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Category: Vegan

  • World’s Largest Climate Conference Goes ‘Mostly Vegan’—but Could Go All the Way

    World leaders will finally start to align their positive intentions for the global environment with the meals they eat at one major climate meeting. The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28)—set for November 30 through December 12 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)—has announced a “mostly vegan” menu. This is a crucial first for the global event, which should set a precedent for all future gatherings. And although it’s a first step, PETA is pressing COP28 to commit to going fully vegan.

    to represent how PETA is urging COP28 to "go all the way" vegan instead of "mostly vegan", this shows one of PETA's Lettuce Ladies holding a sign that reads "Lettuce Save The Planet! Go Vegan", with inset images of a cow, a pig, and a chicken

    To clear the conference table of a major misconception: An event or individual either goes vegan or doesn’t. With the ever-increasing severity of the climate catastrophe, there’s no room for half-measures or catering to people who cling to their cruel, polluting, meat-eating habits. Going vegan is a complete rejection of speciesism. Providing exclusively vegan food for an event of this global caliber is easier than ever before, and there’s no excuse not to do so—especially since there is a proved and direct link between using animals for food and the climate catastrophe.

    PETA's Earth Day ad that says "Care about the planet? Then either go vegan or put a cork in it."

    What Caused COP28 to Go ‘Mostly Vegan’

    The Youth and Children Constituency of the UNFCCC (YOUNGO) and over 140 youth and civil society organizations—boosted by ProVeg International—sent a letter in April 2023 to the COP28 presidency, asking that at least three-quarters of the conference’s food options be plant-based and strongly encouraging a more culturally inclusive menu.

    top PETA Billboard Ads 2019 Eating Meat Kills More Animals Than You Think

    Dr. Sultan Al Jaber—the COP28 president-designate—responded to YOUNGO in a letter stating that COP28 will emphasize plant-based food choices that are central to addressing the climate emergency. Multiple environmental groups and youth advocates have dedicated decades to pushing COP meetings to make the vital switch to vegan food.

    “My team has been working to ensure the availability of plant-based food options that are affordable, nutritious, and locally and regionally sourced, with clear emissions labeling.”

    —Dr. Sultan Al Jaber

    This follows PETA entities’ long history of urging the United Nations to make its events—including past COP gatherings—vegan, writing letters, sending petitions signed by our many members, and holding demonstrations outside its events. It’s great news that the letter from YOUNGO finally elicited some action.

    With Dubai as the host city for COP28, the UAE’s focus on sustainability and awareness of the Paris Agreement’s goals make the prioritization of plant-based foods on its menu especially meaningful. It also honors the UAE’s 2023 Year of Sustainability campaign, which encourages plant-based eating and food waste reduction.

    Meat is not Green Bus Billboard

    Why PETA Is Telling COP28 to Go All the Way

    In response to COP28’s important step in the right direction, PETA is urging it to bring this crucial action to full fruition. PETA Asia sent a fig tree as a thank-you, accompanied by a message of encouragement: “Give a fig—go all the way.” With Earth’s future and the survival of all living, feeling beings at stake, COP28 must choose vegan.

    Melting Ice Animals Urge Everyone to Beat the Heat by Going Vegan

    Each year, billions of animals around the globe are killed in the food industry so that their flesh or mammary secretions can be consumed by humans. These animals are forcibly bred and kept in cramped enclosures. They endure mutilations—such as tail docking and castration—without pain relief. Most are violently killed at slaughterhouses. Even many otherwise compassionate humans participate in this horrific cycle through their food choices. And as an exhaustive study published in Nature Food clearly shows, the vast ripple effects of this process are rapidly destroying what’s left of the planet’s fragile ecosystems.

    PETA also pressed previous COP meetings to go vegan. In our 2022 message to Pope Francis I at COP27, we asked the pontiff to take the first steps in moving the Catholic Church toward climate justice by resurrecting meat-free Fridays (including a new proscription on the consumption of fish) and excommunicating Catholics who eat animals.

    As future COP events occur, PETA will do everything possible to persuade the conference to go vegan and fully align with its own stated objectives. No truly environmentally conscious meeting would serve flesh, eggs, or bovine mammary secretions.

    Pregnant protester with painted globe on stomach holding go vegan sign© Chrissie Hall

    How You Can Be a Globally Minded Leader

    Going vegan is the most effective action you can take to do the following:

    The power to change the world doesn’t rest solely with those attending COP28—you have power, too. Here are two steps to get you started:

    The post World’s Largest Climate Conference Goes ‘Mostly Vegan’—but Could Go All the Way appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • HerbYvore Launches Singapore’s First Locally Produced Vegan Cheese to Support Food Security Initiative

    herbyvore cheese
    3 Mins Read

    Joining other food businesses in contributing to Singapore’s 30 by 30 food security initiative, Agrocorp International’s HerbYvore brand has launched the country’s first locally produced vegan cheese range. The HerbY-Cheese products are nut- and soy-free, with pea protein making the plant-based cheese more allergen-friendly.

    Agrocorp received support from the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Enterprise Singapore to develop vegan alternatives to mozzarella, Cheddar and parmesan, which are said to grate and melt like their conventional counterparts. HerbYvore launched in 2021 with its pea-based paneer, which was also developed in collaboration with SIT.

    Local vegan cheese production

    vegan cheese singapore
    HerbYvore’s new cheeses grate and melt like conventional counterparts | Courtesy: HerbYvore

    Each of HerbYvore’s new cheeses clock in between 5-7g of protein per 100g, and is priced at S$8.80. The blocks are positioned as clean-label, minimally processed vegan cheeses. They contain a maximum of 10 ingredients, including water, coconut oil, starches, pea protein, natural flavourings and colours, and vegan cultures.

    They were produced at SIT subsidiary FoodPlant – jointly established with Enterprise Singapore and JTC Corporation – to carry out small-batch production for pilot testing in local markets, before scaling up its manufacturing. The plant-based cheeses are available at HerbYvore’s website, Green Butchery, The Green Collective SG, and Everyday Vegan Grocer.

    The launch puts HerbYvore’s products into a rapidly growing market. The 2022 State of the Industry Report by industry think tank the Good Food Institute reported a 43% year-on-year increase in sales of plant-based cheese in Asia-Pacific.

    Supporting Singapore’s 30 by 30 food security initiative

    plant based cheese
    Courtesy: HerbYvore

    “Alternative proteins today are more affordable, tastier, healthier, and also a more sustainable food source,” Alvin Tan, Singapore’s minister of state for culture, community and youth, and trade and industry, said on the release day. “The green economy is brimming with opportunity and potential,” he added, calling it a key aspect to meet the country’s 30 by 30 goal in a “fast, sustainable manner”.

    HerbYvore’s cheese is among a growing number of products that hope to contribute to the country’s food security project. Part of its Green Plan 2030, the 30 by 30 campaign aims to reduce Singapore’s reliance on imports and locally produce 30% of all food consumed by the end of the decade.

    More recent launches, like Dynamic Foodco’s Dynameat brand and TiNDLE’s new vegan chicken pieces, support this initiative. By offering alternatives to climate-harming animal products – a vegan diet can cut emissions by 75% compared to a meat-rich one – these companies are helping build a food system that’s sustainable in more ways than one: both in terms of the environment and food security.

    The post HerbYvore Launches Singapore’s First Locally Produced Vegan Cheese to Support Food Security Initiative first appeared on Green Queen.

    The post HerbYvore Launches Singapore’s First Locally Produced Vegan Cheese to Support Food Security Initiative appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Peanut Meat Brand Haofood Unveils Vegan Pork Mince Soup Dumplings

    haofood dumplings
    3 Mins Read

    Shanghai food tech brand Haofood, known for its plant-based chicken made from peanuts, has launched soup dumplings filled with peanut-based pork mince. The first plant-based meat brand to use peanut protein as the base ingredient, this marks the company’s second type of vegan meat.

    Xiaolongbaos (or soup dumplings) traditionally contain a minced pork filling, but Haofood’s vegan version swaps them for a peanut-based alternative that mimics the original’s taste and texture. The soup itself is a black truffle flavour, and the dumplings are packed with protein and dietary fibre, and free of trans fats.

    Launched in 2020, Haofood co-founder Astrid Prajogo exhibited the peanut mince dumplings at the Berlin headquarters of ProVeg Incubator – the brand had participated in the 12-week accelerator programme in 2020. The new product comes on the heels of a report that puts China at the top of the list of countries with the greatest market potential for alt-meat.

    peanut meat
    Haofood co-founder Astrid Prajogo exhibited the new peanut-based pork dumplings in Berlin | Courtesy: Haofood/LinkedIn

    Haofood’s peanut-powered journey

    “We started with the aspiration of helping foodies reduce their meat consumption without losing the pleasure of eating the familiar dishes that they love,” Prajogo told ProVeg in 2020. “That’s why we are developing a plant-based chicken that is specifically designed to be cooked as Asian fried chicken.”

