A new player has arrived in the meat free space, and it’s intentionally nothing like the rest of the category. Urban Farm-Produce, the UK growers pioneering whole food mushroom innovation, has launched Prepared Mane, its first range of chilled and frozen, ready-to-cook vegan-friendly products crafted from UK grown organic Lion’s Mane mushrooms.
At a time when so many meat-free based products on shelves are classified as ultra processed, Urban Farm-Produce’s Prepared Mane is positioning itself as a clean, whole food alternative designed for both consumers and foodservice operators who are demanding better. The range debuts with Smoked and Unsmoked Steaks and a versatile Mince, created as a customisable base rather than a highly flavoured imitation. All products are made using certified organic Lion’s Mane, offering a radically simple counterpoint to the complex ingredient lists dominating the category.
Urban Farm-Produce Founder and CEO Elliot Webb commented: “Prepared Mane is our response to a category that’s lost touch with what vegan-friendly should be. Consumers are looking for food that’s simple, clean and recognisable, and right now, too many meat-free products are anything but. By centring this range around UK-grown Lion’s Mane, we’re showing that whole food innovation can deliver flavour, texture and convenience without compromise.”
Ahead of its wider rollout, Urban Farm-Produce has released a limited pre-launch batch via their website to test early customer reception. Targeted at health and planet conscious shoppers, and consumers increasingly seeking local, minimally processed options, the range also answers a growing need within the foodservice industry.
Chefs and operators looking for meat-free solutions that don’t compromise on quality or efficiency will find these products ready to cook in just minutes, with bulk quantities available. Optional rubs and marinades are offered simply as a cooking aid, designed to help D2C customers feel confident when preparing a product that may be new to them.
Elliot continued: “Chefs have been telling us for years that they want meat-free options that work with the pace of a professional kitchen, not against it. Prepared Mane was designed for that reality of real ingredients, minimal prep, and ready to go. It gives operators the practicality they need, while still staying true to whole-food principles.”
With the UK’s plant-based population having risen and based on YouGov survey results and the current population estimates for each country, Urban Farm-Produce calculates some 25.8 million people worldwide chose to try plant-based in January 2025, the market is hungry for alternatives that go beyond highly processed soy or wheat-based substitutes. Prepared Mane’s answer is a functional food range built from a single hero ingredient, Lion’s Mane, known for its texture, nutritional potential, and ability to absorb flavour. The Mince and Steaks deliver a clean-label, UK-grown option that taps into consumer demand for transparency and local sourcing.
Elliot added: “There’s huge demand for meat-free/vegan products that are not only better for people, but better for the planet. Growing Lion’s Mane here in the UK allows us to create a meat-free solution that’s local, transparent and genuinely sustainable. Prepared Mane reflects everything we believe food innovation should be, responsible, honest and rooted in real ingredients.
“Consumers are becoming far more selective, questioning long ingredient lists and looking for meat-free/vegan options that feel closer to real food. Prepared Mane meets that shift head-on. Simple, versatile and built around a single ingredient that stands on its own.”
Prepared Mane’s represents a shift in the meat-free conversation from meat-free/vegan products engineered to mimic meat, to whole-food solutions that stand on their own. With convenience, sustainability and ingredient purity at its core, Urban Farm-Produce is poised to fill a widening gap in a saturated yet increasingly scrutinised category.
Prepared Mane launched Friday 27th February.
