These Are the 156 Winners of the 2025 VegNews Veggie Awards

If you thought vegan food couldn’t get any better, think again. From legacy brands like Tofurky proving they’ve still got it to bold newcomers like Rebel Cheese shaking things up (and winning by just one vote!), this year’s reader poll spotlights the people, products, and places that are proving just how exciting plant-based living has become. This year, we’re celebrating even more of your favorite plant-based products with a slew of new categories (from Best Vegan Cookie to Bubbly Beverage to Frozen Pizza and beyond) and VegNews’ very own staff picks added to the mix. So get ready: it’s time to crown the 2025 winners.

Best Milk: Oatly

Watch out, almond—oat milk is coming for your crown as the alt milk of choice, and Oatly is leading the charge. Four years after its Starbucks debut, the Swedish brand is doubling down with yet another coffee collab—this time with Nespresso. From coffee to cereal and oatmeal, VegNews readers are splashing Oatly on everything.

1st Place: Oatly
2nd Place: Silk
3rd Place: Califia Farms
Editors’ Vote: Elmhurst

Best Ice Cream: Ben & Jerry’s

Creativity and innovation are the mantras that guide the Flavor Gurus at this cult-favorite ice creamery. And with 19 dairy-free whimsical creations spanning from the fudgy, marshmallowy Phish Food to the brand-new Chocolate Caramel Brownie, it’s no surprise Ben & Jerry’s has won its sixth Veggie Award.

1st Place: Ben & Jerry’s
2nd Place: So Delicious Dairy Free
3rd Place: Oatly
Editors’ Vote: Eclipse 

Best Staple Cheese: Violife

Cheesy quesadillas, crispy grilled cheese sandos, feta-topped flatbreads, and parm-dusted ‘za—they’re all possible thanks to Violife’s range of dairy-free shreds, slices, blocks, and more. Whatever dairy cheese can do, Violife can do better.

1st Place: Violife
2nd Place: Chao Creamery
3rd Place: Miyoko’s Creamery
Editors’ Vote: Violife

Best Artisanal Cheese: Rebel Cheese

Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner aren’t the only ones vying for a taste of buttery brie, smoked cheddar, and tomato herb fromage by Austin-based Rebel Cheese. In the tightest race in Veggie Award history (clinching the win by just one vote!), this vegan creamery brings home its first Veggie Award.

1st Place: Rebel Cheese
2nd Place: Miyoko’s Creamery 
3rd Place: Kite Hill
Editors’ Vote: Rebel Cheese

Best Cream Cheese: Kite Hill

Chive, everything, garden veggie, or plain? However you schmear, Kite Hill’s smooth, tangy, almond milk-based cream cheese is VegNews readers’ top choice for the second consecutive year. The time to stock up on bagels is now.

1st Place: Kite Hill
2nd Place: Violife
3rd Place: Miyoko’s Creamery
Editors’ Vote: Kite Hill

Best Butter: Miyoko’s Creamery

When Sprinkles debuts a new vegan cupcake, they reach for oat milk butter by Miyoko’s Creamery to create the fluffiest, most decadent treat. And if it’s good enough for Sprinkles, it’s good enough for us. Between cinnamon brown sugar, garlic parm, and original salted flavors, it’s no surprise this vegan creamery is bringing home its second Veggie Award for Best Butter.

1st Place: Miyoko’s Creamery
2nd Place: Earth Balance
3rd Place: Country Crock 
Editors’ Vote: Miyoko’s Creamery

Best Creamer: Silk

Fact: 70 percent of dairy consumers prefer Silk over conventional dairy—and we’re not surprised. Upgrade your morning cuppas with one of Silk’s 15 dairy-free creamers, from classic vanilla soy to the innovative shake-and-spray oat cold foam creamer.

1st Place: Silk
2nd Place: Califia Farms
3rd Place: Oatly
Editors’ Vote: Sown

RELATED: The 2024 VegNews Restaurant Award Winners: Readers Pick America’s Best Vegan Hot Spots

Best Yogurt: Forager Project

Whether you’re looking for a post-gym, high-protein Greek yogurt; a kid-friendly pouch perfect for lunchboxes; or a sippable yogurt bev to enjoy on your morning commute, Forager Project has a creamy, fruity, cashew milk yogurt for every occasion.

