The UK cream liqueur market is undergoing a quiet revolution. With the sector projected to reach £9.2 million by 2033 and the global market growing at a remarkable 10% CAGR, from $3.1 billion in 2024 to over $6.6 billion by 2032, it's clear that demand for premium, plant-based alternatives has never been stronger. Yet despite this surge, finding a quality vegan Irish cream liqueur on UK supermarket shelves remains a frustrating experience for millions of conscious consumers.
Whether you've been Googling vegan Irish cream liqueur at M&S, wondering whether Tesco stocks a dairy-free option, or simply searching for something more exciting than what's available in your local shop, this guide is for you. We'll walk you through every option on the market right now, review what the major retailers offer, and introduce you to the premium alternative that's winning awards and changing the category entirely. Explore our full vegan cream liqueur range, or read on to discover exactly what's out there.
The Rise of Vegan Cream Liqueurs in the UK
It wasn't so long ago that "vegan cream liqueur" was practically an oxymoron. Cream liqueurs were built on dairy, and that was that. But the landscape has shifted dramatically, driven by a confluence of health awareness, ethical consumption, and changing demographics.
The UK market tells a compelling story. Millennials and Gen Z are now the primary drivers of plant-based spirits demand, and their spending power is reshaping the entire drinks category. Roughly one in four adults in the UK now identifies as flexitarian, vegan, or dairy-free, and that's before accounting for the estimated 13-15% of Brits who experience some degree of lactose intolerance. These consumers aren't simply accepting inferior substitutes; they're demanding products that match, or exceed, the quality of traditional dairy equivalents.
What makes a genuinely great vegan Irish cream liqueur? The criteria go beyond simply swapping out milk for oat or coconut alternatives. Discerning shoppers are looking for a velvety, indulgent texture that coats the palate without feeling watery; a balanced, complex flavour that rewards sipping neat or mixing into cocktails; an ABV that reflects genuine quality (the 15–20% ABV segment holds significant market share, and rightly so, it signals premium craftsmanship); and increasingly, sustainability credentials that align with values-driven purchasing. The days of compromising on taste or ethics are over.
As plant-based lifestyles have moved firmly into the mainstream, the spirits industry has been slow to respond, which is precisely why premium direct-to-consumer brands have stepped in to fill the gap. If you're looking to discover Cremaura and what a genuinely premium tequila cream liqueur tastes like, you'll want to read on.
Vegan Irish Cream Liqueur at M&S – A Critical Review
For many shoppers, M&S is the first port of call when looking for a vegan Irish cream liqueur. And to be fair, the retailer has made genuine efforts in this category. Their Vegan Chocolate & Coconut Cream is the most prominent example of vegan Irish cream liqueur M&S has brought to market, and it deserves an honest appraisal.
The pros are real. At approximately £12–15 per bottle, it offers an accessible price point for budget-conscious shoppers. It's coconut-based, which lends a naturally creamy texture, and the chocolate-coconut flavour profile is comforting and festive. For someone popping into MS during the Christmas shopping run, it makes for a perfectly pleasant impulse purchase.
But the limitations are significant. The most fundamental issue is availability: the vegan Irish cream liqueur MS stocks is a seasonal product, typically available only between October and December. If you're looking for a bottle in February, April, or July, you're out of luck. There's also just the one flavour. The chocolate-coconut combination is lovely for some palates, but it doesn't suit everyone, and it leaves coffee lovers, floral flavour enthusiasts, and those who dislike coconut with no alternative. The whiskey base, whilst traditional, can feel heavy and isn't to every taste. It's also sold in standard glass packaging with no meaningful sustainability story attached.
The vegan Irish cream liqueur M&S offers is a capable seasonal option, but it's precisely that: seasonal, singular, and limited. For shoppers who want year-round availability, a broader flavour choice, a genuinely premium product, and a brand with a meaningful sustainability commitment, it's worth shopping our full vegan range as an alternative that's available 365 days a year.
Searching for Vegan Irish Cream at Tesco – The Reality
If you've searched for vegan Irish cream liqueur Tesco recently and come away empty-handed, you're not alone, and you're not imagining the gap. As of 2026, Tesco does not stock a dedicated vegan cream liqueur. Their spirits aisles carry an impressive range of plant-based products in other categories (the plant milk section is exceptional), but when it comes to dairy-free cream liqueurs, the shelves are bare.