    Now, the brand has three products in its portfolio: vegan pulled chicken in naked, black pepper and Xinjiang-spiced flavours; crispy chicken patties in original and spicy variants; and a plant-based chicken chop.

    In 2021, Haofood partnered with five Shanghai restaurants to add its peanut-based chicken to their menu offerings, like mini-burgers, wraps and bowls. It also struck a distribution deal with Chinese convenience store giant Lawson last year to stock its plant-based chicken in 2,300 retail stores nationwide. This came a month after it announced a $3.5M seed funding round, which included the likes of ProVeg, Monde Nissin CEO Henry Soesanto, and Big Idea Ventures, among others.

    Plant-based dumplings on the rise

    vegan dumplings
    Courtesy: OmniPork

    Haofood’s latest offering joins a host of other companies in the budding vegan dumpling category in Asia. While its xiaolongbaos are the first of their kind to launch to market, brands like OmniPork and Plant Sifu (both Hong Kong-based brands) have debuted various ready-to-eat dumpling ranges in recent years in retail and in foodservice. Omni famously partnered with Wanchai Ferry, Hong Kong’s dumpling-famous frozen meal brand, on two OmniPork-filled SKUs in 2020.

    Plant Sifu, meanwhile, uses a proprietary fat technology to create a juicy and fragrant pork alternative ideal for dumpling fillings. The brand claims its product is cholesterol- and MSG-free, and contains less salt and fewer calories than conventional pork.

    Vegan dumplings are equally popular around the world including the US: seaweed startup Triton Algae Foods has teamed up with Too Good to Be Foods to launch vegan pork dumplings and San Francisco brand Sobo Foods has soft-launched its plant-based dumplings at select retailers in the Bay area.

    The post Peanut Meat Brand Haofood Unveils Vegan Pork Mince Soup Dumplings first appeared on Green Queen.

    The post Peanut Meat Brand Haofood Unveils Vegan Pork Mince Soup Dumplings appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Daughter Ashley Pushes for Food Justice in New Vegan Campaign

    Raising a fist drenched in green paint and wearing a dress of “leaves” like a true lettuce loyalist, actor and activist Ashley Jackson is lacing up her vegan combat boots and taking a stand against food injustice in a new PETA campaign to be launched at the historic Metropolitan AME Church, where she will serve healthy, humane meals and distribute free food on Sunday.

    A vegetarian since birth who later went vegan, Jackson will visit the M Street church to serve vegan meals to congregants and invite them to join PETA’s Food Justice project, which calls on the government to redirect meat, egg, and dairy industry subsidies into incentives for grocers in food deserts to stock fresh fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious vegan foods. PETA will deliver bags of fresh produce and protein-packed tofu, along with vegan starter kits, to underserved members of the community. Photos from the event will be available upon request.

    “Food justice and social justice are one and the same,” says Jackson, who belongs to a growing list of celebrities—including Paul McCartney, RZA, Pinky Cole, Jhené Aiko, Travis Barker, and Jermaine Dupri—who have teamed up with PETA to promote kindness to animals and introduce people to vegan eating.

    Jackson points out that there are over 6,500 food deserts in the U.S. Yet the government spends only about $17 million each year to subsidize the fruit and vegetable industries while funneling about $38 billion of taxpayers’ money—the vast majority of which goes to big corporations—into the meat, egg, and dairy industries.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—has hosted food justice giveaways in Detroit, Atlanta, Indianapolis, and other cities. The group opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and offers a free vegan starter kit. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Daughter Ashley Pushes for Food Justice in New Vegan Campaign appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Beyond Meat Spotlights Farms & Growers With New Ad Campaign Tackling Meat Misinformation

    beyond meat ad
    5 Mins Read

    Beyond Meat’s first new ad campaign after a difficult year sees the plant-based meat brand go back to its roots – literally. Titled There’s Goodness Here, Beyond tackles misinformation about plant-based meat in a subtle response to the meat industry’s targeted ads over the years. Crucially, the campaign puts an oft-overlooked member of the agri-food system at the centre of the action: the farmer.

    The new ad highlights Steven, a fifth-generation fava bean farmer from North Dakota. (Fava beans are one of Beyond Meat’s key ingredients.) It is set in a rural field, where Steven takes the viewer through his rows of crops, while a voiceover explains how Beyond turns plants into meat and extols the environmental and health virtues of its products.

    “From these crops,” the narrator says, “we get protein and run it through a simple and clean process of heating, cooling, and pressure to form plant-based meats that are better for you.”

    The meat industry’s campaign against the plant-based industry

    The ad marks Beyond’s first response to years of coordinated ads by meat industry interest groups, run by the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) since 2019. The smear campaign involved print ads, newspaper op-eds, video features and target websites like Clean Food Facts. The CCF took a shot at the processed nature of plant-based meats, and their long, complex ingredient lists.

    One ad pit vegan meat against dog food, with a side-by-side comparison of the ingredient lists asking consumers to guess which is which. Meanwhile, a video campaign used a clip from Beyond CEO Ethan Brown’s interview with CBS, where he talked about reproducing amino acids and fats from plant-based sources to replicate meat. CCF proceeded to list a partial ingredient list from Beyond to show it takes more than just those two elements to “make fake meat”, adding that “not all ingredients these are good for you”, without explaining why.

    But perhaps the CCF’s biggest attack on plant-based meat came during the 2020 Super Bowl – an ad that featured Spelling Bee participants struggling with words like methylcellulose and propylene glycol (which it claimed were “chemicals” used for “synthetic meats”). “If you can’t spell it or pronounce it,” concluded the ad, “maybe you shouldn’t be eating it.”

    Where Beyond focuses on farm and ingredients, Impossible fights back against CCF and meat industry tactics

    Where Beyond takes a more muted approach, the response from its closest competitor Impossible Foods is more direct, explicitly calling out the meat industry.

    For example, the company parodied the CCF’s spelling bee ad, where a child is confused after being asked to spell “poop”. The judge goes on to explain how there’s “lots of poop in the places where pigs and chickens are chopped to pieces to make meat”, and a voiceover highlights research that found 300 samples of ground beef to contain “fecal bacteria”. In response to the CCF’s last line, Impossible’s ad says: “Just because a kid can spell ‘poop’, doesn’t mean you or your kids should be eating it.”

    Impossible’s newest Making Meat History campaign is a more direct retaliation than Beyond’s latest commercial. The former’s The Summer of Impossible ad – released in June – takes the form of a musical, discussing the differences and similarities between plant- and animal-based meat.

    Beyond’s ad puts the focus on its ingredient label. Its Beyond Steak, which debuted last year and which the company described as having a ‘cleaner’ and simpler ingredient list – wheat gluten, fava beans, pomegranate concentrate, spices and flavourings, sunflower lecithin, and fruit and vegetable juice colour, became the first meat product – vegan or conventional – to be certified by the American Heart Association this past May.

    Beyond uses this win to address the “unclean” and “unhealthy” rhetoric the CCF ads pursue, labelling its new product as “heart-healthy steak from the Heartland” in the ad campaign.

    After a turbulent year, Beyond readies for an uptick

    It’s no secret that the last year or so has been tough going for Beyond Meat. Retail sales for plant-based meat have seen a continuous decline, and Beyond has been hit hard. It failed to meet targets in 2022, with revenue dropping for five consecutive quarters ending April 1 this year. In May, its stock tumbled to a new low of $10.02 – far from its highs of over $239 following its July 2019 IPO.

    The meat giant was forced to lay off 19% of its staff – around 200 employees – last year, and is now facing a class-action lawsuit over claims it misled its investors about its production and growth plans. It has also entered an equity distribution agreement with Goldman Sachs to sell shares worth up to $200M.

    But Beyond entered this year on an optimistic financial note, with its Q1 2023 earnings (while down year-on-year) exceeding Wall Street projections. The company also expects sharper revenue growth in the second half of the year.

    With its new ad campaign, Beyond goes back to its roots, spotlighting the very people who form the bedrock of any food business: farmers. The tagline for its new There’s Goodness Here campaign is ‘Back to the Farm’, putting the producer at the heart of its messaging. Highlighting the story of Steven, a farmer who decided to grow fava beans for products like Beyond Meat, is a laudable step towards Beyond’s commitment to transparency and giving back.

    “Our story begins with sun, soil, water, and a seed,” the voiceover says at the beginning of the ad. “It begins in fields.” It continues by explaining the soil-positive effects of these crops, but stresses the fact that farmers also benefit: “It helps farmers keep their fields and soil healthy, naturally.”

