7 Apps Helping People Go Vegan And Cruelty-Free

From plantbasednews.org

These Apple iOS and Android apps are working to make sustainable living more accessible

In a world where technology makes up a large portion of many people’s lives, phone apps can play a vital role in helping communities make meaningful lifestyle changes.

A growing number of apps are emerging that aim to help users move toward sustainable, animal-free living. Here are just a handful of them.

Abillion

Abillion aims to unite vegans and the veg-curious to form a community of people looking to live sustainably and ethically. 

It recommends nearby restaurants that offer plant-based food, allows members to review vegan and sustainable products, and provides users with a platform to share news, ideas, or ask questions. 

Further, Abillion works to raise money for various causes. 

“Every review drives real impact through our unique giving program. Whenever you post a review, abillion credits you with US $1 that, through the app, you can donate to one of the almost 70 charities or impactful causes we support,” the app’s description reads. 

Abillion has donated more than US$800,000 to causes globally. It aims to donate $1 million by the end of the year. 

Abillion is available on Apple iOS and Android.

Cruelty Cutter 

Cruelty Cutter allows users to scan product barcodes to see whether the item is tested on animals or cruelty-free.

Additionally, individuals can earn ‘Doggie Dollars’ by urging companies to ditch unethical practices – for instance, by posting online. The Doggie Dollars can be redeemed for discounts on cruelty-free products. 

It also provides updates on animal welfare issues and spreads awareness on ways to get involved. 

Cruelty Cutter is available on Apple iOS and Android.

Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen

This app helps users navigate the ins and outs of plant-based nutrition. It’s inspired, in part, by the book How Not To Die, which was penned by physician Dr Michael Greger and author Gene Stone. 

The app recommends vegan food which can help meet a person’s daily nutritional needs. It includes recommended servings and as well as a weight tracker for those looking to gain, lose, or maintain weight.  

Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen is available on Apple iOS and Android.

Grazer

This social app aims to connect vegans and vegetarians with like-minded individuals who share their values and lifestyles.

It can be used for romantic connections or just to make new friends.

The app was born out of demand, according to its description. “Forty-one percent of online daters say they are less interested in someone if they list themselves as ‘vegan’, yet 60 percent of vegans dream of a vegan spouse,” it reads. “Grazer is here to help.”

Grazer is available on Apple iOS and Android. 

HappyCow

HappyCow launched at the end of the 90s when veganism was still relatively niche. The app intends to help travellers (and anyone else) find vegan and vegetarian food options wherever they are in the world.

Available in nearly 200 countries, HappyCow shows where an eatery is, how to contact them, and allows users to leave ratings, reviews, and images of the food they ordered.

HappyCow is available on Apple iOS and Android.

VeganScan

Those who download the VeganScan app are able to scan the barcodes of food items to see if they contain any animal products. 

It’s useful for products with complex ingredient lists that are not easily decipherable. It also helps shoppers save time, rather than thoroughly reading every product’s packaging.

VeganScan is available on Apple iOS and Android.

VNutrition

The VNutrition app is a self-assessment tool that allows users to track their nutritional progress. The app’s daily checklist encourages people to hit nutritional targets by consuming enough fruit, vegetables, protein, and omega-3 fats, for example. 

It includes tips for new vegans, or anyone looking to boost their health. 

VNutrition is available on Apple iOS and Android.

https://plantbasednews.org/culture/media/vegan-apps/

How this vegan start-up business is powering growth overseas

From telegraph.co.uk/business

Investing in the right business tools was a vital step for New York-based vegan food company Daring Foods, which is officially launching into the US after a successful test in the British market

When sports enthusiast Ross Mackay became vegan in his early 20s, he did so hoping to find a tasty alternative to meat which would also provide a rich source of protein. However, now 28, the once successful tennis star (he was coached by Judy Murray and represented Scotland in the sport as a teenager) was soon left feeling very disappointed.

“I became tired of eating poor vegan meals,” he says. “I felt like I was missing out on the experience of food.” So, along with co-founder Eliot Kessas, he decided to launch a new vegan meat brand that he hoped would combine both a high level of taste with all the nutrients needed to play sport at an elite level.

Now just a year into its test market, Daring Foods’ alternative to chicken, Daring Pieces, is available in hundreds of restaurants and food outlets across the UK, and is now available in the US. “The reason we’ve grown so quickly is that a lot of our competitors have yet to close the gaps in taste and texture between their products and the real thing. We’ve accomplished this with a much more popular protein – chicken – which has enabled us to stand out from the crowd,” says Mr Mackay.

Importantly, the product isn’t just aimed at vegans, but also “flexitarians” who occasionally eat meat and fish too. The plant-based product comprises five main ingredients, including non-genetically modified soy, and is free from palm oil.

Investing for growth

Inevitably growing the business in such a short space of time has provided Daring Foods with a huge operational challenge, especially in managing more than a dozen wholesale partners and numerous product variations, known as stock keeping units (SKUs). “Until recently we were doing everything on Excel spreadsheets which was far from ideal,” says Mr Mackay.

All this changed when Daring Foods decided to reconsider the business software it was using. The company turned to Oracle NetSuite to help run the business more effectively. “It’s been a great relationship,” says Mr Mackay. “What NetSuite has enabled us to do is to really automate and centralise a lot of our key business functions, including accounting, financial reporting, stock management and customer relationship management (CRM).”

What’s more, because the solution was rolled out in just 40 days, the NetSuite solution has enabled Daring Foods to scale much faster than it would have been able to do without the technology in place. “We’re still a very small team but we are growing quickly thanks to NetSuite.”

Spreading the message

Fuelled by the latest software, Daring has ambitious plans for growth in the US, first into restaurants followed by a retail launch in early 2020 (the company’s distribution centre is in Philadelphia). There are also plans to expand into the Gulf region where veganism is growing strongly. “The demand in the GCC for plant-based alternatives has been tremendous, particularly in Dubai,” says Mr Mackay.
With the right technology now in place, Daring hopes it can scale its business even further and help spread plant-based chicken worldwide.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/unlock-potential-growth/how-a-vegan-start-up-is-powering-growth-overseas/?WT.mc_id=tmgspk_plrnlr_2829_AtwqDM4qwXcg&utm_source=tmgspk&utm_medium=plrnlr&utm_content=2829&utm_campaign=tmgspk_plrnlr_2829_AtwqDM4qwXcg&plr=1&mvpf=97d468b966a94975b133637755752536&mvpflabel=Front+page+email