This newsletter is a one-person project, and I’ll be taking a short break over the holidays, so this edition will cover everything from now until January 8.

Inside, you’ll find a round-up of holiday meal specials along with seasonal news from local favourites like Bunner’s and Honey’s.

There’s also a look at Beyond Meat’s new value pack rolling out across Canada, plus the usual mix of events and activism updates.

That’s it for The Insider this year. Thank you for being part of this community and for helping make this newsletter possible. Wishing you all the best for the rest of 2025, and I’ll see you in the new year!

Buy Vegan — Your vegan-only catalogue for Canada

Everything listed is verified vegan and orderable in Canada. Compare prices across retailers, see where to buy, and skip the label decoding. It’s a catalogue of vegan products and point you to the shops that sell them. As a new site, feedback and suggestions are always welcome.

What it is (and isn’t)

• Vegan-only catalogue: every item verified—no label decoding.

• Canada-ready: listings checked for Canadian shipping or local availability.

• Where to buy & price look-up: we strive to list all retailers so you can compare.

• Not a storefront: we don’t sell; we point you to the places that do.

New this week:

New listings roll out weekly as we grow toward a comprehensive vegan database for Canadian shoppers. Let’s vote with our dollars—and Buy Vegan.

Week of September 25 - October 01:

News:

• PLANTA is offering a Holiday Feast that can be ordered for take-home. Guests are instructed to order by Friday, December 22, 2025 for pickup or delivery between 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM on December 23 or 24. The official page doesn’t list the full menu but confirms that you can either order the complete feast or select individual dishes à la carte.

• Hawker in Kensington Market, is promoting a New Year’s Eve six-course prix fixe. The NYE section describes a special six-course meal focused on local produce and preserved ingredients, with a complimentary glass of bubbles included and optional three- or six-course wine pairings curated by their sommelier.

• Beyond Meat has introduced a new Beyond Beef Value Pack, now reaching more than 1,300 stores across Canada. The pack includes over two and a half times more of their plant-based beef, made from ingredients such as red lentils, faba beans and avocado oil. Each serving offers 18 g of protein with only 1.5 g of saturated fat, and the product contains no GMOs or cholesterol. Packaged in a gold box and found in the frozen aisle, it’s positioned as a higher-value option for those already buying Beyond Beef.

• Streets of Toronto featured Bunner’s as the winner in a holiday dessert tasting judged by chefs Nuit Regular and Anthony Rose, who selected the bakery’s Peppermint Nanaimo Bar as the top treat of the season. The chefs praised its balanced sweetness, peppermint aroma, coconut, and satisfying crunch, noting that it also happens to be both gluten-free and vegan. The winning bar is available at Bunner’s Kensington Market location for $4.85.

• Honey’s has opened holiday pre-orders for a wide range of seasonal ice cream pies and a new ice cream cake, available to order until December 18. This year’s lineup includes a Candy Cane Hot Fudge Crunch pie; a Turtles-inspired Chocolate Caramel Pecan pie; the returning William Miner pie made with a wheat-free “fauxreo” crust and coffee ice cream; a Pistachio Cherry Vanilla pie for fans of their Double Pistachio flavour; and a new Gingerbread & Egg Nog ice cream cake. Orders will be ready for pickup from December 22–24, and the shop will be closed on December 25–26, December 31 and January 1–15.

Events:

(Please note: Event details are provided as accurately as possible at the time of publishing. We recommend checking directly with organizers or venues for any updates or cancellations before attending.)

• Holiday Chocolates & Truffles by Emily Zimmerman
  📅 Date: Saturday, December 20
  🕒 Time: 12 p.m.
  📍 Location: CSI, 192 Spadina Ave., #501
  🎟️ Tickets: $79 + HST; kids under 12 can join an adult for half price

  This hands-on workshop teaches participants how to make vegan, gluten-free chocolates and truffles using organic, fairly traded ChocoSol chocolate. The class covers truffles, customizable chocolate bark, white chocolate from scratch, fondant, ganache, tempering techniques and a quick batch of roses-des-sables. Attendees leave with a box of handmade chocolates and a recipe pack.