    Keying in on the importance of farmers is crucial, especially since a common criticism of the plant-based meat industry is that it puts meat farmers out of business. In a world that is becoming more ethical and hoping to be more sustainable every day, positioning its products as planet-, health- and people-friendly could be just what Beyond needs.

    The post Beyond Meat Spotlights Farms & Growers With New Ad Campaign Tackling Meat Misinformation first appeared on Green Queen.

    The post Beyond Meat Spotlights Farms & Growers With New Ad Campaign Tackling Meat Misinformation appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Vegan Chicken Nugget Startup Nowadays Ceases Operations Amid US Plant-Based Meat Decline

    nowadays vegan chicken nuggets

    4 Mins Read

    In yet another sign of an increasingly tough market for plant-based meat companies, US vegan chicken nugget brand Nowadays has announced it is ceasing operations. The Californian startup, which launched its pea-protein-based frozen nuggets two years ago, is in “active conversations” about selling its IP and other assets, reports AgFunderNews.

    A year after closing an oversubscribed $7M seed round – taking its total funding to nearly $10M – Nowadays says the decision comes “due to an inability to raise venture funds in this market”. Co-founder Max Elder told AgFunderNews that while the nuggets were performing well in direct-to-consumer and retail channels with strong repeat purchase rates, the unit economics of distributing frozen foods were challenging for a startup of its scale.

    “The economics only work if you have the capital to really push a multi-year brand building and marketing strategy and it’s really hard to access capital now,” he was quoted as saying.

    Nowadays uses low-moisture extraction technology, which enabled it to produce vegan nuggets with fewer ingredients and scale up more easily. “We’ve been awarded patents for low-moisture extrusion of whole cuts of clean-label plant-based chicken using pea protein, and a patent on pea protein characteristics for the texturized outcomes of our platform,” Elder told AgFunderNews. “So there’s some differentiated enabling technology here that I’m excited to find a home for; we’re actively looking for opportunities to preserve the value of what we’ve built over the past three years.”

    The US plant-based meat decline

    vegan chicken nuggets
    Courtesy: Nowadays

    This news comes on the heels of a continued decline in purchases of plant-based meat in the US. According to analysis by insights firm Circana, retail sales of vegan meat alternatives fell by 12.6% to $106.8M in the five weeks to July 2, 2023, with units down by 19.8% year-on-year. And for the year to July 2, 2023, sales declined by 7.3% year-on-year, while units saw a 15.6% drop.

    Although down in all temperature states, sales in the refrigerated plant-based meat case and produce department – where retailers are cutting assortments, according to AgFunderNews – witnessed the biggest drops. Sales reached $34.4M in the five weeks ending July 2, falling by 21.9% from June 2022 levels, and 33.4% from the year before.

    And while this coincides with a decline in conventional meat purchases in the US too, the numbers there are more modest. That sector saw a 2.7% year-on-year decrease in sales in the five weeks to July 2, dollar sales were up by 1.6% in the year ending July 2.

    Nowadays isn’t the only plant-based meat company in this situation. In July, Californian brand Tattooed Chef, whose meals included vegan meat alternatives, filed for bankruptcy – a month after Boston-based Plant & Bean fell into administration. And in January, Canadian vegan butcher and cheesemonger The Very Good Food Company went into receivership. Across the Atlantic, Meatless Farm faced a similar fate in June after making its entire team redundant and preparing for bankruptcy, before its UK business was rescued by fellow British vegan plant-based meat manufacturer VFC.

    While this makes for grim reading, Elder is still positive about the alt-meat market. “I still feel like long-term, the headwinds for conventional proteins will only get stronger, and while companies are struggling to access capital, I don’t think that fundamentally, anything has changed about the potential or the need for alternative protein products,” he told AgFunderNews, echoing the findings from a recent report by the Plant Based Foods Association

    He added: “I think we just need to batten down the hatches and weather the storm, and sometimes that means some companies can’t survive because there’s limited access to capital. [In the] long term, hopefully, the value that’s created by those companies can survive.”

    Too many vegan chicken nuggets?

    plant based meat sales decline
    Courtesy: Nowadays

    Even if one overlooks the wider sales issues for plant-based meat, Nowadays was already in an overpopulated, congested and highly competitive US vegan chicken nugget market.

    Look at the sheer number of brands selling plant-based nuggets in the US. Jack & Annie’s, Simulate, The Alpha Nugget, Daring, MorningStar Farms, Yves, Rebellyous, LikeMeat and Boca all have their own versions, to name a few – and that is before we get into private-label supermarket offerings.

    And then there are Gardein, Quorn, Beyond Meat and Impossible, who all make meatless nuggets too. But they benefit from much larger distribution networks and greater brand presence. Unlike these giants, single-product startups like Nowadays don’t have another product to fall upon – it’s boom or bust, and nothing in between. The question remains: in an oversaturated retail market, how many nuggets brands do consumers really want?

    The post Vegan Chicken Nugget Startup Nowadays Ceases Operations Amid US Plant-Based Meat Decline first appeared on Green Queen.

    The post Vegan Chicken Nugget Startup Nowadays Ceases Operations Amid US Plant-Based Meat Decline appeared first on Green Queen.

  • Robert Downey Jr-Backed Chunk Foods’ Plant-Based Whole Cuts Added to Charley’s Steak House Menu

    chunk foods
    3 Mins Read

    Israeli startup Chunk Foods‘ plant-based whole-cut meat is now on the menu at Charley’s Steak House in Orlando – the first time a steakhouse chain is offering a vegan alternative. Backed by Robert Downey Jr’s VC firm FootPrint Coalition, Chunk Foods’ biomass-fermented filet mignon is priced at $69.

    Chunk Foods uses solid-state fermentation and combines plant-based ingredients with food-grade organisms to create its whole-cut beef alternative. Whole cuts have often been described as the “holy grail” of alt-meat, and this collaboration follows the appearance of Redefine Meat’s 3D-printed alternative on restaurant menus in Europe and Israel.

    Chunk Foods’ journey

    vegan steak
    Chunk Foods makes vegan whole-cut steak | Courtesy: Chunk Foods

    Founded in 2020 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chunk Foods raised $15m in seed funding last year – which founder Amos Golan called the biggest seed round ever for an Israeli company. Using solid-state fermentation allows the product to be “highly tunable”, and makes it cheaper than high-moisture extrusion or submerged fermentation, which calls for expensive steel vessels and downstream processing tech.

    While its vegan whole-cut beef uses cultured soy and wheat, the company says it is working on products without these ingredients for diners with allergies. After beef, it plans to develop vegan pork, lamb and poultry alternatives. As reported by TechCrunch, this will be aided by the opening of a new factory in Israel, described by Golan as “one of the largest plant-based whole-cuts factories in the world”.

    Chunk Foods’ vegan steak has already appeared on the menus of several New York City restaurants, including Coletta, Anixi and The Butcher’s Daughter. And while other plant-based whole cuts – like the aforementioned Redefine Meat and Meati‘s mycelium-based alternatives – have made it to eatery menus, Chunk Foods’ collaboration with Charley’s Steak House marks the first time a steakhouse is offering a vegan option.

    Charley’s Steak House’s inclusivity bid

    charley's steak house
    Charley’s Steak House is now serving plant-based whole-cut meat | Courtesy: Chunk Foods

    Part of the Talk of the Town Restaurant Group, Charley’s Steak House has been around since 1984. This move marks a milestone moment for the eatery and reflects its commitment to more inclusive dining.

    “At our core, we serve the finest steaks and seafood, and we have been searching for over 15 years for a plant-based option for our guests that meets our standards,” said Talk of the Town VP and COO, Seth
    Miller. “We are excited to introduce our customers to Chunk steak; this partnership provides a solution that is in line with our quality expectations that we place on every item we serve. If it’s not the best, we won’t serve it.”

    Chunk Foods says its steaks are “extremely versatile” when it comes to the cooking method – they can be “pan-seared, basted, grilled, smoked, stewed, braised, BBQ, and baked, the same way beef is prepared”. This affords a greater level of creativity and eschews the need for intensive chef training.

    “At Chunk, we’re passionate about pushing boundaries,” said Golan. “Together [with Charley’s Steak House], we’re ensuring that all guests, regardless of dietary preference, can enjoy an exceptional
    steakhouse experience.”

    More and more companies are successfully debuting their vegan whole cuts to the North American market, with New School Foods‘ salmon filet and Tender Food‘s beef steaks, pulled pork and chicken breasts being prime examples as plant-forward consumers look for texture and format variety beyond mince-based burgers, sausages and nuggets.

    The post Robert Downey Jr-Backed Chunk Foods’ Plant-Based Whole Cuts Added to Charley’s Steak House Menu first appeared on Green Queen.