1st Place: Forager Project
2nd Place: Silk
3rd Place: So Delicious Dairy Free
Editors’ Vote: Kite Hill

Best Egg: Just Egg

2025 just may go down as the year of the egg shortage, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have your scrambles and eat them, too. Just Egg’s liquid gold easily transforms into just about any kind of eggy breakfast dish you could dream up—no stalking the grocery aisles required. So it’s no surprise that Just has earned the first-ever back-to-back wins for Best Vegan Egg.

1st Place: Just Egg
2nd Place: Bob’s Red Mill
3rd Place: Yo Egg
Editors’ Vote: Just Egg

Best Burger: Beyond Meat

This trailblazing vegan brand made a name for itself with beefy “bleeding” burgers, and now, Beyond Meat is infusing its beloved burger with better-for-you avocado oil, red lentils, and fava bean protein for a heart-healthy boost. The verdict? Beyond Burger is still readers’ top choice for the seventh year in a row.

1st Place: Beyond Meat
2nd Place: Impossible Foods
3rd Place: Dr. Praeger’s
Editors’ Vote: Dr. Praeger’s

Best Chicken: Gardein

With options ranging from Nashville hot tenders and Mandarin orange morsels to buffalo wings and sandwich-ready fillets, Gardein has perfected vegan chicken throughout its 22 years in business. So it’s no surprise that it remains the undisputed winner of Best Vegan Chicken.

1st Place: Gardein
2nd Place: Daring Foods
3rd Place: Impossible Foods
Editors’ Vote: Tindle Foods

Best Seafood: Gardein

The plant-based seafood category is booming with innovation and new players, but VegNews readers are reaching for the tried-and-true classics: Gardein’s crab-less cakes and fish-less fillets. And with the legacy brand’s meatier formulation as part of its Ultimate product line, fish and chips will never be the same.

1st Place: Gardein
2nd Place: Konscious Foods
3rd Place: The Plant Based Seafood Co.
Editors’ Vote: Konscious Foods

Best Bacon: Lightlife

Plant-based bacon has reached a whopping market value of $1.3 billion, thanks in part to innovative ingredients like mycelium and seaweed. But when it comes to smoky, savory, crispy strips, VegNews readers are spending their dollars on Lightlife’s classic Smart Bacon for BLTs, breakfast platters, and beyond.

1st Place: Lightlife
2nd Place: Upton’s Naturals
3rd Place: Unreal Deli
Editors’ Vote: MyForest Foods

Best Deli Slices: Tofurky

Pile on the Tofurky deli slices and build a sky-high sandwich even Scooby would approve of. Peppered, bologna, Italian, roast beef, and hickory smoked deliver nostalgic deli flavors without the cruelty, but the newest Next-Gen slices in roasted turkey and smoked ham flavors prove this 45-year-old company still has some tricks up its sleeve.

1st Place: Tofurky
2nd Place: Field Roast
3rd Place: Unreal Deli
Editors’ Vote: Prime Roots

Best Jerky: Louisville Vegan Jerky Co.

Master jerky makers at this family-run operation aren’t afraid of bold flavors. Cheddar jalapeño popper, orange chicken, and pepperoni pizza are just a handful of the imaginative flavors that put Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. in a category of its own.

1st Place: Louisville Vegan Jerky Co.
2nd Place: Pan’s Mushroom Jerky
3rd Place: Primal Spirit
Editors’ Vote: Moku

Best Protein Powder: Orgain

Natural and unsweetened, fruity cereal milk-flavored, simple six-ingredient blends, 30 gram power blends, keto, oat milk, Justin’s nut butter cup-inspired—there’s an Orgain plant-based protein powder for virtually every palate and preference … and for every time someone asks you where you get your protein.

1st Place: Orgain
2nd Place: Vega
3rd Place: Garden of Life
Editors’ Vote: Sunwarrior

Best Condiment: Vegenaise

These days, vegans are spoiled for choice when it comes to eggless mayo. Between the highly anticipated return of Just’s mayo to multinational companies like Hellmann’s venturing into the category, Vegenaise—the ultimate vegan OG—proves it isn’t going anywhere after earning its ninth Veggie Award.

