The plant-based alternative to the UK's number one smoky cheese will form part of the filling of Tortilla's vegan quesadilla*, which will also feature Tortilla's signature vegan chilli no carne and grilled veggies, a side of tortilla chips, fresh salsa verde and a pot of the restaurant group's famous hand-smashed guacamole.

Applewood Vegan is the first plant-based cheese alternative to be trialled by Tortilla, which is the UK's largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand with a fully customisable and authentic California-style Mexican menu. Applewood Vegan will also be available to add to Tortilla's other main items including burrito, naked burrito and tacos for 50p.

Lisa Harrison, Marketing Manager for Applewood Vegan, says: "Our collaboration with Tortilla is the best way to kick off Veganuary 2022 and we are really thrilled that not only is Applewood Vegan being featured in Tortilla's first-ever vegan quesadilla, but that Applewood Vegan is the first dairy alternative to be trialled by Tortilla.

"According to a YouGov survey earlier this year, at least 5% of the population followed a vegan diet during the whole month or part of the month of January this year as part of Veganuary, and with restaurant groups such as Tortilla rolling out vegan options for Veganuary 2022, we are hopeful that this number will increase as people will have more options.

"This collaboration with Tortilla is the icing on the cake for Applewood Vegan following a number of other tie-ups with restaurant and pub groups including TGI Friday's, which features our plant-based alternative in its To Vegan and Beyond Burger.

"Oakman Inns has launched a new autumn/winter menu at its 36 pubs across the UK, which has Applewood Vegan in its Nourish bowls alongside roasted red pepper and garlic hummus, avocado, grilled courgette and roasted sweet potatoes. Also, the Future Farm no-beef burger comes topped with Applewood Vegan. And Honest Burgers features Applewood Vegan in its limited-edition Vegan Christmas burger.

"So, it's been a busy year for collaborations and we are so pleased that 2022 will be getting off to such a great start with our partnership with Tortilla. And who knows, perhaps the vegan quesadilla will prove so popular, it might remain on the menu all year round!"

Tortilla Head of Food Martyn Clover says: ""We pride ourselves on having an option for everyone and a cheese alternative is the one thing our vegan customers ask for most. We're stoked to be giving it to them this Veganuary!" 

Toni Vernelli, International Head of Communications and Marketing at Veganuary, says: We're thrilled that Tortilla is launching a vegan quesadilla featuring Applewood Vegan this January. Veganuary's role is to help people choose plant-based foods, whether their motivation is health, planet, people or animals. And it is much easier to persuade people to try vegan if there is plenty of great-tasting, high-quality food like this readily available in restaurants."

The vegan quesadilla featuring Applewood Vegan will be available at Tortilla's 50 eat in and take away locations across the UK from 2pm every day throughout January as well as being available to order through nationwide partnerships with Deliveroo and SSP. The plant-based cheese will also be available to add to burrito, naked burrito and tacos at the 50 Tortilla's across the country as well as an option on take-away orders. It will cost £6.50 for a medium or £7.50 for a large (both served with tortilla chips, hand-smashed guac and salsa verde)

* Quesadilla (pronounced kay·suh·dee·uh) is an authentic Mexican dish made with a tortilla filled with predominantly cheese and sometimes other meats, salsas, and fillings, and then cooked on a griddle or stove. Tortilla's menu describes it as a Mexican pizza!

Media contact
Angie Cronin
Loudbird PR and Communications
07970 810302
loudbirdprandcomms@gmail.com

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About Applewood Vegan®

• The Applewood is the UK's first major cheese brand to launch a vegan cheese alternative.
• Applewood Vegan is made in an allergen-free factory negating the risk of cross contamination from dairy products.
• The key features of Applewood Vegan are that it is coconut based, it has Applewood's unique smoky flavouring and is free from dairy, lactose, soya, gluten and palm oil.
• Ingredients include: Water, Coconut Oil, Potato Starch, Modified Maize Starch, Yeast Extract, Salt, Natural Flavouring, Thickener (Carrageenan), Calcium Phosphate, Smoke Flavouring, Calcium Chloride, Colour (Carotenes), Paprika and Vitamin B12.
• It is approved by The Vegan Society.
• Applewood Vegan has won five awards including: the Gold award at the FreeFrom Food Awards 2020; Best Vegan Cheese in the 2019 Vegan Food UK Awards; Best Vegan Cheese For Melting in the Vegan Cheese Co. 2019 Awards; Highly Commended in the Dairy-Free category of The Grocer's New Product Awards 2020; and Highly Commended in the Best Vegan Cheese Brand Category in the Vegan Food and Living Reader Awards 2021. 
• Applewood Vegan is part of a portfolio of vegan and dairy cheeses from Norseland, the UK's leading speciality cheese company and the first dairy company to launch a plant-based alternative to its leading diary cheese brands.
• More details, go to www.flexifriday.co.uk

About Tortilla Mexican Grill plc

• Founded in October 2007 by Brandon and Jen Stephens, Tortilla is the UK's largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand with a fully customisable and authentic California-style Mexican menu. 
• Tortilla operates more than 50 eat in and take away locations across the UK and through nationwide partnerships with Deliveroo and SSP. Internationally, Tortilla operates in the Middle East, with 10 stores in Dubai and Saudi Arabia through an exclusive franchise partnership.
• Food provenance and quality is a critical component of our proposition. All fillings for Tortilla's burritos, tacos and quesadillas are prepared in-house and toppings are prepared fresh daily, free from artificial flavours of preservatives. In 2020, the brand served more than 4.4 million customers.
• The brand is headquartered in London and employs more than 700 people. 
• More details at www.tortillagroup.co.uk