It’s no secret that plant-based offerings have become a massive business in the foodservice industry this year. Now, Papa John’s UK is planning ahead and taking the trend one step further by recruiting a Chief Vegan Officer. Candidates for the six-month, part-time role will work with the Head of Research and Development. According to Papa John’s, the CVO will create “hard to resist vegan dishes that’ll be sure to blow the minds of meat-eaters and veggie-lovers alike.”

Earlier this year, Papa John’s UK launched its first vegan menu featuring three pizzas topped with the dairy-free, vegan cheese, Sheese. In March, Papa John’s introduced other options, including its Cheesy Vegan Potato Wedges, Jalapeno Cheesy Potato Wedges and vegan cinnamon rolls for dessert. Another pizza competitor, Pizza Hut, has also expanded its vegan menu over the past year, including tons of customizable vegan toppings, a new vegan pizza, plus Quorn chicken nuggets and dairy-free cheesecake.

Some other recent examples of plant-based success include KFC becoming the first national quick-service restaurant to introduce plant-based chicken, which sold out in just five hours, and Burger King bringing its Impossible Whopper nationwide, which drove a 17% increase in visits. White Castle’s Impossible Slider created a huge level of buzz, while Taco Bell, Subway, Dunkin’ and Tim Hortons have all recently added meat-free options to their menus. Clearly, the plant-based movement isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

According to Papa John’s, the ideal CVO candidate will possess a food technology background, a genuine passion for vegan food and trends, a Food Science degree or similar, and excellent communication skills. In addition, they will be a 'curious self-starter' and ideally, have been eating a plant-based diet for at least 18 months.

Think you’re the right one for the job? Send your CV and cover letter to: [email protected]