1st Place: Follow Your Heart Vegenaise
2nd Place: Bitchin’ Sauce
3rd Place: Bachan’s The Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce
Editors’ Vote: Bitchin’ Sauce

Best Mac and Cheese: Chao Creamery

Savory, mildly sweet, soft, and rich, Vietnamese-style fermented tofu is the secret behind Chao Creamery’s dairy-free cheese slices. Combined with tender elbow pasta, a dash of nooch, and a splash of hot sauce, and it’s easy to see why Chao just earned the first-ever Veggie Award for Best Mac and Cheese.

1st Place: Chao Creamery
2nd Place: Annie’s
3rd Place: Amy’s Kitchen
Editors’ Vote: Amy’s Kitchen

Best Frozen Meal: Amy’s Kitchen

Pad Thai, enchiladas, tofu scramble, Moroccan vegetable tagine, meatloaf TV dinners, dumpling noodle bowls, broccoli mac and cheese, sweet potato-coconut curry—the list of Amy’s Kitchen’s mouthwatering microwavable meals goes on and on. That’s why it snatches the win for this brand-new Veggie Award category.

1st Place: Amy’s Kitchen
2nd Place: Gardein
3rd Place: Purple Carrot
Editors’ Vote: Konscious Foods

Best Frozen Pizza: Amy’s Kitchen

When the moon hits your eye like an Amy’s Kitchen Roasted Vegetable No Cheese pie—that’s amore. A base of slow-roasted caramelized onions stands in for red sauce, then gets layered with marinated shiitakes, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and a drizzle of balsamic. Can anything be tastier?

1st Place: Amy’s Kitchen
2nd Place: Daiya
3rd Place: Blackbird
Editors’ Vote: Blackbird

Best Coffee Beverage: Califia Farms

Califia Farms consistently delivers some of the tastiest milks and coffees our fridges have ever seen—and there’s plenty to choose from. Coffee purist? Its new Espresso Blend Cold Brew packs an extra roasty kick in your everyday cup. Like it a little sweeter? The chocolaty Mocha Almond Latte will satisfy any craving. Sweet, strong, or somewhere in between—Califia brings the buzz.

1st Place: Califia Farms
2nd Place: Starbucks
3rd Place: Stumptown
Editors’ Vote: Elmhurst

Best Bubbly Beverage: GT’s Kombucha

From mushroom elixirs to aguas de kefir to wellness shots, this California brand specializes in a wide array of wellness concoctions, but it’s the kombuchas that get VegNews readers buzzing. With benefits like increased immunity, boosted gut health, and improved cellular health and brain function (and mouthwatering flavors like Peach Paradise and adults-only Chardonnay), it’s no wonder this better-for-you brew has come out on top.

1st Place: GT’s Kombucha
2nd Place: Olipop
3rd Place: Poppi
Editors’ Vote: De La Calle

Best Crunchy Snack: Hippeas

Is there anything that chickpeas can’t do? We devour them in Indian takeout, repurpose aquafaba for all our baking projects, and thanks to Hippeas, we’re snacking on them all week long. The hallmark white cheddar flavor is always a sure bet, but limited edition Churro and Mexican Street Corn flavors shouldn’t be missed, either.

1st Place: Hippeas
2nd Place: SkinnyPop White Cheddar Popcorn
3rd Place: Back to Nature Cheezy Crackers
Editors’ Vote: PeaTos Puffs

Best Chocolate: Hu Kitchen

Organic, fair trade, and made simply with cacao, unrefined coconut sugar, cocoa butter, and nothing else—Hu Kitchen’s dark chocolate bars are a master class in how less really is more. But throw in a few high-quality mix-ins like hazelnut butter, puffed quinoa, and organic raspberry, and you’ve got some real winners.

1st Place: Hu Kitchen
2nd Place: Endangered Species 
3rd Place: Chocolove
Editors’ Vote: TCHO  

Best Candy: Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups

The chokehold that peanut butter and chocolate has on society is something to be studied. And according to VegNews readers, the nut butter aficionados at Justin‘s have cracked the code. Now only one question remains: remain a peanut purist, or experiment with almond and cashew?

1st Place: Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups
2nd Place: Unreal Snacks Chocolate Gems
3rd Place: Cocomels Coconut Milk Caramels
Editors’ Vote: Katjes Plant-Based Gummies

Best Dessert Brand: Abe’s Muffins

Don’t let the name fool you, Abe’s is so much more than muffins. A godsend for allergen-conscious shoppers, this company makes “school-friendly” goodies ranging from brownie bites to cornbread, cupcakes to full-size layer cakes—and yes, 18 varieties of muffins. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be a kid to dig in.