This isn't a reflection of consumer demand, quite the opposite. The fact that so many shoppers are searching for vegan Irish cream liqueur Tesco is precisely what signals a market opportunity that large retailers have been slow to act upon. With Millennials and Gen Z driving plant-based spirits demand and the global cream liqueur market expanding at 10% annually, it's only a matter of time before supermarkets respond. But in the meantime, consumers are voting with their searches and their wallets, and increasingly, they're finding far better alternatives online.
Where Tesco shoppers are finding superior options is through direct-to-consumer premium brands. Rather than a compromise product jostling for shelf space between mainstream liqueurs, these are purpose-built, award-winning formulations designed specifically for the plant-based consumer. Take the Cremaura Coffee Caramel, dark roasted coffee, silky caramel sweetness, and a whisper of vanilla, all wrapped in a velvety tequila cream base, available online year-round for £25 per 70cl bottle. Or the Cremaura Rose, with its delicate strawberry and rose essence, equally gorgeous and equally easy to order to your door. The gap in the Tesco offering is a real inconvenience, but it's one that's now very easily solved.
The Premium Alternative – Cremaura Tequila Cream Liqueur
This is where the guide shifts from limitation to possibility, because Cremaura isn't just filling a gap in the market. It's redefining what a vegan cream liqueur UK can be.
Launched in December 2023, Cremaura has accumulated an impressive portfolio of credentials in a remarkably short time. Winner of the Plant-Based Excellence Awards 2024 and the Vegan Choice Awards 2024, the brand has been featured in Vegan Food & Living, Plant Based Mag, Vegconomist, and Vegan Friendly UK, and is stocked in Michelin guide restaurants. At 20% ABV, it sits firmly in the premium tier that consumers and sommeliers alike recognise as a marker of genuine quality. And at £25 per 70cl bottle, it offers remarkable value for the experience it delivers.
Why Tequila Cream Is Superior to Whiskey-Based Alternatives
Traditional Irish cream liqueurs are built on a whiskey base, a choice rooted in history but not necessarily in versatility or taste universality. Whiskey carries its own pronounced flavour character, which can dominate a cream liqueur and limit its appeal for those who don't particularly enjoy whiskey's characteristic burn or smokiness. Vodka-based alternatives, whilst more neutral, can feel thin or clinical.
Tequila, by contrast, offers a smooth, naturally sweet agave character that harmonises beautifully with cream-style bases. It brings warmth without harshness, depth without heaviness. It's the reason Cremaura's liqueurs feel different the moment they touch the palate, lighter, more complex, with a lingering finish that whiskey-based products rarely achieve. Explore our tequila cream range and taste the difference for yourself.
Cremaura Coffee Caramel – £25, 70cl, 20% ABV
The Cremaura Coffee Caramel is built for those who want their vegan cream liqueur to do serious work, in coffee, over ice, in cocktails, or simply poured into a glass at the end of a long evening.
The flavour profile is richly satisfying: dark roasted coffee leading the charge, followed by a wave of smooth caramel sweetness and a subtle hint of vanilla that lingers on the finish. The texture is the standout quality, velvety, luxurious, and surprisingly light for a 20% ABV product. It doesn't coat the mouth with cloying sweetness; it glides.
Customer reviews speak for themselves, and with verified reviews, the consensus is clear. One customer writes: "Most cream liqueurs I've tried are either too thick or way too sweet but Cremaura's Coffee Caramel is on another level. It's smooth, light, and just the right balance of flavour."
Whether you're upgrading your morning coffee ritual, crafting a spectacular espresso martini, or looking for the perfect vegan Irish coffee alternative, this is the bottle that delivers.
Shop Coffee Caramel – £25, Perfect for coffee lovers and dessert pairing.
Cremaura Rose – £25, 70cl, 20% ABV
Where the Coffee Caramel is grounded and warming, the Cremaura Rose is romantic and effervescent, a dairy-free cream liqueur that genuinely surprises.
The flavour profile weaves together strawberry and rose essence with the smooth tequila cream base, creating something that feels simultaneously indulgent and delicate. Floral notes lift the sweetness without overpowering it; the velvety, indulgent texture grounds the experience without heaviness. It's beautiful over ice, spectacular drizzled into a glass of prosecco, and utterly transportive sipped neat on a warm evening.
