Each bite of these fluffy vegan muffins is packed with hearty whole grains and banana flavour
These whole-wheat muffins from Dreena’s Kind Kitchen are easily customizable. Add chopped toasted walnuts, pecans, or pistachios for extra crunch, swirl in your favourite nut butter, or add cocoa powder to the mix for a devilishly good double chocolate treat.
What you need:
2 cups wheat flour 1 cup almond meal ¼ cup coconut sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup plain vegan milk ⅓ cup maple syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ½ cup diced ripe banana ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips
What you do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with parchment liners.
In a large bowl, combine flour, almond meal, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until just combined. Gently fold in banana and chocolate chips.
Scoop batter into prepared muffin liners and bake for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and let muffins cool in pan for 2 minutes. Then, transfer muffins to a rack to cool further.
VISCERAL fat is strongly linked to obesity-related complications, such as type 2 diabetes. People put on weight when they consume too many calories compared to how much they work off. Could a vegan diet help?
Participants who underwent a 16-week vegan trial showed remarkable improvements in their body weight, body composition and blood sugar control. Here are the details.
Dr Hana Kahleova said: "We have demonstrated that a plant-based diet elicited changes in gut microbiome that were associated with weight loss, reduction in fat mass and visceral fat volume, and increase in insulin sensitivity." There were 73 middle-aged men and women who were put on a low-fat vegan diet.
To compare, another 74 people made no changes to their original diet for four months.
At the beginning of the trial, all participants had their gut microbiota assessed, as well as their body composition and insulin sensitivity.
The researchers found that "body weight was reduced significantly in the vegan group".
Participants lost, on average, 6.8kg - the equivalent to one-and-a-half stone. In addition, those on a vegan diet lost around 3.9kg (6lbs) of fat mass.
"Insulin sensitivity also increased significantly in the vegan group," it was noted.
Dr Kahleova continued: "A plant-based diet has been shown to be effective in weight management, and in diabetes prevention and treatment."
Furthermore, there was a marked increase in the number of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Bacteoides fragilis gut bacteria in the vegan group.
Dr Kahleova elaborated: "The main shift in the gut microbiome composition was due to an increased content of short-chain fatty acid producing bacteria that feed on fibre.
"Therefore, high dietary fibre content seems to be essential for the changes observed in our study."
How to follow a vegan diet
Otherwise known as a plant-based diet, this involves eating fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts. A vegan diet doesn't come from animals, including dairy produces and eggs.
The NHS certified: "You can get most of the nutrients you need from eating a varied and balanced vegan diet."
This includes eating five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, basing meals on wholegrain potatoes, bread, rice, or pasta, and using dairy alternatives.
Examples of dairy alternatives include soya drinks and yoghurts - just make sure you pick the low-fat and low-sugar options.
For protein, you can eat on beans and pulses, such as:
Baked beans
Red, green, yellow and brown lentils
Chickpeas
Garden peas
Black-eyed beans
Broad beans
Kidney beans
Butter beans
Haricots
Cannellini beans
Flageolet beans
Pinto beans
Borlotti beans
To make sure you get enough calcium while following a vegan diet, make sure to eat:
Green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage and okra
Fortified unsweetened soya, rice and oat drinks
Calcium-set tofu
Sesame seeds and tahini
Pulses
Brown and white bread
Raisin
Prunes
Figs
Dried apricots
As for vitamin D, spending as little as 15 minutes in the sun should be sufficient.
From late September to early March, adults in the UK are recommended to take a daily vitamin D supplement.
Some breakfast cereals, spreads and soya drinks are fortified with vitamin D, meaning the vitamin is added into it.
This plant-based recipe is a great way to upcycle carrots that are past their best – a delightful twist on a familiar treat
Last September, the Spanish-Welsh artist Rafael Pérez Evans dumped about 29 tonnes of carrots on the doorstep of Goldsmiths university as an art piece called Grounding. The installation kick-started local conversations about waste, including a protest that involved cooking with the carrots and, seeing as the university is just down the road from me, I wandered down to see the work and claim a few carrots for myself.
Old and wonky or bendy carrots make great carrot cake. I’ve adapted today’s recipe, which was created by my friend and fellow chef Richard Makin, AKA the School Night Vegan, to include wholefoods and notably wonky carrots. Richard’s motto is “Anything you can cook, I can cook vegan”, and he’s not wrong – you’d never guess that his scrumptious recipes are vegan. He says: “I’ve never had a bouncier sponge than when using psyllium husks. It’s so high in fibre and a true wonder ingredient.”
Tom Hunt’s carrot and walnut cake. Photograph: Tom Hunt/The Guardian
Carrot and walnut cake
This plant-based carrot cake is a great twist on a familiar cake. It’s made using psyllium husks and olive oil instead of eggs and butter, but you can’t tell the difference – it is, quite simply, one of the best carrot cakes I’ve ever tried. Psyllium husks create a wonderful sponge and are cheaper than eggs, too. If your carrots are bendy and very much past their best, carrot cake is a great way to upcycle them into a real treat.
This is my adaptation of a recipe by Richard that includes wholegrain flour, dark muscovado sugar and a rich, plant-based icing made from walnuts. If you want, Richard says, give the cake a deliciously smoky, adult taste by adding a teaspoon of toasted, crushed coriander seeds to the batter mixture. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
130ml extra-virgin olive oil 280g dark muscovado sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract Zest from ½ orange 2 tsp psyllium husks 350g wholegrain flour (spelt, for preference, but wheat will do) 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp sea salt 400g walnuts 350g carrots, grated with their skins on 300ml oat milk 2 tsp cider vinegar
Heat oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, 180g of the muscovado sugar, the vanilla extract and orange zest. In a small bowl, cover the psyllium husks with three tablespoons of water, leave to rest for 30 seconds, then whisk into the oil and sugar mixture until everything’s well combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground cinnamon, allspice, ginger and sea salt, then stir in 100g roughly chopped walnuts, all the grated carrots, the oat milk and cider vinegar. Mix until well combined, then transfer to a greased and lined 20cm cake tin. Bake for 45 minutes, or until cooked through, then leave to cool in the tin.
Meanwhile, make the icing. In a bowl, cover 200g of the remaining walnuts with boiling water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain, keeping the liquid, then blend with the remaining 100g muscovado sugar and enough of the soaking liquor to create a cream cheese consistency. Spread this over the cooled cake, then decorate with the remaining 100g whole walnuts.
AS more people transition to a plant-based diet, going vegan has become more popular. It is a great way to focus on your health, as well as the health of the planet.
Plant-based foods also offer nutritional health benefits and there are so many fun ways to introduce more plants into lunchboxes and gently educate kids around plant-based eating.