1st Place: Abe’s Muffins
2nd Place: Sweet Loren’s
3rd Place: Rubicon Bakers
Editors’ Vote: Abe’s Muffins

Best Cookie: Alternative Baking Co.

Sometimes, there’s no improving upon the classics. Alternative Baking Co. has been serving up chunky, chewy, vegan cookies since 1995, and even with a swell of new plant-based players on the market, this veteran brand is still the best of the best (trust us, no one is improving upon its’ Explosive Espresso Chip).

1st Place: Alternative Baking Co.
2nd Place: Siete
3rd Place: Back to Nature
Editors’ Vote: Maxine’s Heavenly

Best Classic Product Gone Vegan: Boursin

There’s something so luxe and indulgent—and versatile—about Boursin’s gourmet cheese. Garlicky, chive-speckled, with a texture somewhere between fluffy and creamy—this fan-favorite tub of coconut-based cheese is as at home on a fancy cheese plate as it is slathered on Mexican street corn.

1st Place: Boursin
2nd Place: Hellmann’s Plant-Based Mayonnaise
3rd Place: Babybel Plant-Based Snack Cheese
Editors’ Vote: The Kraft Heinz Not Company Mac and Cheese

Best New Product: Dandies Vegan Marshmallow Cream

Light-as-air fluffernutter sandwiches, leveled-up ice cream sundaes, scratch-made whoopie pies—a whole new world of sweet bliss has been unlocked by veteran vegan brand Dandies’ new gelatin- and egg white-free Marshmallow Cream. And if you get the craving to simply eat it by the spoonful, don’t worry—you’re in good company.

1st Place: Dandies Vegan Marshmallow Cream
2nd Place: Beyond Bakes Plant-Based Pockets
3rd Place: Impossible Foods Corn Dogs
Editors’ Vote: Mellody Hot Honey

Best Meal Delivery Service: Purple Carrot

Whether you want to cook your own meals (like noochy cacio e pepe) or are just looking to heat and eat (the Mongolian beef bao with peanut dipping sauce are a must), Purple Carrot’s completely vegan meal delivery service is the way to go, and it has its fifth Veggie Award to prove it.

1st Place: Purple Carrot
2nd Place: Hungryroot
3rd Place: Daily Harvest
Editors’ Vote: Purple Carrot

Best Grocery Store: Besties Vegan Paradise

For the fifth consecutive year, Besties Vegan Paradise claims the crown, and we suspect its next-level cheese case (those cave-aged camembert wheels), hot-and-ready fast-food classics (crispy chicken cordon bleu sandwich, anyone?), and hard-to-find picks (Oregon-made soy curls? European candy? New fangled algae oil? They got it all.) have something to do with it.

1st Place: Besties Vegan Paradise (Los Angeles, CA)
2nd Place: Food Fight! Grocery, (Portland, OR)
3rd Place: Orchard Grocer (New York, NY)
Editors’ Vote: Besties Vegan Paradise (Los Angeles, CA)

RELATED: The First-Ever VegNews Cheese Awards: Meet the 2024 Winners

Best City: Los Angeles

After a slate of 2024 closures (including Hart House, Nic’s on Beverly, and Sugar Taco) and a devastating start to 2025, you might be ready to count Los Angeles out … but you’d be wrong. The city is rebuilding, the community is resolute, and newer gems like Baker’s Bench, Civico 2064, and The Moody Vegan are drawing diners across the city. LA, we love you.

1st Place: Los Angeles
2nd Place: New York City
3rd Place: Portland
Editors’ Vote: Los Angeles

Favorite Celebrity: Joaquin Phoenix

The infamous Joker may be Joaquin Phoenix’s latest role, but when it comes to veganism and animals, the Hollywood star doesn’t joke around—and his fourth Veggie Award is the ultimate proof.