With only 100% 5 star reviews, the community verdict is enthusiastic. One reviewer simply puts it: "The rose is absolutely delicious. Cannot recommend highly enough!!"
This is a liqueur built for special occasions, Valentine's evenings, dinner party conversation starters, and gifting moments that need to feel genuinely luxurious.
Discover Cremaura Rose – Award-Winning Flavour, Perfect for special occasions and floral cocktail enthusiasts.
Cremaura Gift Box – £35, 3×20cl
For those who want to experience the full Cremaura world, or who are looking for the ideal gift, the Cremaura Gift Box is the definitive answer.
At £35, the Gift Box contains three 20cl bottles: Coffee Caramel, Strawberry & Rose, and Spiced Cinnamon, the full flavour spectrum in one beautifully presented package. It's designed for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, or simply for discovering which flavour you love most before committing to a full-sized bottle.
The packaging has already won admirers: "The box and the bottles are beautifully decorated and look very smart", notes one reviewer.
View the Perfect Gift Set – £35, Three flavours, one extraordinary experience.
Sustainability That Goes Beyond the Label
Cremaura's sustainability story isn't marketing copy, it's built into the product architecture. The Frugal Bottle format is made from 94% recycled paper content, has an 84% lower carbon footprint than traditional glass bottles, and is 5 times lighter, reducing transport emissions significantly. It's fully recyclable and represents a genuine leap forward in sustainable packaging for the spirits industry.
Beyond the bottle, Cremaura plants one tree for every order placed, with a goal of 3,000 trees within three years. Combined with BRC certification and Vegan Friendly UK certification, the brand delivers on its promises at every level. Learn more about our sustainability commitment and see how your purchase contributes.
Comparison Guide – Your Options at a Glance
Making the right choice is easier when the options are set side by side. Here's a direct comparison of the three main scenarios UK shoppers encounter:
M&S Vegan Chocolate & Coconut Cream Price: ~£12–15 | Base: Whiskey | Flavour: Chocolate coconut only | ABV: ~15% | Availability: Seasonal (Oct–Dec only) | Packaging: Standard glass | Awards: None listed | Best for: Budget-conscious seasonal shoppers
Cremaura Coffee Caramel Price: £25 | Base: Premium tequila | Flavour: Coffee, caramel, vanilla | ABV: 20% (premium tier) | Availability: Year-round | Packaging: Frugal Bottle (84% lower carbon footprint) | Awards: Plant-Based Excellence 2024, Vegan Choice 2024 | Best for: Coffee lovers, premium quality seekers, year-round enjoyment
Cremaura Rose Price: £25 | Base: Premium tequila | Flavour: Strawberry, rose, floral | ABV: 20% (premium tier) | Availability: Year-round | Packaging: Frugal Bottle (84% lower carbon footprint) | Awards: Plant-Based Excellence 2024, Vegan Choice 2024 | Best for: Special occasions, floral flavour enthusiasts, romantic evenings
Tesco Currently no vegan cream liqueur available. Shoppers searching for vegan Irish cream liqueur Tesco options are best directed to Cremaura.com for home delivery.
DIY Option Price: Variable | Effort: High | Consistency: Variable | Best for: Experimenters with significant time and kitchen confidence
The picture is fairly clear: for anyone prioritising quality, flavour variety, sustainability, and year-round availability, shop our full range and experience what a truly premium plant-based cream liqueur can deliver.
How to Enjoy Your Vegan Cream Liqueur
One of the great joys of a premium dairy-free cream liqueur is its versatility. Cremaura's two main flavours aren't just for sipping neat, though they're excellent for that too.
In Coffee
The Cremaura Coffee Caramel was practically designed for coffee rituals. Pour 50ml into a freshly brewed espresso for a vegan Irish coffee that puts pub versions to shame. Add it to a oat-milk latte for a caramel café liqueur experience. Shake it over ice with a double espresso and a splash of vanilla oat milk for the best espresso martini you've ever made at home. It's equally glorious poured over vanilla ice cream, a two-ingredient dessert that will impress any dinner guest. Perfect for coffee lovers – try the award-winning Coffee Caramel.
In Cocktails
The Cremaura Rose opens up a world of floral cocktail creativity. Pour 50ml over ice in a champagne flute and top with prosecco for a Rose Cream Royale that's as beautiful to look at as it is to drink. Mix with chilled oat milk and a dash of elderflower cordial for a garden party glass that genuinely turns heads. The Coffee Caramel, meanwhile, makes an outstanding vegan White Russian, simply swap the cream for oat milk and let Cremaura do the rest.