• Vegan Baking Group: Annual Holiday Cookie Exchange

  📅 Date: Sunday, December 21, 2025

  🕒 Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

  📍 Location: Wishbone Animal Rights Lab

  Registration for this year’s holiday cookie exchange is now closed after reaching capacity. Those who RSVP’d by email will receive a message shortly with full event details.

• New Year’s Eve 2025 – 5-Course Tasting Menu (Avelo)
  📅 Date: December 31, 2025
  📍 Location: Avelo Restaurant, 51 St Nicholas St

  Avelo is offering a special New Year’s Eve five-course tasting menu featuring dishes created exclusively for the night, along with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine or a non-alcoholic alternative. The event is $120 per person with a $30 deposit required, and an optional wine pairing is available.

• New Year’s Eve at Bellona
  📅 Date: December 31, 2025
  📍 Location: Jane Street & College Street
  🎟️ Tickets: $60 per person for the 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. seatings; $75 per person for the 10 p.m. seating (includes a glass of Prosecco). Reservations via bellonakitchen.ca/book-a-table 

  Bellona is offering a cozy four-course family-style feast for New Year’s Eve, featuring a choice of starters, salads, pastas and desserts designed around comfort and generous portions. Three seatings are available, with the late seating including a Prosecco toast at midnight. Tables can be booked at either the Jane Street or College Street location, and the restaurant notes that New Year’s Eve typically fills quickly.

Activism:

• Protest at Nucro-Technics Inc.: AGAIN!
  📅 Date: Thursday, December 11, 2025
  🕒 Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
  📍 Location: Toronto, ON (exact meet-up point provided via Facebook event)
  🎟️ Tickets: Not required

  This Anti-Vivisection Alliance (TAVA) action calls for Nucro-Technics to end animal testing, with protesters invited to bring signs, energy and a clear anti-vivisection message.

• Toronto Pig Save Holiday Fundraising Party
  📅 Date: Sunday, December 14, 2025
  🕒 Time: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  📍 Location: 100 Bain Avenue, Hall off Logan (north of Bain)
  🎟️ Tickets: Not listed as ticketed 

  Toronto Pig Save’s annual holiday fundraiser follows a day of activism, giving supporters a chance to gather indoors, debrief and raise money for the group’s work.

• Cozy Compassion Bash
  📅 Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025
  🕒 Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
  📍 Location: The Lab – 108 Dundas Street West, 2nd Floor
  🎟️ Tickets: Not listed as ticketed

  This is framed as a community holiday thank-you potluck for local animal-rights volunteers, hosted at Wishbone’s Dundas West space. The event description notes that local AR groups are sponsoring the evening as a way to recognize volunteers’ efforts, and asks attendees to bring plant-based dishes to share in a relaxed social setting.

In the Near Future:

*(more info will come closer to the dates)

• Vegan Chef’s Table at Bellona Kitchen
  📅 Date: Monday, January 20, 2025
  📍 Location: Bellona Kitchen (Jane Street)
  🎟️ Tickets: $35 per person email ([email protected] to book)

  Bellona Kitchen is hosting an intimate three-course prix fixe dinner featuring all-new menu items, with the chef guiding guests through each dish. This event is designed as an evening of connection, creativity and flavour, reflecting the restaurant’s handcrafted approach to its everyday menu.

• Vegan Cooking Class – Vegan Meats
  📅 Date: Monday, January 12
  🕒 Time: 6 p.m.
  📍 Location: College Street
  🎟️ Tickets: $125 per person (email [email protected] to book)

  Chef Johnnie hosts an evening cooking class focused on vegan meats, where participants prepare a three-course meal paired with wine and later enjoy it together in the dining room. The class is framed as a chance to learn recipes the way he was taught by his Nonna, blending technique with tradition.

• Vegan Cooking Class – Vegan Meats
  📅 Date: Monday, January 19
  🕒 Time: 6 p.m.
  📍 Location: College Street
  🎟️ Tickets: $125 per person (email [email protected] to book)

  A second session of Chef Johnnie’s vegan meats class, offering the same hands-on experience preparing a three-course meal with wine, followed by a shared dinner. Guests are invited into his kitchen to learn recipes passed down through his family.

Do you have a business or event that you think should be listed? Email us at [email protected] to submit a request.