It can be frustrating to plan and pack vegan school lunches, but we are here to help relieve some of that stress. Below are a few tips on what to pack.
Veggie ’hotdogs’
You can replace the meaty wors with carrots for a tasty vegetarian twist. Choose the largest, thickest carrots you can find; they shrink during cooking, and you can always trim the narrow end to fit the bun. You can serve these carrot dogs in buns with the toppings such as vegetarian chilli, cheddar, chopped onion, pickles or relish, tomato sauce, and spicy mustard.
Veggie ’hotdogs’. Picture: Supplied
Chickpea nibbles
These nibbles are a great snack or appetiser. You can eat them right away for a tasty crunch or after they have cooled down when they are a bit chewy. You can change up your ingredients for anything you think your kids may like. You could use rosemary and lemon zest, balsamic vinegar and sea salt, Cajun spices, or sweeter combinations like cinnamon and a healthy sweetener.
Baked cauliflower wings
Baked cauliflower wings make the perfect vegetarian substitute for crispy hot wings. This is the best way to include cauliflower in your kid’s diet. Although they are super low in calories, cauliflower wings are surprisingly addictive. If there are cauliflower haters around you, give them a batch of these spicy “wings” and see how they change their minds.
Vegan big mac
This delicious vegan big mac McDonald’s replica can be made in 10 minutes at home using easy-to-find ingredients. Anyone in your household will find this burger tasty with my vegan big mac sauce included. If you have non-vegans in your household, it’s quicker to make this vegan big mac at home than it is driving and waiting in line to order a non-vegan McDonalds’ big mac (not to mention healthier, fewer calories, cheaper, and better for the environment).
Meat-free mince tacos with guacamole
Needing a booster shot of fun as an easy vegan lunch-box meal? Whether it’s for Taco-Tuesday or TGI-Friday, this is a great recipe for lifting your kid's spirits and getting all hands on deck and involved in loading up their Tacos with lip-smacking goodness.
Hong Kong's first vegan cheese shop has opened its doors today, selling handcrafted dairy-free raw cheeses
The plant-based scene in Hong Kong has grown exponentially recently, with vegan ice-cream shops, bakeries and bubble tea popping up across the city.
But until now, there has been one thing missing: vegan cheese.
Le FroMAge is the first vegan cheese shop in Hong Kong and will be a welcome addition to the existing vegan offerings. The shop will sell handcrafted vegan cheeses created by jewellery designer turned raw vegan chef Tina Barrat.
Barrat uses nutritionally dense ingredients such as cashews and almonds to create her cheeses, and with over 20 to choose from Hong Kong will be spoilt for choice.
On the cheese menu is a truffle-flavoured Shamembert, a pink peppercorn studded Cheddar Smoked Brie, and a creamy Gorgonzola.
The process
As all the cheeses are raw vegan, none of the ingredients are warmed above 40 degrees. Instead, Barrat creates her cheeses in small batches and gently soaks, sprouts and dehydrates them.
By sticking to the principles of raw veganism, Barrat can retain the ingredients original nutrition, and ensure her cheeses are a healthy plant-based alternative.
Not just cheese
While Barrat’s cheeses will deservedly take centre stage, the vegan cheese shop will also sell artisan products from other small businesses in Hong Kong.
Some of these include sourdough crackers from Mayse Artisan Bakery, vegan butter from Garden Hill, and a range of additive-free jams from Nicole’s Kitchen.
Moreover, Barrat will also feature some of the signature dishes from her restaurant Ma and the Seeds of Life such as vegan Faux-Gras, fish-free Sans-Salmon and Chiaviar which uses chia seeds instead of fish eggs.
Meatless Farm has entered the battle for vegan sausage roll dominance.
The plant-based pioneer has launched a microwaveable sausage roll – its first foray into the savoury pastries category – made from its plant-based protein.
It will put the brand at loggerheads with the likes of Ginsters and Wall’s, both of which already sell chilled vegan sausage rolls in the supermarkets.
The brand has also added a range of plant-based sausage patties, which it claimed were a first for UK retail.
The sausage rolls will hit Sainsbury’s from 12 April, while the patties roll into Tesco from 29 March.
Source: Meatless Farm
Demand for plant-based sausages had surged since the onset of the pandemic, said the brand, adding meat alternatives were becoming ”the fastest-growing area of the chilled savoury pastries sector”.
“We see breakfast and savoury pastry as two of the biggest opportunities and innovation is one of the core ways we can continue to grow the category,” said the brand’s chief growth officer Michael Hunter.
The launches mark the first in a swathe of 10 planned launches from the brand over the coming year.
It comes amid a massive expansion for Meatless Farm, which recently launched a completely separate wing of its business dedicated to supplying plant-based ingredients across the world.
'If the cost of making synthetic meat comes down it might be competitive even without considering climate or animal welfare'
Business magnate Bill Gates is encouraging food chains to offer ‘synthetic’ beef to help fight against the climate crisis.
The billionaire turned philanthropist made the comment in a recent Reddit Q&A.
‘Synthetic’ beef
When asked what the ‘best burger in Seattle’ was – Gates replied: “I am eclectic. Dicks, Burgermaster, etc.. Seattle has a lot of good choices.
“I encourage people to offer synthetic beef as a choice.”
Gates praised 'synthetic' meat in a recent Reddit Q&A Credit: OnInnovation Gates, who has invested in plant-based brand Beyond Meat, promoted ‘synthetic’ beef throughout the Q&A as a solution to climate change.
When asked whether cell-cultured meat will ever ‘become widespread and replace livestock’ – he said: “If the cost of making synthetic meat comes down it might be competitive even without considering climate or animal welfare.
“There are two approaches – one is growing the meat in the lab (cells). The other is using plant material to make the meat. Right now the plant approach used by Beyond and Impossible is cheaper.”
Bill Gates conspiracy theories
Gates has been subject to a slew of conspiracy theories during recent years – most notably that he is implementing microchips in the COVID-19 vaccine in order to track people.
Addressing these theories, he said: “I am innocent! The whole thing about 5G and microchips is pretty crazy. Why would I want to do that?
“I do believe in vaccines which have performed miracles. My 2015 Ted talk was more viewed after the pandemic than before which is too bad.
A raw vegan diet combines veganism and raw foodism. The diet includes foods that are plant-based, raw, and unprocessed. Raw vegan diets exclude animal products, such as meat and dairy products, and foods that need cooking.
People may choose to follow a raw vegan diet to try and improve their health. They may also identify with the ethical and ecological principles of the diet.
In this article, we examine the health benefits and risks of the raw vegan diet. We also look at what a person should eat and avoid while following the diet.
The raw vegan diet is a subset of the vegan diet. A vegan diet excludes any animal products, such as:
milk
cheese
eggs
meat
fish
A raw vegan diet means that a person also does not heat, cook, or process the food they eat.
