The boss of Greggs has said the bakery chain is planning to release vegan versions of all of its best-selling products.

The move follows the success of the brand's vegan sausage roll which was released in January.

Chief executive officer Roger Whiteside told LBC about the plans as Greggs prepares to open its 2000th store.

The company's "innovation team" has also said it is working on a new product that will be as big as the vegan sausage roll, but Mr Whiteside refused to reveal any details about what that product might be.

He told LBC: "That would be giving away everything to our competitors.


"But I will say we are plugging away to see if we can come up with a vegan version of all our top-selling lines.

"Obviously people want a vegan option.

"If we can succeed in doing that and produce something that tastes just as good as the meat version, then that will sell very successfully. That's what's been shown with the vegan sausage roll."

Gregg's decision to release a vegan sausage roll was met with a mixed response at the beginning of this year.

The product, which is filled with a meat substitute and encased in 96 pastry layers, was made available in 950 Greggs stores across the country.

TV writer Brydie Lee-Kennedy called herself "very pro the Greggs vegan sausage roll because anything that wrenches veganism back from the 'clean eating' wellness folk is a good thing".

Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan led the charge of those outraged by the new roll.

He wrote on Twitter: "Nobody was waiting for a vegan bloody sausage, you PC-ravaged clowns."

Greggs announced annual sales of £1bn for the first time in March, two months after the release of the vegan sausage roll.