganache, strawberries and a chocolate shortbread.
• Starburst Parlor (Las Vegas) – The bakery is making Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies with three types of chocolate, hints of cinnamon, and topped with toasted pecans, drizzled in chocolate, and dusted with sweet and spicy chipotle powder. They are 100% plant-based, sugar-free and gluten free.
• Pop Goes the Waffle (Tampa Bay, FL) – The bakery is creating a Vegan Liege Waffle topped with melted ForA: Butter, cinnamon sugar, sliced fresh banana, vegan caramel sauce and vegan whipped cream.
• Baked AF (Cleveland) – The bakery is making a Vegan Toaster Strudel featuring ForA: Butter, JUST egg, Field Roast sausages and Daiya cheese.

“The demand for plant-based foods, including bakery items, has never been higher,” says Trevor Hitch, chief executive officer of VEDGEco. “By adding plant-based options to their menus, independent bakeries can increase foot traffic, satisfy consumer demand, and boost their bottom line. We’re excited to see (and taste!) what they create.”