Many people eating the raw vegan diet consider food raw if it has not had exposure to temperatures higher than 118 °F (48 °C).
Instead of cooking, a person may prepare foods in other ways, such as:
juicing
blending
soaking
germinating or sprouting
dehydrating
The definition of a raw vegan diet can differ. For instance, some raw vegan diets allow people to warm their food to improve its texture or flavour. People may also include dehydrated food, such as:
crackers
cereals
raw bread
raw desserts
The percentage of raw foods in the diet may also vary. According to a 2011 guide to raw vegan diets, including 50–74% raw foods appears to be the most popular option.
A raw vegan diet includes many fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts, making it nutritious. The diet also has few processed foods, which may contain excess sugar, salt, and saturated fat. Cooking certain foods can reduce their nutritional value, so eating them raw may help retain their nutrients.
The raw vegan diet may have several health benefits, including:
Improving heart health
A raw vegan diet may be beneficial for heart health due to its higher portions of fruits and vegetables.
Research indicates that increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables from less than 3 servings per day to more than 5 relates to a 17% decrease in heart disease risk.
Raw vegan diets also include plenty of other foods that have a link with improving heart health. These include:
Legumes: Increasing legume intake may reduce heart disease risk.
Whole grains: Whole grain intake may decrease the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease.
Nuts: Consumption of nuts may reduce risk factors that contribute to heart disease.
Research suggests that vegans may have up to a 75% lower chance of developing high blood pressure.
Aiding weight loss
Raw vegan diets may aid in weight loss. One study indicates that over 3.7 years, people on raw vegan diets lost 9.9–12 kilograms (21.8–26.5 pounds). However, between around 14–25% of the study participants became underweight.
Overweight and obesity may increase a person’s likelihood of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Consuming a raw vegan diet may help a person lose weight and reduce their risk of these health conditions.
Reducing diabetes risk
Few studies explore how raw vegan diets affect a person’s risk of diabetes. However, 2009 research suggests that vegan diets almost halve a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to non-vegetarian diets.
TheCentres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend dietary changes that can reduce a person’s risk of developing diabetes. These may include increasing fruits and non-starchy vegetables and decreasing processed foods and trans fats found in baked and fried food.
Because people who consume the raw vegan diet also observe these dietary changes, this may help decrease their chances of developing diabetes.
A raw vegan diet can be nutritious. However, it can also be low in calories and high in natural sugars, affecting a person’s health.
Health issues the raw vegan diet may cause include:
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
The raw vegan diet excludes a wide range of foods, so there is a risk that a person may not get all of the vitamins and minerals they need.
A 2019 study reports that the raw vegan diet may not provide enough:
protein
vitamin B12
vitamin D
iron
calcium
selenium
zinc
The study also notes that cooking helps break down fibres and cell walls in food, which may improve its nutritional value in some cases.
A 2005 study found 38% of participants following a raw food diet were deficient in vitamin B12.
A vitamin B12 deficiency may cause:
yellowing skin, or jaundice
sore tongue, or glossitis
mouth ulcers
pins and needles
vision problems
irritability
depression
mood and behaviour changes
dementia
Weak bones
A study of the raw vegetarian diet found an association between the diet and lower bone density. A person with low bone density has a higher risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis.
Tooth decay
Fruit contains high amounts of natural sugars. If a person eats a lot of fruit as part of their diet, they may be at risk of developing tooth decay.
One study found tooth decay in 97% of study participants eating a raw food diet.
Irregular periods
Research into a raw food diet’s effect on menstruation found that approximately 30% of people under age 45 on long-term raw food diets had irregular periods or their periods stopped entirely.
The researchers note irregular and absent periods were more frequent in people whose diet had higher amounts of raw food.
Due to the raw food diet having a connection with both high losses of body weight and menstrual cycle regularity problems, the researchers said they could not recommend the raw food diet long-term.
Food poisoning
Most people who eat uncooked fruits or vegetables do not experience any symptoms of food poisoning. However, if someone prepares a salad without washing their hands they may ingest some harmful bacteriaand develop an upset stomach.
When eating any raw vegetables or fruits it is important a person prevents any bacterial cross-contamination by washing their hands and storing the food in a hygienic environment.
Raw sprouts such as alfalfa and beans may also cause food poisoning. The humid conditions that sprouts and beans require to grow are also ideal for bacteria to multiply. The CDC recommends cooking them thoroughly to reduce the likelihood of food poisoning.
The Blink-182 drummer (and Kardashian boyfriend, and CBD entrepreneur) is a regular at both the Muay Thai gym and Erewhon
Travis Barker has been a vegetarian since he was 13, but the rock legend didn't get all the way into health—and go all the way vegan—until he survived a plane crash in 2008. He runs and boxes and practices Muay Thai. And now, the Blink-182 drummer is—like many other celebrities at this point—dipping his toe in the CBD game.
"I had a conversation with one of my friends about how it was hard to find vegan options, and he said ‘Why don’t you make your own?’” Barker tells GQ. Pre-pandemic, he says he got to a point where it was hard with his schedule to recover fully in between shows and everything else going on. So, he started experimenting with the usual suspects: Cryotherapy, massage, time in the sauna, and ultimately, CBD.
“I noticed it helped my sleep a lot, and the creams were amazing for being sore,” he says, adding in that he used to run exactly three miles a day before every show out of superstition—one for each of his kids.
GQ caught up with Barker to talk his favourite vegan ice cream, staying hydrated, and his simple trick to avoid eating too much junk.
GQ:How do you start your day?
Travis Barker: I’m usually awake by 9:30 at the latest, which depends on when I get to bed the night before. When I’m being really creative and getting a lot done, I just don’t want to stop. The other day, I was working with Oliver Tree and we were cranking out two or three songs a day, so when something like that’s going on, I may not sleep until 5 or 6 a.m. But an earlier evening for me is around 2:30.
The first thing I do is drink as much water as possible before I have my coffee, which is usually an espresso with oat milk and some of the Rise tincture [from Barker Wellness].
What happens for lunch?
I usually won’t eat lunch until 2 or 3 p.m. By that time I’m at my studio. I like having a bowl from Crossroads. It’s like a healthy bowl, with a lot of vegetables, and you can have the option to have an Impossible kebab in it. But if I work out before then, I’ll have a shake.
What’s working out look like for you these days?
I absolutely work out every day, with the exception of one day a week. My workouts can fluctuate from boxing and high intensity interval training to Muay Thai—which I can’t do right now because I recently tore a tendon in my hand. (I have to have surgery in a few weeks.) Some days could just be a run, 6 or 7 within an hour. Recently I’ve been working out with Don-A-Matrix, and that has been intense.
