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Alan Brazil vows to boycott Fruit Pastilles after recipe goes vegan

TalkSport
TalkSport

Alan Brazil has suggested he will boycott Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles because they have been given a vegan makeover.

The former Spurs and Manchester United player raged at the confectionery giant’s decision to turn the sweets vegan-friendly on his TalkSport breakfast show on Friday.

The new gelatine-free formula will be used across the full range of Fruit Pastilles sweets, starting with sharing bags from October.

Rowntree’s said its testers tried more than 30 different recipes to make the treats 100 per cent plant-based, while ensuring the sweets retained the “fruity flavour and iconic chew they are famous for”.

But Al was having none of it, telling listeners: “Rowntree’s has changed its 139-year-old Fruit Pastilles, the recipe… to appease, wait for it, vegans.”

He went on: “What is wrong with these people?”

Alan Brazil was furious about the new vegan recipe (TalkSport)
Alan Brazil was furious about the new vegan recipe (TalkSport)

The Scottish sporting legend’s co-host interjected: “Are you a Fruit Pastille man Al?”

“Yes,” he replied, adding: “I will not be now.”

It wasn’t long before his rant was trending on Twitter, and it’s fair to say that users were torn.

“It isn’t vegans demanding a vegan Fruit Pastils [sic] it’s the companies realising there’s a money making opportunity,” one tweeted.

“Why do gammons like Al get so mad about this stuff that literally has zero affect on his life.”

Another user reassured: “I've eaten vegan sweets, they taste exactly the same as ones that aren't so the new Fruit Pastilles probably will too. Definitely not worth worrying about.”

A third weighed in: “Who the f***s eating fruit pastilles for the meat content?!?!”

Another jibed: “He wants boiled skin, bones, ligaments and tendons in his fruit pastels. Poor man.”

Announcing the shift earlier this week, Rowntree’s Brand Manager Meg Miller said: “We’ve had many requests from consumers over the years asking if we can make Fruit Pastilles vegetarian or vegan.

“We want the brand to be enjoyed by as many consumers as possible and so we are delighted to be able to introduce our new vegan friendly recipe across the full range of sweets."

(Nestlé Rowntree's)
(Nestlé Rowntree's)

She continued: “Through this recipe change, we’ve made the sweets slightly softer, which we know has been a market trend for a number of years.

“However, our priority was to preserve the fabulously fruity chew that has made Fruit Pastilles a classic for almost a century and a half."

She added the treats will now be "suitable for those following vegetarian, vegan and religious diets".

Fruit Pastilles – a mix of blackcurrant, lemon, strawberry, lime and orange sweets – were invented by brothers Henry and Joseph Rowntree, working with French confectioner August Claude Gaget, in 1881.