    The post Robert Downey Jr-Backed Chunk Foods’ Plant-Based Whole Cuts Added to Charley’s Steak House Menu appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • ‘Polar Bears’ to Occupy Downtown Starbucks Over Earth-Killing Pro-Dairy Policy

    On Monday, a pack of “polar bears” will pound the pavement to the Market Square Starbucks store and urge the company to stop charging customers extra for vegan milk—which incentivizes them to opt for dairy, even though the industry is a top producer of the greenhouse gases that are contributing to melting the ice caps, killing polar bears, and driving the climate catastrophe. The pleading “bears” are the latest action in PETA’s campaign calling on Starbucks to end the upcharge for vegan milks, which the company already agrees are better for the planet.

    When:    Monday, August 7, 12 noon

    Where:    7 Market Sq. (near the intersection with Forbes Avenue), Pittsburgh

    “Starbucks admits it has a massive carbon footprint from its use of dairy, yet the company still refuses to put the planet over profits,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is calling on Starbucks to give a frap about the polar bears who die on melting ice caps and the forcibly impregnated cows whose babies the dairy industry steals from them by ending the shameful vegan milk upcharge.”

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat or abuse in any other way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.

    For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post ‘Polar Bears’ to Occupy Downtown Starbucks Over Earth-Killing Pro-Dairy Policy appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Advocating for a Sustainable Future: Ashley Jackson Stars in an Inspiring Pro-Vegan Ad

    In their pursuit of social justice, many people leverage their platforms to champion causes that resonate with them. Actor, producer, writer, and activist Ashley Jackson has added food justice to her plate. She joined with PETA for a campaign that seeks to address the ethical and environmental implications of the food industry, promote sustainable and cruelty-free food practices, and pave the way for a more equitable and compassionate world.

    Ashley Jackson wearing lettuce dress with "food justice for all! Go Vegan" in white text on the left. Pink backgroundPhoto: © Ricardo Nelson

    “One piece of wisdom that my dad has passed on to me would be to dream impossible dreams, and I think that that allows me to give in new and inventive ways because there are no ceilings.”

    —Ashley Jackson

    Ashley is the daughter of political activists the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Dr. Karin Stanford. She was raised vegetarian from birth but has since gone vegan. Although she had started eating vegan for her health, she quickly realized the positive impact her diet has on animals, the environment, and social justice.

    For decades, the U.S. government has been subsidizing industries that are making people sick, harming the planet, and perpetuating extreme cruelty to animals. Each year, it spends approximately $38 billion in taxpayer funds to subsidize the meat, egg, and dairy industries but only about $17 million to subsidize the fruit and vegetable industries—even though government dietary guidelines encourage people to eat more produce and fewer animal-derived products.

    “African-American communities are disproportionately affected by concerns about food injustice. There are over 6,500 food deserts in the United States of America alone. Not having access to clean water or healthy foods absolutely [impacts] the way that people are able to thrive in their communities. And if you have these pockets of people who cannot thrive, you start to see the deterioration of communities, so food justice and social justice are one and the same, in my opinion.”

    —Ashley Jackson

    In many communities, food deserts—areas where healthy, fresh food is hard to find—perpetuate  a system of food injustice, forcing residents to rely on processed meats and snacks, thereby increasing their vulnerability to suffering from diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and strokes. Access to healthy, plant-based foods is crucial in combating these life-threatening issues. Through her campaign, Ashley endeavors to break the cycle of food injustice and empower individuals to make nutritious and compassionate food choices.

    In addition, cruel animal agriculture industries exploit and kill sensitive cows, chickens, pigs, fish, and others who don’t want to suffer or be served on a plate. Our fellow animals have families and complex lives, just as we do.

    Join Ashley Jackson in the Fight for Food Justice

    It’s time to fight alongside Ashley for a fair, ethical, and sustainable food system. All families should have access to fresh vegan foods that are good for our health, other animals, and the planet. By going vegan, you can spare nearly 200 animals a year!

    Urge your local, state, and national representatives to join you in advocating for food justice. Ask them to redirect funds that support the meat, egg, and dairy industries toward incentivizing grocers in food deserts to stock vegetables, fruits, and other healthy, humane vegan foods.

    The post Advocating for a Sustainable Future: Ashley Jackson Stars in an Inspiring Pro-Vegan Ad appeared first on PETA.

  • With Bold Net-Zero Commitments, Governments Around the World are Developing Plant-Based Meat Products

    taiwan plant based

    5 Mins Read

    The governments of Taiwan and Saudi Arabia have joined a growing list of countries backing the vegan industry, announcing startups and funding, respectively, to create plant-based meat.

    Taiwan plans to produce whole cuts via a spin-off startup, while Saudi Arabia has signed two agreements with companies to produce vegan alternatives to meat and dairy. In a year where COP28 has confirmed it will serve mostly vegan food, these are two steps that further link the plant-based industry with governments and lawmakers. But how do these initiatives line up with these nations’ net-zero ambitions and consumption?

    Taiwan MOEA’s plant-forward push

    Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced a special pavilion for the Technology Division at this year’s Bio Asia Taiwan exhibition (July 26-30). Among the two highlighted achievements of the pavilion was the creation of a novel texturisation technology to make whole-cut plant-based meat.

    The MOEA will launch a startup by the end of 2023 to produce this alt-meat. It argues that current options on the market are much different from conventional meat, as they are made up of ingredients that are dismantled, emulsified and recombined. The technology developed by the Department of Industrial Technology introduces a multidirectional fibre structure that can emulate the muscle structures of beef, pork, chicken and fish.

    The MOEA suggests the alt-meat is healthier than its counterparts given its simple processing. Using wheat and soy proteins eschews the need for additives and emulsifiers, while providing all the essential amino acids and a high protein content. The nutritionally complete nature of the food is what sets it apart from traditionally tenderised meat substitutes.

    The MOEA’s alt-meat was exhibited at Bio Asia Taiwan 2023 | Courtesy: Bio Asia Taiwan

    The product has been tested at scale, and is said to be eco-friendly and in line with a low-carbon economy, with samples showcased at Bio Asia Taiwan. The new startup will further develop the technology to add to Taiwan’s product portfolio as it competes in the global vegan market.

    According to Dupont, demand for plant-based meat will surge by 25% across Asia-Pacific between 2020 and 2025. Taiwan already exports 80% of all vegan meat produced in the country, and has launched initiatives promoting a plant-forward diet. Its Meat Free Monday organisation secured over 100 pledges from political candidates participating in the 2022 elections to support a Veg-Friendly campaign.

    In January, Taiwan approved a landmark climate bill mandating the government to promote low-carbon, plant-based diets. And in the country’s 2050 Net-Zero Transition plan, a low-carbon diet lands top of the pyramid of promotion strategies. This includes the consumption of “low-carbon cultivated agricultural food products”, as well as a push for zero-waste and low-carbon-diet literacy, and food agriculture education.

    However, while the climate bill earned praise for highlighting food’s role in tackling climate change – food systems are responsible for a third of all global greenhouse gas emissions – others called for a more blatant approach against animal-based meat.

    “As the world comes to grips with the importance of food systems in addressing climate change, we are delighted to see an emphasis on low-carbon diets in Taiwan’s climate legislation,” said Wu Hung, CEO of the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan. “In light of this development, we call on the Executive Yuan to revisit its 2050 Net Zero Emissions Pathway and Strategy and take steps to address excessive meat consumption,”

    Saudi Arabia promotes healthy vegan food

    In Saudi Arabia, officials from the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture have inked deals with the Cooperative Societies Council, Saudi Greenhouses Management & Agri Marketing Co, and Ayla Food Options Co to develop alt-protein products with locally sourced plants.

    The government body aims to encourage a healthy food culture among citizens via high-quality vegetarian substitutes and tap into advanced technology to produce these dairy and meat alternatives. The signing ceremony was accompanied by an exhibition where visitors could sample these vegan products.

    saudi arabia vegan
    Saudi Arabia has among the world’s highest meat consumption per capita ! Courtesy: Mishaal Zahed/Unsplash

    Saudi Arabia has also committed to a net-zero target, with an aim to reach the goal by 2060. But it has the biggest net-zero-busting plans for oil and gas expansion in the world, according to the Guardian. Its government also launched a sustainable agriculture challenge this year, which calls for climate-smart farming solutions to improve food production and address food security. But the country has among the highest meat consumption per capita in the world, which exacerbates the need for more programmes like these.

    Global governments go green

    With these moves, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia are the latest countries whose governments are boosting the development of the alt-protein industry. According to the Good Food Institute, plant-based meat will capture 6% of the global meat and seafood markets. It also reports that Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland have committed over $150M in research and development for plant proteins. Meanwhile, the US Congress allocated $6M to the Department of Agriculture and California promised $5M to three universities for alt-protein research and development.