What’s in the post-workout shake?
Onnit chocolate plant-based protein, cacao powder, a little bit of flax oil, flax seed, almond milk, cinnamon, and almond butter. I’ll also mix the Recovery inside of my smoothie.
Do you snack during the day?
After lunch, I’ll snack on almonds or walnuts or something small like that. For dinner, I’ll usually have anything from Erewhon. They have this beefless broccoli that I love with a side of Brussels sprouts and green beans. That’s usually it. Maybe a few pistachios before I go to bed. I also love Ripple chocolate milk. It’s so good, and it’s also super high in protein. Then I’ll have the Sleep tincture before I go to bed.
Any guilty pleasures?
I love vegan pizza, I’ll also have vegan sushi, Vietnamese vegan food, a dear friend of mine owns this spot called Au Lac which is just so good. The other day we got Craig’s Vegan ice cream, so whenever that’s in the freezer it’s definitely tempting.
On that note, I’ve come to learn that if you don’t want to eat that stuff, you just don’t keep it in the house. That’s it. Some days, my dessert will just be a spoonful of almond butter.
Anything else we should know?
A gallon of water a day. It’s something that I’m almost religious about. I think it’s super important, and I feel like everything from digestion to not being dehydrated to the amount of food I won’t eat when I’m drinking the right amount—it’s super key to feeling my best.
1/2 cup Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Non-Dairy, melted
1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 oz. vegan mini chocolate chips
Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 30 min Total Yield: 28 cookies
Step1
Gather all ingredients and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Step2
Combine flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the melted Non-Dairy, butter, sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl and stir with a spatula until well combined. Add the flaxseed mixture and stir to combine. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl, add to the Non-Dairy mixture, and stir until almost combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir until completely combined.
Step3
Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets with a 1 1/2 inch scoop and bake for 10-12 minutes, switching the pans halfway through the baking time.
Step4
Transfer to a wire rack to cool, and devour straight out of the oven or dip into a giant chocolate fountain!
Tesco has expanded its Wicked Kitchen range to include three tempting new vegan ice cream flavours - Birthday Cake and Cookie Dough!
Tesco’s Wicked Kitchen range has been expanding in recent months to include more sweet treats, including a brand new range of vegan cream tubs in tempting flavours.
The range launched in November with three classic flavours including Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate and Vanilla, priced at an affordable £2 per tub.
Alongside the news tubs, Wicked Kitchen has also recently launched a new selection of ice cream sticks and cones, including white chocolate-covered berry sticks.
Now the Wicked Kitchen team has decided to take things to the next level with the introduction of three brand new vegan flavours – Vegan Birthday Cake, Cookie Dough and Chai Latte!
Rivalling Ben & Jerry’s in the flavour department, the new Wicked Kitchen Cookie Dough Ice Dream Treat features sweet vanilla ice cream generously studded with egg-free cookie dough pieces and chocolate chips.
Whether it’s your birthday or not, you can now treat yourself to a tub of Wicked Kitchen’s vegan Birthday Cake ice cream with vegan cake pieces and a flurry of rainbow-coloured sprinkles.
Launching in early April, the third flavour making up the exciting new trio is Chai Latte Ice Dream. To create the first-to-market flavour, Wicked Kitchen has infused the dairy-free treat with the flavours of the coffee-shop favourite drink with aromatic flavours of cinnamon, ginger, and tea, finished with crumbly caramelised biscuit pieces.
The 500ml tubs are priced at £2.50 making them a great wallet-friendly alternative to other comparable luxury vegan ice creams available in UK supermarkets.
100,000 tubs sold since launch
Speaking to Vegan Food & Living, Director of Plant Based Innovation at Tesco, Derek Sarno, revealed that customers can’t get enough of Wicked Kitchen’s new range of vegan ice creams.
“We launched our core ice ‘dream’ flavours of Vanilla, Chocolate and Mint Chocolate Chip in October 2020, selling over 100,000+ tubs to date and providing dessert lovers with a delicious treat”, he commented
“We’re really excited to be expanding the range to include an even wider variety of flavour combinations that are aimed to please and delight our taste buds without the use of animals.”
Hello Friend Foods began in 2015, when co-founder Bree Gaudette was struggling to find vegan cheeses that satisfied her cravings. She decided to try making them herself, and soon had some recipes she was happy with.
But things didn’t take off until she met Matthew Ronalds, who picked her up as a passenger while he was driving for Uber. The two struck up a friendship, and eventually decided to start a company together.
In 2018, the company launched its flagship Fresh Mozzarella in Melbourne. The cheese was extremely well-received, and Australia’s first vegan halloumi soon followed.
Within two weeks, they were making so many sales that both Gaudette and Ronalds quit their jobs to work full-time on the company. They made cheese by hand from 4pm till the early hours of the morning, got a few hours’ sleep, then spent the day delivering cheeses and running the administrative side of things.
Soon, they could afford to move into a commercial kitchen and hire machinery to speed up the process. They began to supply cheese to local retailers, cafes, and caterers, as well as direct to consumers all over Australia via their online store. Eventually, they took on a distributor for Sydney and the surrounding area. They added a cheese sauce to their range and hired their first employee.
One of the company’s key selling points is that all its cheeses are free from palm oil, gluten, and nuts. It also has plans to switch from plastic to fully compostable packaging in the near future.
With the exception of a few brands such as MyLife, there aren’t many vegan cheeses available in Australia (though Allen Zelden predicted last year that there would be moreinnovation in this area in 2021). With its increasing success, Hello Friend seems well-positioned to dominate the market.
But the company has ambitions beyond Australia — it’s also looking to expand internationally. To help it achieve this, it launched a fundraising campaign in 2020 via Birchal, Australia’s leading equity crowdfunding platform. The campaign was extremely successful, raising $672,000.
“Companies like this are on the cusp of a food revolution, and with demand increasing every year, this presents an exciting opportunity for retail and wholesale investors across Australia,” said Robin Holt of Birchal when the crowdfunding campaign launched last year. “The dairy-free products industry is booming, and showing no signs of slowing down.”
Despite reporting its first loss as a listed company during the pandemic, Greggs is still looking to grow and spread its reach around the UK
At the start of 2020, Greggs was very much the darling of the business world.
The Newcastle food company had seen a seven-year programme to transform its business paying off in the form of record results, a special dividend for shareholders and a one-off payment for its 25,000 staff. A long-held target was reached as the company’s 2,000th store opened in South Shields, leading it to raise its sights higher and aim for 3,000. Meanwhile, Greggs’ all-conquering social media presence saw stars lining up to be associated with its coolness.
