CROWDS flocked to the inaugural Isle of Wight Vegan Lifestyle Show at Cowes Yacht Haven on Saturday.

With more than 45 companies represented on the day, attendees were offered a variety of food samples and experiences, illuminating talks, and cooking demonstrations from Island vegan organisations, as well as a sprinkling of mainland based ones.

Organiser Sarah Hagen, who owns Healthy Indulgence in Cowes, said: “People were queuing all the way from the doors to the pontoon from about 9.30am — half an hour before the show started — creating a real buzz in the area.

“My suppliers at Healthy Indulgence have been amazingly supportive of the event, they helped us put together 50 free goodie bags for the first people to enter.”

A selection of animal-free cuisine, ethical cleaning products, jewellery and literature was on offer for the masses who crammed into the venue.

Christo Brennan, director of vegan building enterprise Custom, said: “My partner Emily wrote an amazing book called The Vegan Build, and we are always taken aback by how well we’re received.

“I get the sense that it really helps people to navigate the minefield of getting all your minerals and vitamins without eating dairy, meat or fish.

“The book is 100 per cent eco-friendly, and the ink used on the photography is all vegetable dye. For example, a page with a beetroot burger recipe uses beetroot dye for ink — you could practically eat the book to be honest!”

Emily, under the umbrella of The Vegan Build, was one of four exhibitors to perform live demonstrations of their recipes.

Others giving live demonstrations were zero waste eaterie and store Peach, Asian fusion kitchen Dumpling Dumpling and Cowes restaurant Gastronomy, all of whom were able to satiate salivating onlookers by distributing tasters during their presentations.

Joss Peacey, founder of Plant Based Yumminess, said: “We offer plant-based ready meals and deliver Island-wide on orders of more than £20.

“Our niche is that we try to use refined sugar free and gluten free ingredients in all of our products. We are fully fledged vegans, but you don’t have to be vegan to eat our food, it’s mainly a healthy dessert option.”

Packed full of flavour, the key lime pie was a particular favourite from Plant Based Yumminess, made with fresh lime and avocado.

Slab Artisan Fudge founder Rachel Powell said: “We’ve been going for four years, originally using dairy, but we now find that up to 70 per cent of our sales of our market online is dairy free, most of what we make is also gluten free.

“This has been a really well organised event, the Island’s vegan market appears to be flourishing.”

Sarah revealed the second Isle of Wight Vegan Lifestyle Show will take place on Saturday, October 17, next year at the same venue.

To find out more, or enquire about exhibiting, email sarah@veganlifestyleshowiow.co.uk