In ‘yuge news for vegan lolly lovers across the nation, Allen’s has announced it has made the iconic jelly bean 100 per cent plant-based by removing a food colouring made from crushed beetles.
I guess it’s also major news for non-vegan sweets stans who had no idea such an ingredient even existed. The more you know!
The insect-heavy ingredient is a food colouring called carmine, which is made from pulverised cochineal beetles. Yum yum piggy bum.
An Allen’s spokesperson told news.com.au the confectionary giant’s “lolly experts” made the new vegan-friendly jelly beans possible by substituting “plant-based colouring agents derived from beetroot and paprika”.
Look, I’m just gonna say it: I would give literally anything to become a lolly expert. I want, nay demand to know how one climbs the Allen’s ladder to earn such an iconic, awe-inspiring and stunning title.
Is a lolly expert akin to Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but instead of being a deeply odd man with a shiny bob (which, let’s be honest, was giving bob goals) who quakes in his boots over chocolate, you’re like the Nagi Maehashi of confectionary? I am gagging to know. If anyone at Allen’s reads this, hit your girl up.
Alas, I have well and truly digressed. Back to Allen’s jelly beans becoming vegan.
According to the Allen’s spokesperson, you should see the new and improved jelly beans on the shelf toot sweet, as one Kath Day-Knight would say.
“The transition to Allen’s vegan-friendly jelly beans will take place nationwide across grocery and convenience stores from mid-November, so look out for the ‘vegan-friendly’ labelling on [the] pack,” the spokesperson said.
Did you hear that, plant-based pals? You can toddle on down to the shops right bloody now to pick up a packet of these beetle-less beans.