Fast forward 12 months, and after a year like no other, Greggs was telling a different story. Last week the company reported a £13.5m loss after a year in which it had to make 820 people redundant and saw many of its stores having to shut during local and national lockdowns.
Ahead of those results, a number of analysts had questioned whether there was even an “existential threat’ to Greggs as fewer people work (and get lunch) in city centres. One suggested that customers wouldn’t want to pay for lunch having been making their own for the last year.
But within those results – which contained the company’s first loss in more than 30 years as a listed company, and possibly ever – Greggs was not just bullish for its future but revealed a number of signs that point to its recovery already being in train.
Saying that it will open around 100 stores this year, chief executive Roger Whiteside also outlined how it was planning to serve more food in the evenings and had benefited from having to accelerate digital services such as delivery and click-and-collect.
The pandemic has also offered opportunities. In a week when chocolatiers Thorntons said it would close all its stores – and after the likes of Debenhams and Top Shop also disappeared from the UK High Street – Greggs hoped that lower rents would help it get into areas it has previously not been able to.
Mr Whiteside said: “What Covid has done is open up some areas that we previously found difficult to access.
“Most of the shop opening pipeline is shops that are accessible by car, so we’re talking about retail parks and petrol forecourts and the like, which have been most of what we’ve been opening in recent years.
“On top of that, because Covid has impacted the marketplace more generally, places like central London and mass transport hubs, the availability of property has improved and the rental levels have fallen.
“So we opened a couple of shops even at the end of last year in St Pancras Station. They became available, and even though St Pancras isn’t busy yet, it’s going to be busy when things get back to normal and we want to be ready for that. We’re now looking at half a dozen sites in central London, and we’ve got negotiations going on in other transport hubs that suddenly have become more accessible to us. Those get added to our existing pipeline.”
Greggs
Greggs started a delivery partnership with Just Eat just before the pandemic, and has seen takeaway sales to become almost 10% of its business in recent weeks. The delivery service also supports Greggs’ long-held desire to take a share of the evening meal market.
“It opens up the evening for us because we close at six o’clock,” Mr Whiteside said. “Two-thirds of demand for delivery is in the evening and we’re not even there, so we’re starting experiments now with opening later so that we can get food to people’s homes when the demand is there. That for us is another growth opportunity.”
If Greggs’ plans to open 100 new shops this year come to fruition, the company estimates it would create around 1,000 jobs – more than it had to cut last year. It would also be able to give more work to existing staff who agreed to reduce hours during the pandemic.
But the location of those stores will provide a clue to where Greggs sees its future.
Few of them are likely to be on the High Street. Instead they will open at retail parks and in petrol stations, meeting Mr Whiteside’s belief that Greggs should be wherever people are, and wherever people are hungry.
“Greggs is a different kind of business to a conventional retail business,” he said. “Most retail businesses rely on customers leaving their home to go to that place because that’s the mission they’re on.
“Greggs does not. Nobody leaves the house to find Greggs, that’s not what they do. They leave the house to go somewhere else and when they get hungry, they look around. If there’s a Greggs there, they might pop in and get a Greggs. We intercept other missions.
“The reasons retailers are struggling is that if people now realise they don’t need to get into the car to find the shop and they can do it online, the trip isn’t made. From our perspective, the risk for us is that, if fewer people are making the trip to another retailer, they might not find themselves next to a Greggs when they get hungry.
“My view is, that’s fine: there might be less footfall for shopping reasons, which we’ve acknowledged for years and years. People will spend less time buying clothes now because they’ll buy it online instead, in which case they’ll have all this time. I don’t think they’ll stay at home. They’re going to go out and do something else and wherever they go, they’ll find a Greggs there. That’s the plan.”
The food on offer in Greggs is also likely to change, if only gradually.
The click-and-collect service, allied with a new app being developed by the company, will allow Greggs to offer sandwiches to order that can be picked up at agreed times. The company is also likely to expand its range of pizzas and is investing in new coffee machines to develop the range of drinks it offers and rival the likes of Costa and Cafe Nero.
Though its food development team was furloughed during the pandemic - halting work on a vegan doughnut - they are now back and working on a number of vegan versions of popular items, following the success of the vegan sausage rolls and steak bakes.
What will remain a constant at Greggs is its community commitment, well known in the North East through its Greggs breakfast clubs in schools and the work of the Greggs Foundation.
Last month the company issued its first sustainability plan with “10 things we’re doing to help make the world a better place by 2025”.
The plan outlines a range of measures to make its operations more environmentally friendly and better for the communities it operates in, including reducing plastic packaging, increasing its healthy food options and having better animal welfare policies.
For Mr Whiteside, the plan built on the foundations of company leaders that came before him.
He said: “Greggs, right from the beginning – from John Gregg to his son Ian Gregg and beyond – has always been a business that sought to be a good corporate citizen and has had activities that support local communities. Trying to make great quality food accessible to everybody, not just to the well-to-do.
“There’s a separate Greggs Foundation that was set up by Ian Gregg 30 years ago. We’re well known among those who know for our support of people in hardship, things like our Greggs breakfast clubs. But we tend not to publicise that because we don’t want it to be misinterpreted, that we’re only doing it for the brand. We’re doing it because we genuinely think it’s the right thing to do.
“Over the years that whole agenda of trying to be a better business has taken on an importance now which is becoming of interest to investors; they’re interested in how your business operates.
“We responded to that by pulling together everything we’ve done to rate and asking what we can do to stretch ourselves further. That led to our sustainability report – we need to tell the world what we’re doing and be held to account for it.”
Hourglass Cosmetics and parent company Unilever developed a vegan carmine to replace crushed up bug bodies in its new Red 0 lipstick
Luxury beauty brand Hourglass Cosmetics recently launched Confession Refillable Lipstick Red 0, a true red lipstick shade made with vegan carmine. The cruelty-free brand worked with its parent company Unilever for three years to develop a vegan alternative to carmine—an ingredient used in cosmetics and foods for its red colouring. Traditional carmine is made from the crushed up bodies of cochineal beetles and it requires killing 70,000 of these bugs to make one pound of carmine. Hourglass’ new bug-free shade retails at $40 and comes in a limited-edition case that is adorned with a cochineal beetle to pay tribute to the animal who has been needlessly slaughtered in the name of beauty.
Hourglass goes vegan
It takes approximately 1,000 crushed beetles to make one tube of lipstick, a fact that did not sit well with Hourglass founder and CEO Carisa Janes. “Learning about the carmine extraction process really struck a chord in me. These insects are bred, dried, crushed, and boiled—all to make the red pigment used in a typical tube of lipstick,” Janes told The Zoe Report. “I knew there had to be a better way, one that doesn’t treat living beings as expendable. I knew it was going to be challenging given that carmine has been used for centuries in everything from beauty products to paint to food, but it was an important step for us in our journey to becoming fully vegan.”
