EDINBURGH butcher Macsween is celebrating the 30th birthday of its vegetarian haggis.
Created by John Macsween in 1984, for the opening of the Scottish Poetry Library, it was the first meat-free haggis on the market.
Since then it has gone from a minority taste to the mainstream; the veggie version now accounts for one of every four haggis products sold by Macsween.
It is approved by the Vegetarian Society and is vegan-friendly too. Macsween suggests that it’s a must-stock for National Vegetarian Week, which runs 19-25 May.
The product’s health credentials have won it fans such as personal trainer and writer Tracy Griffen, author of The Healthy Living Year Book.
She said: “As a vegetarian, I’m a big believer in eating oats for health, and oatmeal is the primary ingredient in vegetarian haggis. It has a low GI, making it a slow burning fuel for fitness.
“There are not many vegetarian healthy ‘fast foods’ that can fill my tummy after a busy day of fitness, which is why I will always be a Macsween vegetarian haggis fan.”
The 454g pack has an RRP of £3.20. There is also a 130g microwaveable version, RRP £1.50.