    A host of other countries have been endorsing vegan foods around the world. As part of its Eat Right India campaign, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released a poster promoting plant-based food. And in January, Germany announced it was finalising its National Nutritional Strategy, which spotlighted a shift to plant-based diets. Likewise, Scottish capital Edinburgh banned meat in all public schools, hospitals and nursing homes as part of its plant-based pact.

    Expanding from plant-based meat, even cultivated protein is seeing a massive amount of interest. The Dutch government has invested €60M into its cellular agriculture industry, while Australian-American startup Change Foods has received two government grants for its animal-free cheese. And in Israel, the world’s largest cultivated meat consortium was approved in April 2022, with $18m in funding.

    The post With Bold Net-Zero Commitments, Governments Around the World are Developing Plant-Based Meat Products first appeared on Green Queen.

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  • COP28: UAE-Hosted UN Climate Summit to Serve Mostly Vegan Food

    cop28 vegan
    4 Mins Read

    Following heavy backlash for its meat-intensive menus in previous years, the UN has confirmed it will serve mostly vegan food at the upcoming Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai. The landmark decision is a first for the intergovernmental body and comes after years of campaigning by vegan activists. Coinciding with the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, the move is a firm acknowledgment of the impact of the animal agriculture industry on climate change.

    Last year, the annual summit (held in Egypt) hosted its first-ever pavilions dedicated to food system changes, while Glasgow’s COP26 saw the UN introduce climate labels to the meat-heavy food menu, but fail to add food and livestock farming to the agenda. However, in a response to a letter from activists demanding at least three-quarters of this year’s menu be vegan, UAE’s COP28 President-Designate Dr Sultan Al Jaber confirmed the conference’s decision to go plant-forward.

    Sent in April, the letter was co-signed by the Youth and Children Constituency of the UNFCCC (YOUNGO) and over 140 youth and civil society organisations, who teamed up with advocacy group ProVeg International. Apart from demanding a predominantly vegan menu, the letter also called for it to be regionally sourced (where possible) and culturally inclusive.

    “Progress on climate-friendly catering has already been made at previous COPs and major climate events in Bonn, Glasgow, and Stockholm,” the letter read. “Yet, despite persistent demands from attendees, especially youth, the food on offer at these events has been out of step with the climate emergency.”

    In his response, Al Jaber said: “The COP28 Presidency has a firm focus on transformational action on food systems within the wider global climate change agenda. As part of this, we intend to demonstrate sustainable food systems in action at COP28 itself. My team has been working to ensure the availability of plant-based food options that are affordable, nutritious, and locally and regionally sourced, with clear emissions labelling.”

    Leaked document reveals sensitive issues for UAE

    Dr Sultan Al Jaber is the Presidency-Designate of COP28, and CEO of the UAE’s national oil company | Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/CC

    Following this decision, a document leaked to the Guardian revealed a list of “sensitive and touchy issues” facing the UAE’s presidency of COP28. While the first three pages, filled with “COP28 UAE key messages” and “narrative points”, nod to renewable energy and hydrogen, they fail to mention fossil fuels, oil or gas.

    Despite its presidency, the UAE has the world’s third-largest net-zero-busting plans for oil and gas expansion, according to the Guardian. Meanwhile, new fossil fuel developments are incompatible with the 2050 net-zero goals, and experts say slashing the burning of fossil fuels is the biggest and most urgent action needed to curb global heating.

    “We need to reduce emissions in the systems we depend on today” is another key message, but former UN climate leader Christiana Figueres called an emissions-only focus, rather than a spotlight on burning fossil fuels, “dangerous” in May.

    Additionally, Al Jaber is also the CEO of Adnoc, the UAE national oil company, which the document reveals hasn’t disclosed its emissions or published a sustainability report since 2016. (It adds that Adnoc is “currently conducting necessary studies”.) “Climate ambition” is another issue listed, with the UAE increasing its pledges’ ambition recently. But even then, its pledge would allow the country’s carbon emissions to increase until 2030. Global organisation Climate Action Tracker rates the UAE’s environmental plans as “insufficient”.

    Veganism and climate change

    uae vegan
    Courtesy: Markus Spiske/Unsplash

    Despite the controversy, COP28’s decision has been welcomed by environmental activists and vegan advocacy groups. And it’s in line with consumer sentiment in the UAE – 44% of its residents are open to substituting meat and dairy with vegan alternatives.

    It comes after a pivotal study in Nature Food last month outlined the significant impact of animal agriculture on climate change. It found that vegan diets can cut planet-heating emissions, land use and water pollution by 75% when compared to meat-heavy diets. Similarly, a 2021 report in the same journal revealed that global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based food are twice as high as those from plant-based food.

    This also follows the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s third assessment report last year, which suggested that shifting to plant-based diets (alongside other alt-protein) could result in a “substantial reduction in direct greenhouse gas emissions from food production”. And it didn’t need to be a fully vegan lifestyle, as the report said adopting a healthy Mediterranean-style diet (rich in grains, vegetables, nuts and moderate amounts of fish and poultry) could be nearly as effective. This outlines the importance of COP28 (November 30 to December 12) going “mostly vegan”, as there is tons of scope for progress.

    However, in a leaked draft of the original sixth report, the authors initially recommended a shift towards plant-based diets – before the wording was softened in the final version.

    ProVeg will also host the Food4Climate pavilion at this year’s event. “The pavilion will serve as a space to host events, as well as [provide] a showcase for expert discussions and facilitating engagement with a diverse group of COP stakeholders on topics such as agricultural climate mitigation and adaptation solutions.”

    It remains to be seen whether this change is a one-off, or if future UN climate conferences continue to adopt predominantly plant-based menus.

    The post COP28: UAE-Hosted UN Climate Summit to Serve Mostly Vegan Food first appeared on Green Queen.

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  • Feds Find Dogs Neglected at Polk County Puppy Mill; PETA Seeks Criminal Probe

    Armed with damning U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports documenting the condition of filthy, matted dogs surrounded by feces at a local puppy mill operated by Teresa Rauch, PETA sent a letter today to Polk County Prosecuting Attorney Keaton Ashlock asking him to investigate and file applicable charges against those responsible for this neglect.

    According to a just-released report, on June 16 a USDA veterinarian found two dogs with “dried fecal matter” in their fur, which, the agent noted, could cause matting, irritated skin, and difficulty defecating. And on March 23, the same veterinarian had found another dog with “excessively” matted fur, three dogs caged amid their own waste, 15 dogs who were “wet and dirty,” and four dogs who were confined beside puddled water.

    “Puppies in pet stores come from miserable mills like this one, where the dogs are treated like cheap equipment and left to languish in squalor,” says PETA Vice President of Evidence Analysis Daniel Paden. “PETA urges Polk County authorities to prosecute those responsible for this neglect and calls on everyone to avoid the stores that keep operations like this one in business. Always adopt—never buy animals.”

    PETA is pursuing charges under state law because the USDA doesn’t render relief or aid to animals during its inspections and these violations carry no federal criminal or civil penalties.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information on PETA’s investigative newsgathering and reporting, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    PETA’s letter to Ashlock follows.

    The Honorable Keaton Ashlock

    Polk County Prosecuting Attorney

    Dear Mr. Ashlock:

    I hope this letter finds you well. I’m writing to request that your office (and the proper law-enforcement agency, as you deem appropriate) investigate and, as suitable, file criminal charges against those responsible for neglecting dogs at a breeding facility operated by Teresa Rauch at 4026 S. 110th Rd. near Bolivar. PETA hopes investigators will visit the facility with a veterinarian who has expertise in canine health and welfare so that they can identify any animals in need of care and opine on the conditions of and for the approximately 150 animals there.

    A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinarian documented neglect at the facility in the attached reports. On June 16, the veterinarian found that two Pomeranians had “dried fecal matter” trapped in their hair, which they wrote “can result in matting, skin irritation, and can even hinder” defecation.

    On March 23, the veterinarian found that a third dog had “excessively matted hair along her back, on her tail, and down her back legs” and noted that this “can be painful.” The same day, the veterinarian found 15 dogs who were “wet and dirty,” three dogs caged with “an excessive amount of fecal material,” and four dogs confined near standing water.

    These findings may violate Missouri’s prohibition against animal neglect, RSMo § 578.009, which requires that individuals provide animals in their custody with “adequate care.” RSMo § 578.005 defines that term to include “shelter and health care as necessary to maintain good health.” The USDA renders no aid or relief whatsoever to animals on site, and these reports carry no criminal or civil penalties and don’t preempt criminal liability under state law for acts of animal neglect. If you’d like to learn more about the USDA’s findings, please see the contact information for its office in Riverdale, Maryland, here.

    Thank you for your time and consideration and for the difficult work that you do every day. Please let us know if we can assist you.