In 2017, Hourglass made a commitment to become a fully vegan brand and put out a call to ingredient innovators to help it find suitable replacements for beeswax, lanolin (a wax secreted from animals used for wool), and carmine. In addition to Red 0, the brand currently offers a variety of vegan products, including lipsticks, eye shadows, cleansers, and makeup brushes. Additionally, Hourglass Cosmetics works in partnership with the Nonhuman Rights Project to donate a portion of its profits to help the animal-rights organization fight for legal protections for nonhuman animals.
Roast swede with caramelised mushrooms and onions all stuffed into a tortilla and smothered in a smoky chilli peanut salsa
I’m very fond of the swede. It has a bit of the Cinderella narrative about it: often cast aside and underappreciated, but, when given attention and love, it blossoms – in this particular story, into a delicious dinner. It’s such a star, you can cook it in any way there is to cook an ingredient, but roasting is my favourite approach. Then it becomes buttery and fondant-like, and in today’s recipe sits pretty among mushrooms, spice and peanut salsa.
Meera Sodha’s swede and mushroom tacos with peanut salsa. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay. Food styling assistant: Susanna Unsworth
Swede and mushroom tacos with peanut salsa
Prep 15 min Cook 45 min Serves 4
Rapeseed oil 1 tbsp ancho flakes ¼ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp chipotle flakes Fine sea salt 1 swede (about 800g), peeled, cut in half and then into 1cm slices 1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1½cm wedges 300g portobello mushrooms, cut into 1cm slices 5 fat garlic cloves, peeled and halved 100g salted roasted peanuts 2½ tsp cider vinegar Tortillas (flour or corn), to serve A few coriander leaves, chopped, to serve (optional)
Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. First, make the dressing: put five tablespoons of oil, the ancho flakes, cloves, cumin, half a tablespoon of chipotle flakes and a teaspoon of salt into a small bowl, and stir to combine.
In a large bowl, mix the swede with half of the spiced oil, toss with your hands to coat, then tip out on to an oven tray. In the same large bowl, mix the onion, mushrooms and the rest of the spiced oil, toss and tip out on to a second oven tray. Space out all the vegetables so they’re not on top of each other. Bake the mushrooms and onions for 20 minutes and the swede for 30 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft and starting to caramelise.
While the vegetables are roasting, make the salsa. Put 75ml rapeseed oil in a small saucepan with the garlic halves and peanuts, set over a low heat and bring slowly to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for four to five minutes, or until the garlic starts to colour. Take off the heat, add half a tablespoon of chipotle flakes and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and set aside to cool. Once cooled, add the vinegar and seven tablespoons (105ml) of water, then blitz with a stick blender until the salsa is the consistency of custard.
To serve, heat up the tortillas (I pan-fry mine), top each with a dollop of the salsa, top that with some swede and then with mushrooms and onions, scatter with coriander leaves, if using, and devour.
India was always fertile ground for veganism with its large vegetarian population and the fact that even non-vegetarians consume a significant amount of vegetarian meals here
Now that ecommerce, payments, mobility, logistics and other areas are highly saturated, smart money is looking beyond vegan ventures for its next set of unicorns
Vegan startups are ripe for growth especially after the pandemic has exposed the dark side of animal agriculture and reminded us of the importance of being healthy
Globally it is accepted that the growth of a plant-based diet is important for not just for health and animal welfare but also to save the planet from climate change. Animal agriculture is the second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions after fossil fuels. It is also the leading cause of deforestation, water and air pollution and biodiversity loss. It is not surprising then that Veganism has come a long way from existing as a micro-trend in the fringes to becoming a widely accepted mainstream movement.
India was always fertile ground for veganism with its large vegetarian population and the fact that even non-vegetarians consume a significant amount of vegetarian meals here. While the movement has caught on in a big way, there is also a resounding buzz in the startup ecosystem. Now that ecommerce, payments, mobility, logistics and other areas are highly saturated, smart money is looking beyond vegan ventures for its next set of unicorns. In fact western startups have shown us how plant-based companies can grow exponentially: from infancy – to unicorn status – to multi-billion dollar IPOs.
‘Beyond Meat,’ ‘Oatly’ and several other vegan businesses have created something more important than just mega valuations. They’ve generated something much rarer in the startup world… wait for it… cash flow! Billions of dollars worth of real revenue. Can Indian plant-based companies follow suit?
Entrepreneurs and investors thrive on being ahead of the curve on here-to-stay trends. It is only natural then that capitalists have their eyes on the plant-based food revolution. Vegan startups are ripe for growth especially after the pandemic has exposed the dark side of animal agriculture and reminded us of the importance of being healthy. Moreover, three pivotal reasons are driving the vegan startup boom.
A Multi Billion Dollar Health Opportunity
No matter where you lived, what you did or how much money you made – 2020 was a great equaliser. In a way, it reminded us of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Never before was health and self-care a more important part of our lives. This is something that will remain important to people even after the vaccination drive is over and the dust has finally settled on our well-justified pandemic paranoia.
A crucial part of what makes veganism so relevant is our renewed focus on health. Any fitness enthusiast worth his protein will tell you that what you put in your body is more important than the number of hours you put into your workout. The influence Bollywood and Cricket has grown multifold over the decades. But the older generation’s stars like Amitabh Bachhan and Kapil Dev didn’t have six pack abs to flaunt like Ranveer Kapoor and Virat Kohli do. The next generation of Indians strive to be fitter than ever which creates part of a large opportunity that vegan startups are well positioned to ride.
Back in 2019, the estimated value of the global plant-based food market was $12 billion. Further research indicates that this figure will balloon to over $74 billion by 2027. The rapid rate of growth in an already decent sized market illustrates how billions of dollars can be made by helping people lead healthier lives. The cherry on the cake is the positive impact eating green will have on our planet.
The Impact Of Technology On Veganism
With the ease of internet access and smartphone penetration, social media has crossed 376 million users in India. Politics, sports, cinema; social media has a serious impact in every sphere in the modern world. Its role in spreading veganism as a movement too cannot be discounted.
Technology further enables plant-based businesses to be lucrative and grow seamlessly. International apps like Happy Cow, BevVeg and GoNutss are good examples of a successful marriage between veganism and technology. These tech-products make it easier for those embracing plant-based diets with everything from recipes to finding restaurants that serve vegan food.
Technology is already playing a key role behind the scenes for Indian vegan companies. For example plant-based egg startup, Evo Foods, uses technology in the form of food science and plant biochemistry to develop egg alternatives. India is ready for startups that can employ science and technology to create dairy and meat alternatives worthy of mass adoption. Technology is leading the disruption in the current status quo and strengthening the foundation for a more sustainable food industry.
