Greggs vegan sausage rolls sell out at Islington and Hackney branches on day of launch

Vegan sausage rolls: still in stock in Highbury (left) but long gone in Dalston (right). Pictures: Shivani Kochhar/Luke Costello Archant

Hungry Highbury shoppers have demolished dozens of Greggs’ first ever vegan sausage rolls within hours, with some queuing outside for 15 minutes just to get a taste.

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“It’s been mad – people are buying five at a time and waiting for 15 minutes in the cold for them to cook,” said Leticia, who manages the branch in Highbury Park.

“We’ve sold 60 today and it’s only two o’clock. I never thought it would be that popular.”

Greggs’ vegan sausage roll was launched today at 950 of its 1,850 branches across the UK.

It is the chain’s first meat-free sausage product and coincides with “Veganuary” – a campaign run by the charity of the same name calling for people to give up animal products during (at least) the first month of the year.

It is made from 96 layers of pastry surrounding a Quorn filling.

Daniel White from the Holloway Road branch told the Gazette this afternoon: “We’ve sold 99 per cent of our stock. I’m not vegan or vegetarian but it’s pretty well flavoured. Customers are pretty desperate for it.”

Greggs has two branches in Seven Sisters Road. Ryan Spires, working at the shop near the Nags Head, said: “It’s really popular – more popular than I expected. We’ve nearly sold out of the first batch today.

“I was a vegetarian for five years and I’m really proud of it.”

At the other end of the road, towards Finsbury Park, staff member Red Abjar said the product had proven “very, very popular”.

It’s a similar story over the border in Hackney.

In Dalston’s Kingsland High Street, one of the borough’s two branches, the snacks had sold out by noon. Nilufer Pinar, who was looking after the branch in the afternoon, did not even get the chance to try one.

“I’m vegetarian so it will be perfect for me,” she said. “So many customers are asking for it – I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to try it.”

Tracey David at the Mare Street Greggs said her shop had also sold out by lunchtime.

“The customers were buying the vegan sausage rolls more than the normal sausage rolls,” she said.

“By 12 o’clock they were sold out but up until now [4.30pm] people are still asking about them.

“It smells really good – I’ve tried it myself and it’s really tasty.

“People have been asking for us to get more trays in.”

Taste test

The Gazette managed to get hold of one of the last vegan sausage rolls at Greggs in Highbury. The 96 layers of pastry are certainly flaky and the “meat” inside is generally tasty, if slightly softer than a pork sausage roll. There is not much of a dominant flavour apart from a hint of onion and salt. Served slightly warm, it makes a comforting eat, every bit as satisfying as any sausage roll. In fact, we bet you couldn’t tell the difference.