    Sincerely,

    Daniel Paden

    Vice President of Evidence Analysis

    Cruelty Investigations Department

    PETA

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  • Save Lobsters By Dyeing Them A Bold, Beautiful Blue (April Fools’)

    The post Save Lobsters By Dyeing Them A Bold, Beautiful Blue (April Fools’) appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Next Gen Foods Rebrands to TiNDLE, Expands Portfolio to Vegan Sausages, Milk & Gelato

    tindle foods
    3 Mins Read

    Singapore-headquartered Next Gen Foods is rebranding into TiNDLE Foods, its vegan chicken subsidiary, as it announces an expansion into new product categories. The move will see Mwah!, the start-up acquired by the parent company in March, merged into the TiNDLE Foods umbrella. The rebrand will see the company launch its first line of vegan sausages later this year, with a range of plant-based milk and gelato also in the pipeline.

    Led by chief technology officer John Seegers, TiNDLE Foods’ expanded platform will serve the development, production and sales of the existing line of vegan chicken, as well as the upcoming range of plant-based sausages and dairy products. The aim is to have a portfolio that covers all meals of the day, from breakfast to dinner and dessert. Its newest product, to be launched in the US later this year, will be a savoury morning breakfast sausage, a spokesperson confirmed to Green Queen Media. (TiNDLE will also roll out Bratwurst and Italian varieties later.)

    Founded in 2020, Next Gen Foods was the parent company of TiNDLE Foods, and has raised $130 million in funding through its flagship vegan chicken offering, including a record-breaking Series A round for plant-based meat. It was also named one of Fast Company‘s 10 most innovative Asia-Pacific companies for 2023.

    Vegan dairy expansion

    The company’s acquisition of London-based vegan dairy startup Mwah! earlier this year will further expand its research and development capabilities and expertise in dairy product development. Mwah!, which makes plant-based Italian-style gelatos, debuted its Madagascan Vanilla flavour in select London eateries this spring.

    Led by Mwah! co-founders Damian Piedrahita and Claudia Comini, TiNDLE is expanding its gelato collection and developing a range of plant-based milks. TiNDLE’s spokesperson told Green Queen Media that the brand won’t limit itself to single-source milks (like oat or soy milk). “Instead, our process will be focused on finding the best consistency, flavour, and overall experience – and exploring all types of plant-based ingredients – so it delivers on the same creaminess and taste of cow’s milk.” While there’s no release date yet, they confirmed that they aim to make the milks available in the US, UK and Germany.

    TiNDLE CEO Andre Menezes hinted at the company’s product expansion plans when speaking to Green Queen Media in March: “When Timo [Recker, co-founder and chairman] and I started Next Gen in 2020, we didn’t intend to only develop one core product and stick with it. We wanted to offer a diverse range of global food brands and products… We started with chicken first, of course, but we’re always looking to enter other categories – including other meats, seafood and dairy.”

    mwah gelato
    TiNDLE acquired Mwah! in March 2023 | Courtesy: TiNDLE Foods

    Multi-ingredient plant milks

    Menezes also alluded to the company’s multi-ingredient alt-milk approach: “We also see immense growth in the plant-based dairy market, which is expected to reach over $31.5B by 2028. Right now, many plant-based dairy products are focused on the source (i.e., oat milk from oats, soy milk from soy, etc.) and not necessarily on experience and flavour.”

    He was inspired by Damian and Claudia’s approach. “They aren’t limiting themselves to a dairy alternative source (e.g. cashews, dates, oats, etc.),” he explained, “but instead are focused on the right source for the right consistency and creaminess of the product being developed.”

    Multi-ingredient, ‘blended’ plant-based milks are an emerging category. These don’t necessarily fall into the biomass-fermented category, but instead use a blend of different ingredients to mimic the flavour and texture of dairy. Chilean food tech startup NotCo is a pioneer here: its NotMilk range is a blend of cabbage, chicory and pea protein.

    In the UK, Rebel Kitchen has two blends – oat and coconut, and coconut and cashew – while Alpro’s cross-European This Is Not M*lk range features oat and pea protein. Similarly, in India, Bagrrys produces an oat, cashew and almond milk, Nourish You offers one that pairs oats with finger millets, srghum, pearl millets and amaranth, and One Good makes a cashew, oat and millet milk.

    The post Next Gen Foods Rebrands to TiNDLE, Expands Portfolio to Vegan Sausages, Milk & Gelato first appeared on Green Queen.

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    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Plant-Based Seafood Startup Reels in $26M for Frozen Vegan Sushi & Poke Bowls

    konscious foods
    3 Mins Read

    In yet another sign of the growing popularity of plant-based seafood, Californian frozen vegan sushi brand Konscious Foods has raised $26M in a seed funding round. Founded by French chef Yves Potvin, who also launched Yves Veggie Cuisine and Gardein, the brand’s investors in the financing round included Protein Industries Canada, Zynik Capital and Walter Group.

    Launched in 2021, Konscious Foods’ frozen plant-based sushi is a world-first. The brand, which caters to both retail and foodservice, has 10 products across three ranges: sushi rolls, onigiris and poke bowls. The company aims to use the investment to grow its presence – it’s expected to be available in 4,500 stores across the US by the end of 2023 – support operations at its production facility in Vancouver, and deploy marketing initiatives for nationwide retail launches.

    “The products offered by Konscious Foods represent a significant shift in the plant-based food space,” said Pierre Somers, chairman and CEO of Walter Group. “It proves that meat alternatives do not need to be highly processed, filled with unnatural ingredients or cost more than the incumbent products. We believe the company will transform plant-based food and the seafood industry.”

    Overfishing and the demand for plant-based seafood

    “This investment validates our excitement about the demand – and critical need – for seafood made from plants,” said Potvin. “With the rising demand for fish, and subsequent overfishing crisis, we feel it is crucial to have better-for-you, better-for-the-world seafood options that don’t sacrifice taste or texture.”

    The seafood industry – much like the meat sector – is heavily industrialised and inundated with sustainability and labour issues. One of the major problems, as Potvin alludes to above, is overfishing, whose operators receive $22B in capacity-enhancing subsidies every year.

    Lily Ng, owner of Manhattan-based alt-seafood market Lily’s Vegan Pantry, previously told Green Queen Media: “​​Overfishing disrupts the food chain. And when populations are diminished, other species will overpopulate, destroying biodiversity and making changes to the entire ecosystem. In the end, our consumption of fish still destroys our planet.”

    Overfishing is a response to the growing demand for seafood, which has also exacerbated the industry’s poor climate footprint. Increased greenhouse gas emissions and fuel use by ocean fishery vessels both contribute to this. Additionally, plastic packaging, the presence of microplastics in oceans that get contaminated via toxic chemical runoff, and a history of child and slave labour make the sector an unsavoury prospect for many.

    Recent investments and growth of vegan seafood

    Konscious Foods is far from the only alt-seafood brand receiving investment this year. In June, German cultivated fish startup Bluu Seafood raised $17.5M in a Series A funding round, and also applied for scientific approval to distribute its products in the US. And last month, Swedish brand Hooked Foods raised about €644,000 via a crowdfunding campaign.

    In January, a partnership between Sweden’s Mycroena and Austrian producer Revo Foods received a €1.5M grant from Swedish innovation agency Vinnova, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, and EU funding programme Eurostars to create 3D-printed mycoprotein to replace seafood.

    Meanwhile, eight months after securing vegan seafood brand Good Catch, plant-based giant Wicked Kitchen acquired pioneering alt-seafood startup Current Foods in May, expanding the latter’s foodservice and fine-dining operations in Europe and the US. This comes as no surprise, given the year-on-year growth potential of vegan seafood in US restaurants is 57%.

    The plant-based seafood category is relatively small, but as restaurant menus look to be more inclusive and sustainable, it’s a bright spark in the wider vegan industry and a trend that holds tremendous potential.

    “The average consumer is becoming more aware of animal welfare and sustainability,” Maarten Garaets, alt-protein managing director of seafood giant Thai Union, told Green Queen Media in May. “And this is becoming a more important part of the selection criteria when they are buying food, but this is still a very small group.”

    He added: “Alternative seafood is a new category, with limited awareness, whereas meat is more established. However, seafood is bound to catch up soon. Health is less of a concern for seafood, whereas sustainability will be more of a lever.”

    The post Plant-Based Seafood Startup Reels in $26M for Frozen Vegan Sushi & Poke Bowls first appeared on Green Queen.

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  • Alpha Foods: Frozen Vegan Meat Startup Acquired by LIVEKINDLY Collective

    alpha foods livekindly
    3 Mins Read

    The LIVEKINDLY Collective (LKC) has acquired Californian plant-based meat startup Alpha Foods, which becomes the sixth food brand under the former’s portfolio. Founded in 2015, Alpha’s lineup includes frozen burritos, burgers, nuggets and tamales, with a nationwide presence in over 11,000 retail stores.