More people have been educated about the harmful effects of the meat and dairy industry by films like “What the Health” and “Forks over Knives” than was earlier possible. Similarly documentaries like “Cowspiracy” and “The Game Changers” have rebranded the plant-based diet as cool instead of restrictive. None of these ideas would have reached all the people they did if it wasn’t for viral content and peer-to-peer recommendations.
This digital word of mouth has educated millions about the ill effects of factory farming on humans, animals and the environment. Celebrities and influencers have further used technology to catalyse the movement. A record number of ace athletes like Virat Kohli and leading actors like Aamir Khan have publicly endorsed veganism. Other celebrities have gone a step ahead and started their own vegan ventures like power couple Ritesh Deshmukh and Genelia Dsouza with ‘Imagine Meats’ and actor Ayesha Takia with ‘Plant.’
Capital Goes Where Consumers Are
Investors like billionaire Bill Gates (Impossible Foods) and private equity giant Blackstone (Oatly) have made sizeable investments in international vegan companies. Indian investors, right from early stage angels to growth stage venture capitalists have opened their eyes to the massive potential of the plant-based industry. Already a number of vegan startups have raised funding like cruelty-free cosmetics brand ‘Arata’ (DSG Consumer Partners + angels) and dairy alternatives provider ‘Goodmylk’ (VegInvest + angels.) Matrix backed plant-based nutrition player ‘Oziva’ just raised a $12m Series-B round led by Eight Roads Ventures. This is just the beginning of a tsunami of capital waiting for vegan companies that show promise.
The Indian plant-based meat sector is also blowing up with players like ‘Good Do,’ ‘Vezlay’ and ‘Greenest’ amping up their product list with fried chicken, mutton tikka, and fish fingers etc. Going beyond the exclusively vegan brands, even some dairy startups have seen the potential and introduced vegan options in their product mix. Dairy yogurt brand ‘Epigamia’ for example saw a great response to its newly launched vegan yogurts and almond milk.
Traditional FMCG companies like Amul and Nestle have also been introducing new vegan products like dark chocolate to their existing line-up. In fact, vegan dishes are now available at various popular restaurants and cafes across cities. So much so that in 2019, PETA India awarded Hyderabad, the most meat-consuming city in Asia, the title of Most Vegan-Friendly City in India.
The potential for ventures that cater to veganism is immense because of the growing interest in plant-based food, a huge influx of capital and the promise of scalability. Veganism has something to offer to everyone; impact for activists, wealth creation for investors and nutritious food for consumers.
Note: The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views held by Inc42, its creators or employees. Inc42 is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by guest bloggers.
Two vegan doctors have created the UK’s first-ever plant-based healthcare service, which aims to help patients improve their health by embracing a meat-less life.
Dr Shireen Kassam and Dr Laura Freeman launched Plant-Based Health Online (PBHO) earlier this year, with the hope of educating people on “the benefits of whole food plant-based nutrition in preventing and treating chronic disease".
Patients on the platform will gain access to general practitioners (GPs), nutritionists, registered dieticians, personal trainers and health coaches, with the aim of helping them to transition to an overall sustainable lifestyle with the inclusion of a plant-based diet.
There seems to be a demand for the service, with recent research revealing the coronavirus pandemic has fuelled a rise in those turning to plant-based diets.
Around one in five people (18%) in the UK say they have eaten more vegetarian/vegan food since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, with a similar number saying that COVID-19 means it's more likely they'll become fully vegetarian or vegan from now on, according to a survey by Proagrica.
Meanwhile further research by Public Health England of over 5,000 adults, showed that seven in 10 are motivated by the coronavirus pandemic to switch to a healthier lifestyle.
Dr Shireen Kassam, 45, from Hampshire, has been vegan since 2013 and says she and Dr Freeman hit upon the idea for PBHO after realising how many people were looking to find doctors and health professionals that could support them in their decision to adopt a plant-based diet.
"The people who reached out to me were frustrated by the lack of understanding and knowledge from their own healthcare providers about diet and lifestyle and that they were only able to offer conventional allopathic interventions such as pharmaceutical medications," she tells Yahoo UK. "I myself had also become frustrated in my own work by the high level of chronic illness amongst the patients under my own care. Especially since the knowledge I had gained in recent years pointed to the fact that most of these chronic illnesses could be eliminated by adopting healthy lifestyle habits, including a plant-based diet."
When the pandemic hit the UK in March 2020, Dr Kassam says it became clear that those individuals with underlying chronic illnesses were suffering the most.
"It motivated me to try and provide a new way of delivering healthcare, especially since the NHS was now in crisis mode and only dealing with emergencies.
"I had just come across Plant Based Telehealth in the US and thought it was a fabulous concept.
"Laura immediately came to mind as the person who could develop such a service in the UK as she had already started her own lifestyle medicine clinics in Scotland.
"From there it did not take us long to hatch a plan and start our work together on this project."
Laura Freeman, 37, from Glasgow, has been vegan since 2016, deciding to go plant-based some months before being diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer, a treatable form of the disease.
"I also had bloodwork around this time which showed high cholesterol," she tells Yahoo UK. "It did not take me long to find the compelling research behind a whole food plant based diet and its connection to reducing cancer risk and lowering cholesterol levels - amongst many other benefits."
After overhauling her own diet, Dr Freeman says she started to discuss the evidence with her patients and it did not take long to see success.
"I was amazed to see my patients reducing their blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes medications for example. It has transformed my medical practice whereby I now, wherever possible, take a nutrition and lifestyle first approach to the management of my patients.
"I can’t imagine practising medicine now any other way," she adds.
Prescribed medications should only be reduced with the support of your doctor.
According to the British Dietetic Association: "Well balanced plant-based diets, that are also low in saturated fat, can help you manage your weight and may reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. However, as with any diet, plant-based nutrition needs to be planned."
Dr Kassam says the main difference between PBHO and other medical services is that PBHO's dietary approach is more focused on increasing the amount of whole plant foods in the diet while minimising the consumption of meat, eggs and dairy as much is possible.
"This is because a whole food plant based diet is one that is not only optimal for human health but is also sustainable for the health of the planet," she explains.
But they are keen to point out that the service isn't just for vegans.
"It’s a service for everyone who wants to improve their personal health, the health of their family members and of course the health of the planet," Dr Kassam says.
"We will support our patients to make the best choices they can when it comes to healthy eating without insisting on an all or nothing approach whilst always encouraging them to be as plant-based as possible."
The duo believe their new healthcare service could make a particular difference during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
"The pandemic has really highlighted the extent of chronic illness in our society and how vulnerable these illnesses make us to threats such as new viruses," Dr Kassam explains.
