Half a million Australians are shifting to a meat-free Christmas as the plant-based industry booms.
Suzy Spoon, owner of Suzy Spoon's vegetarian butcher in Sydney's inner-west, said people were swapping the traditional ham and turkey in favour of vegan and vegetarian alternatives.
Ms Spoon, who makes an assortment of meat substitutes such as sausages, burger patties and schnitzels, said she is preparing for her busiest December rush since she opened the business seven years ago.
'The growth in this industry is massive,' she told Tom Elliott from 3AW on Wednesday.
'There's definitely been growth this year, even just the last few months the growth is totally noticeable.'
Ms Spoon has matched the traditional Christmas centre piece with her own festive roast- a crunchy-outer layer roulade filled with seitan, mushrooms, nuts, cranberries and traditional herbs.
She said more people are choosing to reduce their meat intake for various reasons.
'So many people I speak to are just eating less meat. They're not necessarily all going vegan or vegetarian but almost everyone you speak to is for some just eating less meat than they used too,' the plant chef said.
Director of Vegan Australia Greg McFarlane attributes the rise of the vegan population to an increase of knowledge about the health benefits and meat industry through documentaries and social media.
'A lot of people go vegan for health reasons. Netflix documentaries like Dominion and Game changers have made information more accessible,' he said.
'With social media there is a way of side-stepping the mainstream media to see what is really happening in the meat, dairy, and marketing industries.'
Swathes of supermarkets and retailers have responded to the rapid demand for plant -based options as more people make the change for ethical, health and environmental purposes.
Last month, Coles launched a mega Plant-Based Christmas Roast with Sweet Chutney, especially for vegans for $15.
Suzy Spoon's own Festive Roast (pictured) is flying off the shelf
To cater to the drifting market, food chain giants Crust, Domino's, Grill'd and Hungry Jack's have incorporated vegan specialties into their menu.
It is estimated by Vegan Australia that there are as many as 500,000 vegans across the country.
Bodies of research in recent years have unearthed the impact that eating meat has upon the environment, by fuelling climate change and polluting landscapes and waterways.
Several have shown numerous health benefits of going vegan, including a decreased risk of some cancers, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular heart disease.
In 2010, the United Nations released a report stating a world shift to veganism is vital to save the world from hunger and reduce poverty and the worst impacts of climate change.
Vegan Australia Director Greg McFarlane says the vegan population is growing with the increase of information through social media and Netflix documentaries (stock image)
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