    The strategic acquisition allows the LIVEKINDLY Collective to enter the ready-to-eat breakfast and burrito snacking categories, and consolidate its position in the saturated plant-based food market. Alpha Foods will benefit from the LIVEKINDLY Collective’s vast distribution network – which boasts over 200,000 centres across more than 40 countries – and the deal will help both expand their reach in the US.

    The LIVEKINDLY Collective – which also owns Fry’s, Oumph!, LikeMeat, No Meat, and Dutch Weed Burger – aims to ensure a reliable supply chain and pricing structure comparable to Alpha’s animal-based counterparts.

    “Joining LKC will enable Alpha to grow sustainably while propelling innovation in a category that’s often accused of creating a plethora of plant-based versions of ubiquitous products like patties and nuggets,” says Loren Wallis, co-founder and chief innovation officer of Alpha Foods.

    Alpha’s sustainability credentials

    Soy protein concentrate is one of Alpha Foods’ main ingredients. Soy’s over-cultivation has contributed to deforestation and forest fires in the Amazon.

    Speaking to Green Queen Media in 2019, Alpha’s co-founder Cole Orobetz tackled the issue: “When we were sourcing soy, we made sure to use non-GMO soy, having in our minds the practices that come with GMO soybeans. And the more we realised how educated the consumer base is – people were learning a lot about soy production – we have been proud to say that all our soybeans are ethically sourced from the US where there is no deforestation to be concerned of.”

    He added: “We have made changes before upon learning new information. For example, we were previously using palm oil in our first pot pies. But when more news and reports came out about the ethical conflicts involved in palm oil production, we removed it from our ingredient list. Every single day, we really try to push to be as sustainable as possible.”

    Alpha Foods will benefit from the LIVEKINDLY Collective’s vast distribution network | Courtesy: Alpha Foods

    New products and collaborations in the pipeline

    The LIVEKINDLY Collective says that the acquisition complements its portfolio, and the companies have a shared vision. “We will first focus on integrating Alpha’s assets into the structure of LKC. LKC is a truly global organisation backed by shared functions such as R&D, operations and others,” Shaun Richardson, the LIVEKINDLY Collective’s US general manager, told Green Queen Media. “The primary focus this will be to make sure Alpha fits into this structure to unlock efficiencies and opportunities for the brand in the US and beyond.”

    The deal holds promising potential for new product development. “Our global infrastructure, allowing for better distribution, R&D pliancy and innovation, will open up opportunities in the market and beyond,” Richardson said in a statement.

    Speaking to Green Queen Media, he added: “We have an exciting innovation pipeline and unprecedented food tech knowledge in-house, which we will make sure Alpha will benefit from.”

    Alpha Foods has existing collaborations with fellow Californian startups Just Egg and The Every Co, the Anne Hathaway-backed precision fermentation producer. Alpha incorporates the former’s vegan liquid egg and the latter’s egg white protein to elevate its offerings as part of its product renovation plans. The brand recently also announced the integration of high-moisture extrusion technology to create enhanced protein formulations.

    With the LIVEKINDLY Collective’s acquisition of Alpha, could we see a collaboration between its other brands and the likes of Just Egg and The Every Co? “We are open for any opportunities that will get us in front of consumers,” said Richardson, before adding: “The plans are currently being developed.”

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  • Mililk’s 2D-Printed Oat Milk: A Gamechanger for Carbon Emissions and Water Waste?

    mililk oat milk sheets
    3 Mins Read

    Months after patenting its technology, German food brand Veganz is gearing up to release Mililk, a line of 2D-printed oat milk sheets, tapping into three key areas for consumers and product developers alike: waste, water scarcity and carbon emissions.

    The caramel-hued, barista-friendly oat milk sheets are A4-sized and letterbox-friendly. Each leaf can make 500ml of oat milk, with the €17.99 pack containing enough to make 10 litres. The consumer can tear off as much of the sheet as needed, and blend it with water for 30 seconds to make fresh oat milk. The sheets contain oat powder, a small amount of water, coconut oil, chickpea isolate, vanillin and gellan gum – all of which combine to produce a creamy, coffee-friendly milk. (Veganz is also developing coffee creamer pads.)

    Similar to other powdered oat milks like Mighty, Overherd and Blue Farm, Veganz’s latest offering is built to have a low ecological footprint. Sustainability is a major factor affecting consumers’ buying decisions: a 2023 survey by Kearney found that 42% of respondents considered environmental impacts when making a food purchase.

    Mililk’s three-pronged benefits

    By removing most of the water involved in making oat milk (conventional varieties contain about 90% of water on average), Mililk drastically reduces the materials needed for its packaging by 90%, as well as its weight (82% less volume). This, in turn, massively cuts its transport emissions.

    With the water crisis raging – 26% of the global population does not have access to safe drinking water – passing the water usage to the consumer is a smart tactic. People at home can customise exactly how much milk – and thus water to make it – they need at a given time, which cuts down on any waste. This is also a major aspect influencing purchasing decisions, as roughly a third of all food goes to waste globally.

    Mililk
    Mililik’s 2d-printed oat milk sheets | Courtesy: Jan Bredack/LinkedIn

    Apart from sustainability, this innovation also taps into a major post-pandemic consumer need: convenience. The packaging comprises just an envelope that can be recycled, as opposed to scores of Tetra Paks (which most plant-based milks are packed in) or cardboard boxes (when buying an equivalent amount of milk) that need to be discarded. (Crucially, only 26% of Tetra Pak cartons are recycled globally.)

    Economic equity in product design

    The plug-and-play aspect of products like Mililk is a big plus-point too, especially for solo consumers who don’t go through an entire litre of milk in five days. You do require a blender for the oat milk sheets, which raises a question about the accessibility of Mililk’s offering. Not everyone has a blender or food processor – whether that’s due to affordability or living in places that don’t have enough counter space – so would they be able to use this product as directed? This includes students, which would be a key demographic for Veganzz, considering Gen Z is consuming less dairy than any other age demographic, and more plant-based milk than ever before.

    From Robijn‘s laundry detergent sheets to Mono‘s dissolvable skincare pastilles, waterless product development has been a key driver in the beauty and household landscape for some time now, but it’s a relative novelty in the food and beverage sector. But with innovations like Mililk’s oat milk sheets, the tide may finally be turning.

    The post Mililk’s 2D-Printed Oat Milk: A Gamechanger for Carbon Emissions and Water Waste? first appeared on Green Queen.

    The post Mililk’s 2D-Printed Oat Milk: A Gamechanger for Carbon Emissions and Water Waste? appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Local Boating Shop Unwitting Host to Fishy PETA Plea

    To show boaters who they’ll be killing if they go fishing this summer, PETA has placed a new sky-high appeal just feet away from local fishing supply store and boat dealership Gone Fishin’ Marine, putting a face to anglers’ victims and asking everyone to cast off their meat-eating ways.

    “Research is unequivocal that catfish, striped bass, and other finned beings have personalities, feel pain, and value their lives just as those trying to hook them do,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA encourages boaters to set off on a vegan voyage this summer by turning in their rods and getting hooked on the pledge not to harm wildlife.”

    Fish feel pain, share knowledge, have long memories, and have cultural traditions. Some woo potential partners by creating intricate works of art in the sand on the ocean floor, yet more fish are killed for food each year than all other animals combined. They’re impaled, crushed, suffocated, or cut open and gutted—often while they’re completely conscious.

    Each person who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals (including aquatic ones) every year. To get locals started, PETA offers a free vegan starter kit on its website and notes that many vegan fish options are available today, including Gardein’s F’sh Filets, Good Catch’s Fish-Free Tuna, New Wave Foods’ new plant-based shrimp, and Sophie’s Kitchen’s Vegan Crab Cakes.

    The billboard is located along I-80 eastbound, next to Gone Fishin’ Marine at 1880 N. Lincoln St., Dixon.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post Local Boating Shop Unwitting Host to Fishy PETA Plea appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Alan Cumming: I’m The Vegan Option. Join Me!

    The post Alan Cumming: I’m The Vegan Option. Join Me! appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Flesh-Free Bites! PETA Donates Special ‘Lone Star Tick Cookbook’ to Public Libraries

    Two studies just released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that thousands more Americans are testing positive for alpha-gal syndrome—which can cause allergic reactions to the ingestion of meat, dairy, or anything else that comes from mammals—after being bitten by the lone star tick, so PETA is unveiling a cookbook to help everyone take a bite out of delicious vegan cuisine.

    The Lone Star Tick Cookbook features recipes for people who have never considered themselves anything other than steak- and dairy ice cream–eaters, such as Philly “cheesesteaks,” slow-cooker Texas chili, and vegan sausage, biscuit, and gravy sandwiches, and every one of the tasty dishes is tick bite allergy–proof. To come to the aid of the afflicted—and to encourage everyone to stop feasting on flesh and mammary secretions—PETA is donating copies of the cookbook to libraries in areas with some of the highest number of reported alpha-gal syndrome cases in the country.