Over Desserts
Both flavours work beautifully as dessert accompaniments. Drizzle the Coffee Caramel over a vegan tiramisu, or pour the Rose over coconut sorbet for a grown-up sundae moment. Either flavour makes an indulgent fondue addition or a cheesecake drizzle that elevates an ordinary pudding to something memorable.
Neat or On Ice
Cremaura is genuinely designed to be enjoyed simply. Serve chilled (around 5–8°C), in a wide-mouthed glass that allows the aromas to open up. The velvety texture and balanced ABV of 20% make both flavours deeply satisfying without being overwhelming.
As a Gift
The Cremaura Gift Box arrives beautifully packaged and immediately signals thoughtfulness. It's the ideal gift for vegans, sustainability-conscious friends, cocktail enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates premium spirits. The sustainable Frugal Bottle packaging adds an extra talking point that recipients genuinely appreciate.
Where to Buy & How to Order
Understanding the retail landscape helps you make the most informed purchase, and saves you the frustration of a fruitless trip.
M&S Stores: The vegan chocolate & coconut cream option is available seasonally, typically from October through December, in larger M&S stores. It's in-store only and limited to a single flavour.
Tesco: As noted, Tesco does not currently stock vegan cream liqueur in any format. Searching for this product in-store or online via Tesco's website will not yield results in this category.
www.cremaura.com, The Best Option
For a genuine premium vegan cream liqueur, available year-round, in two award-winning flavours, with a meaningful sustainability story, the answer is cremaura.com. Ordering directly offers a range of advantages that supermarket shopping simply can't match. You get guaranteed product freshness, the full selection of flavours (Coffee Caramel and Rose), the choice between glass and Frugal Bottle formats, and the knowledge that your purchase plants a tree. Customer service is accessible and responsive, and the ordering process is straightforward and secure. Every order contributes to Cremaura's tree planting initiative, a genuine, measurable environmental impact that comes at no extra cost to you.
Order Your Premium Vegan Tequila Cream Today – Shop the Full Range
Why Choose Cremaura Over Traditional Irish Cream?
The case for Cremaura isn't built on compromise, it's built on superiority across every meaningful dimension.
Inclusivity Without Sacrifice
Cremaura is suitable for vegans, those who are lactose intolerant, and those following a dairy-free lifestyle, but it doesn't ask anyone to give anything up. There are no allergens, including nuts. It's gluten-free. It's certified by Vegan Friendly UK. And crucially, it tastes like a premium luxury product, not a concession.
With Millennials and Gen Z now firmly established as the primary drivers of plant-based spirits demand, and the UK cream liqueur market on track for £9.2 million by 2033, Cremaura is positioned exactly where the market is heading.
Innovation in Every Dimension
Tequila as a cream liqueur base is genuinely novel, and the results speak for themselves in two award-winning flavours that couldn't be more different from one another. The Frugal Bottle packaging, with its 94% recycled paper content and 84% lower carbon footprint, isn't a gimmick, it's a genuine technological advancement that the spirits industry as a whole needs more of.
Uncompromising Quality
At 20% ABV, Cremaura sits comfortably in the premium tier of the cream liqueur market. The formulation is BRC certified, ensuring rigorous quality and food safety standards. It's featured in Michelin guide restaurants, a standard of endorsement that speaks for itself. Customer reviews across both flavours reflect a product that consistently exceeds expectations.
Sustainability You Can Measure
Eighty-four per cent lower carbon footprint. Three thousand trees planted within three years. One tree for every single order. These aren't aspirational statements, they're commitments Cremaura is actively meeting. Discover our sustainability mission and see the full story behind the brand's environmental ethos.
Value That Makes Sense
At £25 for a 70cl premium bottle, available year-round, in two distinct flavours, with free delivery over the qualifying threshold, Cremaura represents exceptional value against its category peers. The Cremaura Gift Box at £35 offers three flavours in 20cl bottles, making it ideal for discovery or gifting without a significant outlay.
Conclusion
The vegan Irish cream liqueur market in the UK is growing fast, and for good reason. With the global category expanding at 10% CAGR and the UK market approaching £9.2 million by 2033, conscious consumers now have a genuine choice. But as this guide has shown, not all choices are equal.