1st Place: Joaquin Phoenix
2nd Place: Billie Eilish
3rd Place: Woody Harrelson
Editors’ Vote: Pamela Anderson

Favorite Tiktoker: Tabitha Brown, @iamtabithabrown

Whether she’s sharing a glimpse of her family life (like how pup Blacky Brown helped her recover from hip surgery), her partnership with local businesses (feeding 1,000 people affected by Los Angeles’ wildfires with vegan food truck Vurger Guyz), or just brightening followers’ days with her special brand of optimism, Tabitha Brown’s TikTok is not to be missed.

1st Place: Tabitha Brown (@iamtabithabrown)
2nd Place: Maya Leinenbach (@fitgreenmind)
3rd Place: Carleigh Bodrug (@plantyou)
Editors’ Vote: Jason Kartalian (@veganhackspod)

Favorite Instagrammer: John Lewis, @badassvegan

Author, director, and entrepreneur, John Lewis is on a mission to educate the masses about the intersections of diet, health, and social inequities. But when the multihyphenate isn’t out changing the world, he’s sharing motivation, laughs, and thought-provoking insight with nearly half a million followers.

1st Place: John Lewis, @badassvegan
2nd Place: Sam Jones (@nomeatdisco)
3rd Place: Priyanka Naik (@chefpriyanka)
Editors’ Vote: Catherine Perez (@plantbasedrd)

Favorite YouTuber: Chef AJ, @chefaj

When beloved chef, YouTuber, and vegan for 47 years Abbie Jaye (aka Chef AJ) went public with her lung cancer diagnosis last December, she could’ve understandably disappeared to focus on her health. Instead, this dynamo is bravely sharing her journey through her YouTube series, “Thriving in the Face of Cancer,” in hopes of showing there is plenty of life to live—and delicious, nourishing recipes to be made—even through cancer.

1st Place: Chef AJ (@chefaj)
2nd Place: Rose Lee (@cheaplazyvegan)
3rd Place: Derek Simnett (@simnettnutrition)
Editors’ Vote: Jasmine Briones & Chris Petrellese (@sweetsimplevegan)

Favorite Athlete: Colin Kaepernick (Football)

The athlete-turned-activist hasn’t played professional football since January 1, 2017 after being blackballed by the NFL. But impressively, he hasn’t stopped training for the opportunity to get back on the field. More impressively? In his down time, this plant-based superstar hasn’t let up on his commitment to human-rights activism.

1st Place: Colin Kaepernick (Football)
2nd Place: Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1 Racing)
3rd Place: Alex Morgan (Soccer)
Editors’ Vote: Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1 Racing)

Best Podcast: Nutrition Facts With Dr. Greger

Bad breath, skin cancer, and everything in between—How Not to Die author Michael Greger, MD tackles all of your most pressing health quandaries (and explains how nutrition can help) in about 20 minutes or less in this highly informative, weekly podcast.

1st Place: Nutrition Facts With Dr. Greger
2nd Place: Vegan Hacks with Jason Kartalian & Mike Keller
3rd place: The Korean Vegan with Joanne Molinaro
Editors’ Vote: Vegan Hacks with Jason Kartalian & Mike Keller

Best Cookbook: ‘PlantYou: Scrappy Cooking’ by Carleigh Bodrug

If you can hear “Welcome to Scrrrrrapy Cooking!” in your head while reading this, PlantYou’s Carleigh Bodrug has done her job. The social media phenom’s recipe content is devoured by more than 10 million social media followers, so it makes sense that her latest book—all about zero-waste, maxed-out flavor recipes—nabbed the top title this year.

1st Place: PlantYou: Scrappy Cooking by Carleigh Bodrug
2nd Place: Big Vegan Flavor by Nisha Vora
3rd Place: Vegan Mob: Vegan BBQ and Soul Food by Toriano Gordon and Korsha Wilson
Editors’ Vote: Big Vegan Flavor by Nisha Vora

Our 2025 Prize Winners!

These six lucky VegNews readers are also big winners in our 2025 Veggie Awards. Congratulations to this year’s prize winners!

Luxury Vegan Vacation to Mexico from Palmaia
Kelly Henderson  

Ultimate Foodie Weekend in Austin from SEED
Kate McCalla  

Plant-Based Snack Delivery + $500 Costco Gift Card from Crisp Power
Kelly Wellens  

Epic Food Feast from Kite Hill
Emily Fowler  

Magical Candy Bar Party from Trupo
Leslie Amerman  

$500 Shopping Spree from Sunwarrior
Kerry Neilson