# Vegan Macaroni Meals Upton's Naturals' Pre-Cooked Vegan Cheesy Mac is Ready in a Minute By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2017-04-15 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cheesy-mac References: [foodbusinessnews.net](http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/Resources/Slideshow/2017/04/New-on-the-shelves-041417/Uptons-Naturals.aspx?TipID=1) & [uptonsnaturals](http://www.uptonsnaturals.com/products) At this year's Natural Products Expo West, Upton's Naturals introduced two new Ch'eesy Mac products, which are pre-cooked and ready-to-eat in a matter of minutes. The two varieties are both vegan, made with a base of a nutritional yeast "cheese," and are free from nuts, dairy, oil, trans fat, cholesterol, GMO ingredients and artificial flavors. In addition to the classic Ch'eesy Mac, Upton's Naturals also introduced a Ch'eesy Bacon Mac, which features pieces of crispy seitan as a bacon substitute. While these vegan mac and cheese products specifically appeal to those following a plant-based diet or taking care to avoid certain ingredients due to sensitivities, the fact that these macaroni meals can be prepared in about a minute will be appealing to all consumers. Other than a small "100% vegan" badge on the front of the packages, the Ch'eesy Mac products resemble classic mac and cheese boxes. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.9/10 - Popularity: 9% | Activity: 11% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Convenient Vegan Meals:** Opportunity for companies to develop more plant-based meals with quick preparation times. - **Nutritional Yeast-based Products:** Opportunity to create more products made with nutritional yeast as a cheese alternative. - **Vegan Meat Substitutes:** Opportunity to create more plant-based meat alternatives for classic meat dishes. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Food Industry:** Companies can develop more plant-based meals and meat alternatives for consumer demand. - **Health & Wellness Industry:** Nutritional yeast-based products offer an opportunity for companies to promote the benefits of plant-based diets. - **Packaged Food Industry:** Companies can create more convenient and quick-to-prepare meals for busy consumers, to meet market demand. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Vegan-Friendly Macaroni Meal Cups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kraft-notmac-cheese-cups.md) - [Grown-Up Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/truffle-mac-and-cheese.md) - [Better-for-You Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gluten-free-veggie-pasta.md) - [Gourmet Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mac-cheese-frozen-ready-meals.md) - [Gourmet Dairy-Free Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/daiya-deluxe-mac-cheeze.md) - [Alternative Macaroni Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/natural-heaven.md) - [Cheesy Vegan-Friendly Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kraft-mac-cheese6.md) - [Nutrient-Dense Macaroni Dishes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/huel-hot-savory-mac-cheese.md) - [Vegan Mac and Cheeses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kraft.md)