Surge in vegan food has led to Wakefield business boom

The Alkour family had run Mane Envy on Westgate which attracted customers from beyond the city because of its commitment to using animal-friendly only products.

And they have now taken a giant leap forward by relocating the salon to Ossett, and adding a vegan cafe to the business.

With their Middle Eastern heritage, they specialise in meat and dairy-free Syrian food, which is improving a unique and popular blend.

After having being open for two weeks, daughter Aishia says word is spreading fast thanks to a string of positive online reviews and a general growing appetite for vegan food.

The 26-year-old said: “Over the past few years interest has definitely grown, you can tell by the amount of products available in supermarkets.

“It’s done really well so far, the reviews have been great.

“We are getting quite a lot of bookings every day.

“It just seems to be getting better and better. We had so many people travelling from all over because few places do cruelty-free products, that’s why we decided to expand.”

Named Mama T’s - after Aishia’s mother, Tracy - the Station Road business is very much a family affair, with the workforce made up of her mother, father and sister, all of whom became vegan for ethical and health reasons.

The menu is filled with vegan dishes including stone-baked pizzas, kebabs, ‘vurgers’ and Syrian specialities such as meat-free Shawarma and ‘Buddha Bowls’ made up of grains, salads and mixed vegetables.

Aishia added: “We were supposed to be open before the lockdown but it gave us time to get everything finished.

“It was a big renovation project and taken a lot of effort but we’re passionate about showing people that plant-based food can be tasty too.”