M&S offers a seasonal, single-flavour option that suits budget shoppers in the run-up to Christmas. Tesco, despite the volume of shoppers searching for vegan Irish cream liqueur, currently has nothing to offer in this category. And the DIY route, whilst admirable, is no substitute for a professionally crafted, award-winning formulation.
Cremaura stands apart: year-round availability, two distinct award-winning flavours in the Coffee Caramel and the Rose, a 20% ABV premium formulation, a packaging carbon footprint 84% lower than glass, a commitment to planting 3,000 trees, and a taste that Michelin guide restaurants have seen fit to feature. For anyone serious about finding the best plant-based Irish cream alternative available to UK shoppers right now, there's a clear answer.
Join the growing movement of conscious consumers who've already discovered what a vegan cream liqueur can truly be.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What's the best vegan Irish cream liqueur in the UK?
Based on taste, quality, awards, and consumer reviews, Cremaura is the standout option for UK shoppers in 2026. The brand holds both the Plant-Based Excellence Award 2024 and the Vegan Choice Award 2024, and is featured in Michelin guide restaurants. The Coffee Caramel (dark roasted coffee, caramel, vanilla) and Rose (strawberry and rose essence) are both available year-round at £25 per 70cl bottle, at 20% ABV, placing them firmly in the premium tier.
2. Does M&S sell vegan Irish cream all year round?
No. The vegan Irish cream liqueur M&S currently stocks, their Vegan Chocolate & Coconut Cream, is a seasonal product, typically available only between October and December. If you're searching outside of that window, M&S won't have stock in-store. Cremaura.com offers a year-round alternative with two distinct flavours, free from seasonal restrictions.
3. Can I buy vegan Irish cream at Tesco?
Currently, no. Despite significant consumer search volume for vegan Irish cream liqueur Tesco, the supermarket does not stock a dedicated dairy-free cream liqueur. The most practical solution for Tesco shoppers is to order online from Cremaura.com, where both the Coffee Caramel and Rose flavours are available with UK home delivery.
4. What's the difference between Irish cream and tequila cream liqueur?
Traditional Irish cream is made with a whiskey base and dairy cream. Cremaura uses a premium tequila base and a vegan cream alternative, which results in a smoother, more versatile flavour profile, without whiskey's characteristic intensity. The tequila base pairs more naturally with flavours like coffee, caramel, and rose, and is gentler on the palate for those who don't enjoy whiskey. Explore the full Cremaura range to experience the difference firsthand.
5. Is vegan cream liqueur good in coffee?
Absolutely, and the Cremaura Coffee Caramel is specifically designed with coffee pairing in mind. Pour 50ml into an espresso for a vegan Irish coffee, add to a latte for a caramel café experience, or shake with ice and espresso for a superb espresso martini. The dark roasted coffee and smooth caramel flavour notes align naturally with coffee's character, creating a deeply satisfying combination without any curdling, something Cremaura's formulation is specifically engineered to avoid.
6. How much does premium vegan cream liqueur cost?
Cremaura's two main flavours, Coffee Caramel and Rose, are both priced at £25 per 70cl bottle. That's competitive with premium mainstream liqueurs and represents strong value given the award-winning formulation, 20% ABV, and sustainable packaging. If you'd like to try multiple flavours before committing to a full bottle, the Cremaura Gift Box offers three 20cl bottles (Coffee Caramel, Rose, and Spiced Cinnamon) for £35, an ideal tasting option or gift purchase.
7. Is Cremaura really sustainable?
Yes, with specific, measurable data to back it up. Cremaura's Frugal Bottle is made from 94% recycled paper content, has an 84% lower carbon footprint than traditional glass bottles, and is 5 times lighter, reducing transport emissions. The brand also plants one tree for every single order, with a goal of 3,000 trees within three years. The brand is BRC certified and Vegan Friendly UK certified. Read about Cremaura's sustainability mission for the full picture.
8. Where can I buy vegan Irish cream liqueur online in the UK with fast delivery?
The most reliable and rewarding option is Cremaura.com, which offers year-round availability of both the Coffee Caramel and Rose flavours (plus the Gift Box), UK home delivery, and the choice between glass and Frugal Bottle formats. Every purchase plants a tree through Cremaura's sustainability initiative, so it's a purchase you can feel genuinely good about.