"It was clear early on that COVID-19 was more severe in those with underlying heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cancer.
"With many of these diseases being preventable and even reversible using a diet and lifestyle approach, there is an urgency to bring lifestyle medicine into clinical practice."
I’m in a relatively unique position, being both a vegan and a GP. In fact, I might also be a rarity in that I’m a vegan who has confidently accepted the Covid vaccine.
In the UK all medications, by law, must be tested on animals. This isn’t a law I agree with, and I feel that technological advances mean that other methods for testing could, and should, replace the use of animals in medical and pharmaceutical research. However, we aren’t there yet, and the reality is that all of our medications and vaccines will have been tested on laboratory animals. As heartbreaking as that is to accept, I don’t feel that it means vegans should necessarily decline the Covid vaccine – or any vaccine for that matter. Does this make me less of a vegan?
The Vegan Society defines veganism as ‘a philosophy and way of living, which seeks to exclude – as far as is possible and practicable – all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose’. The words possible and practicable are important in my argument for why vegans should accept the vaccine. As individuals, we have no control over the laws that govern medication production. By accepting the vaccine, we are not going against society’s definition of the lifestyle we are following, as it is neither possible nor practicable for us to obtain vaccines that have not been tested on animals.
Rebecca Jones: ‘I feel that the compassion of veganism stretches not only to non-human animals but to other people too’
I have heard the argument that one should just decline the vaccine, therefore retaining a pristine vegan title. But this doesn’t sit well with me, in terms of my ideas of what a responsible, vegan member of society should look like. I feel that the compassion of veganism stretches not only to non-human animals but to other people too. There are some vulnerable people who, for whatever reason, will not be able to accept the vaccine. Therefore, it is my duty, as a member of society, and as a healthcare professional looking after these people, to ensure that I am preventing myself from passing on a potentially deadly infection to those around me.
Vegan medics are not completely unheard of; I run a Facebook group called Vegan Doctors of the UK, and we currently have over 300 members. There, the general consensus regarding Western medicine, including vaccination, largely matches my own.
Even so, I understand that other vegans may choose to reject Western medicine and what it offers, I feel that keeping myself healthy and well only assists me in my fight for animal equality. I’ve been lucky in that I’ve rarely needed much medical care or medication in my life, but I feel equally lucky that I can access it, should I need to, and that I’ve had the privilege of receiving a full complement of vaccinations.
When the Covid jab was offered to me, I had no qualms about accepting it. I know I need to remain healthy for my family, my patients, and in order to keep up my own version of vegan activism – even if that is just cooking good vegan food for friends and family, or guiding other vegans through the mostly omnivorous world of medicine and health with my writing.
In an ideal world, medications wouldn’t be tested on animals, but unfortunately, the world we’re living in is imperfect and inhabited by a majority of omnivores. As vegans, we must ensure our own wellbeing, so that we can keep spreading the word, protecting other animals and advancing veganism. Even if that means accepting the Covid vaccination. And maybe one day, we’ll have enough of us fighting for cruelty-free medications, that a non-vegan vaccine, along with Covid, will be a distant memory.
Veganism isn’t just about not eating animal products – it’s a lifestyle, and one that is increasingly influencing the choices vegan tourists make in terms of the destinations they visit and hotels they stay in. Rose Dykins reports
According to data and analytics company GlobalData, vegan-friendly tours, excursions and digital travel apps will become increasingly important for catering to travellers’ post-pandemic lifestyle preferences.
GlobalData’s research at the end of 2020 – which surveyed 5,700 people globally – revealed that 76 per cent of respondents said they were influenced by how ethical, environmentally friendly or socially responsible a product or service is.
In contrast, the company’s 2019 research found that just 46 per cent of respondents said they actively buy products that are better for the environment or animal friendly. This suggests there has been a shift in international consumers’ perceptions due to Covid-19, and many people are now opting for more responsible choices – such as a vegan diet.
Among the tourism industry’s responses to the rise in plant-based living are vegan traveller apps such as Air Vegan and Veg Visits. Air Vegan rates how vegan-friendly airports are, and shares the best plant-based dining spots in each facility.
Meanwhile, Veg Visits is a home sharing platform with vegan hosts across 80 different countries – so consumers can book self-catering accommodation with meat-free kitchens, or with a live-in vegan host who prepares meals for them or offers advice about the best local restaurants for plant-based food.
GlobalData also highlighted the trend for hoteliers and accommodation providers tailoring their offering for vegan guests. Hilton, for example, opened its first vegan hotel suite in 2019 at Hilton London Bankside, where everything from the room key card to the carpet is made from natural materials, and the entire minibar and room service menu is plant-based.
At around the same time, Saorsa 1875 in Scotland became the UK’s first 100 per cent vegan hotel, complete with everything from vegan bedding (no wool or feathers) to vegan minibars.
Tour operators are capitalising on the vegan traveller market. Brighton-based Responsible Travel, for example, promotes 34 vegan holidays across the world, with destinations including Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Greece and India where “you can be confident you won’t be relegated to the salad menu every time”.
Ultimately, GlobalData chalks the vegan tourism trend up with the fact that the travel industry needs to move with the times to help consumers overcome barriers such as dietary requirements.
The pandemic may have sped up the plant-based trend, but global consumers have been increasingly turning towards plant-based diets – or at least exploring ways to reduce their consumption of animal products – in recent years.
This year in the UK, sales of vegan and vegetarian products are expected to increase to £658 million. And in China – where in 2016 the government outlined a plan to reduce national meat consumption by 50 per cent – the country’s plant-based meat market was projected to grow by up to 25 per cent annually in 2018.
VegeRadar is a digital platform that shares maps to help consumers find vegan and vegetarian restaurants across the country.
“A common objective across the entire travel and tourism sector is to deliver a ‘seamless’ traveller experience for each customer along every touchpoint, on an individualised, trip-by-trip basis,” says Johanna Bonhill-Smith, travel and tourism analyst for GlobalData.
“Vegan travellers can often encounter problems ranging from where to stay to a lack of suitable meal choices. Language barriers and cultural differences can often exacerbate these problems. This creates an opportunity where personalised recommendations are lacking, and catering for a growing vegan consumer base could soon be a key differentiator.”
GlobalData states that following Covid-19, it will be more important than ever for brands to offer personalised support for travellers. “Servicing a traveller’s every need is going to be critical in post-pandemic recovery to both restore confidence and ensure satisfaction,” says Bonhill-Smith.
“With a greater level of satisfaction, there is, in turn, a higher chance to attract loyal customers – a promising prospect in light of Covid-19 and the detrimental losses it has inflicted on company revenues. As travel companies aspire to personalise each individual’s experience, veganism should be an area to be acknowledged and acted upon, not ignored across the tourism sector”.