    “From beef-free stews to pulled BBQ jackfruit, the tasty recipes in PETA’s new cookbook prove that there’s no need to be ticked off by a meat allergy,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “We’re introducing involuntary lone star tick blood donors to delicious vegan meals that will have them enjoying every bite.”

    Although animals used for food feel pain and fear, just as humans do, they endure mutilations like debeaking, castration, and dehorning and are trucked through all weather extremes, sometimes over hundreds of miles, without food or water. At slaughterhouses, workers hang them upside down and cut their throats—sometimes, U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors report, while they’re still conscious. Every person who goes vegan spares the lives of nearly 200 animals each year and greatly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post Flesh-Free Bites! PETA Donates Special ‘Lone Star Tick Cookbook’ to Public Libraries appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Cows’ Deaths in Truck Crash Prompt PETA Highway Memorial in Bloomington

    To memorialize the cows who were killed on Tuesday when the truck carrying them crashed on I-74 near the Main Street exit, PETA plans to place a sky-high message near the site, reminding everyone that the crash victims were individuals. Already this year, there have been more than 30 animal-transport truck crashes.

    “Cows died in terror and agony because of this crash, and the traumatized survivors were rounded up and likely hauled off so their throats could be slit and their bodies carved up for food,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA urges everyone to see cows as the sensitive beings they are and go vegan.”

    At slaughterhouses, workers shoot cows in the head with a captive-bolt gun, hang them up by one leg, and cut their throat—often while they’re still conscious. Each person who goes vegan saves nearly 200 animals every year; reduces their own risk of suffering from cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and obesity; and dramatically shrinks their carbon footprint. PETA’s free vegan starter kit can help those looking to make the switch.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post Cows’ Deaths in Truck Crash Prompt PETA Highway Memorial in Bloomington appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • PETA Statement: N.J. Gestation Crate Ban

    New Jersey legislators have passed an important bill requiring that mother pigs be provided with 24 square feet of space—which is slightly bigger than a twin bed—instead of being confined to gestation crates, in which they cannot even turn around. Below, please find a statement in response from PETA President Ingrid Newkirk:

    Although pigs raised for meat still suffer enormously, PETA cheers New Jersey legislators for taking a step to help factory-farmed animals who have literally not been able to do just that during their brief lives. That said, while a few extra feet of space are better than none, the meat industry still cuts off piglets’ tails and teeth without painkillers, confines pigs to dark and crowded sheds, and ships them to slaughter before they’ve ever touched grass or breathed fresh air. The only humane meal is a vegan one, and PETA stands ready with free vegan starter kits to help everyone leave pigs off their plates.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information on PETA’s investigative newsgathering and reporting, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post PETA Statement: N.J. Gestation Crate Ban appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • New Yorkers Will See Alan Cumming Naked As the ‘Vegan Option’ in New PETA Taxi-Top Ads

    With a head of strategically placed romaine lettuce doing little to cover his naughty bits, Tony Award winner and host of the reality television competition series The Traitors Alan Cumming is appearing in head-turning taxi-top ads in New York City to urge everyone to choose the vegan option when shopping or dining out. Cumming is a PETA honorary director and the front man for the group’s latest ad campaign.

    “If someone is questioning being vegan, I would say to them, ‘Don’t be ridiculous, just do it. It’s so easy!’” says Cumming, who went vegan in 2012, in an exclusive behind-the-scenes video. “We’re not living in the dark ages!”

    The campaign was filmed at Ladybird in Manhattan, and Cumming jokes, “I think it’s the first time I’ve been naked in an East Village restaurant. Let’s leave it at that.”

    Each person who goes vegan saves nearly 200 animals every year; reduces their own risk of suffering from heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer; and shrinks their carbon footprint.

    Cumming, who has been vegan since 2012, belongs to a growing list of celebrities—including Paul McCartney, Natalie Portman, Alicia Silverstone, Thandiwe Newton, Joaquin Phoenix, Woody Harrelson, and Peter Dinklage—who have teamed up with PETA to promote kindness to animals.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and offers a free vegan starter kit. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post New Yorkers Will See Alan Cumming Naked As the ‘Vegan Option’ in New PETA Taxi-Top Ads appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Bold, Bare, and Vegan: Alan Cumming Stars in New Eye-Catching PETA Ad

    Renowned for his exceptional talent on stage in Cabaret and in shows like Schmigadoon! and The Good Wife, PETA honorary board member and Tony Award–winning actor Alan Cumming has been a passionate advocate for vegan eating. This time he has lent us his voice and his body for an eye-catching ad shot at the East Village restaurant Ladybird.

    “I think it’s the first time I’ve been naked in an East Village restaurant.”

    —Alan Cumming

    Alan Cumming poses on bar with lettuce leaf covering lower halfPhoto: © Benedict Evans

    Nearly all the animals raised for food in the U.S. today spend their lives on factory farms—even those whose corpses have “humane” labels at the supermarket. There’s simply no such thing as ethical meat, eggs, dairy—or anything else that’s taken from an animal.

    These animals, who feel pain and fear just as the dogs and cats who share our homes do, are separated from their families and crammed by the thousands into filthy warehouses. They aren’t permitted to see the sun or breathe fresh air until the day they’re forced onto trucks bound for the slaughterhouse.

    Sad black and white calf

    Vegan eating provides us with all the nutrients we need, minus the saturated fat, cholesterol, and contaminants found in animal flesh, eggs, and dairy. Scientists have also found that vegans have stronger immune systems than meat-eaters, which means they’re less susceptible to everyday illnesses such as the flu. Vegans live, on average, six to 10 years longer than omnivores.

    vegan taco trio on a plate with sauce being poured on

    The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics notes that eating plant-based foods reduces the risk of suffering from many chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, including heart disease, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

    Going vegan benefits not only your health but also spares nearly 200 animals immense suffering and terrifying deaths every year.

    “If someone is questioning being vegan, I would say to them, ‘Don’t be ridiculous—just do it. It’s much, much easier than you think. We’re not living in the dark ages anymore. You can totally function.’”

    —Alan Cumming

    Become the Vegan Option!

    As Alan said, with so many delicious vegan options, kind eating has never been more delicious. Whether you go vegan for animals, the environment, or your health, you’ll change the world simply by changing what’s on your plate. Get started making the transition today—order your free vegan starter kit:

    The post Bold, Bare, and Vegan: Alan Cumming Stars in New Eye-Catching PETA Ad appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • The True Cost of Wagyu Beef: PETA Reveals Horrific Conditions for Cows

    Is Wagyu beef worth the cost? Not to the cows who are killed for their flesh. A PETA Asia whistleblower recorded footage of cows moving their tongues erratically after being fed an unnatural diet, cows forced to stand in inches of feces, and workers slapping a calf in the face. The disturbing footage reiterates that Wagyu cows, a specific breed native to Japan, live anything but the lives of luxury—full of massages and troughs of beer—that U.S. consumers are led to believe they do. PETA breaks down the top five reasons never to purchase Wagyu.

     Top 5 Reasons Never to Eat Wagyu

    1. Cows Exploited for Wagyu Never Get to Graze

    Most cows in Japan never eat fresh grass because grazing land isn’t available. In footage recorded by a whistleblower, cows are forced to stand under the scorching sun or in inches of their sludgy feces when they’re not confined to cramped indoor stalls where their faces are often shackled between metal bars.

    2. Workers Burn Cows’ Sensitive Horn Tissue Off

    Most types of cows are born with tissue that will develop into horns. While not all Wagyu cows have their sensitive horn tissue removed, the majority of the ones raised for their flesh do. Workers often remove the horn tissue or the horns themselves from cows’ skulls using hot irons, caustic chemicals, sharp metal scoops, blades, or handsaws. Dehorning is usually performed without painkillers.

    3. Mother Cows Cry for Their Calves for Days

    Mother cows are loving parents who, when given the chance, create meaningful relationships with their calves and the rest of their herds. Tragically, most cows raised for the meat and dairy industries are intensively confined, leaving them unable to fulfill their most basic desires, such as grazing with their families and nursing their young. Calves are forcibly separated from their mothers in the livestock industry when they’re still very young, and the mothers call for their babies for days after workers take them away.

    4. Why Does Wagyu Flesh Look Marbled?

    Wagyu cows are forced to gain massive amounts of weight and eat feed with minimal vitamin A, which naturally occurs in the grass Wagyu aren’t allowed to graze on, so that their flesh will be “marbled” with fat after they’re killed. Vitamin A deficiencies can cause loss of vision in cows, but the marbling of their flesh is all the industry cares about.

    5. Cows Suffer Whenever They’re Used for Food—Go Vegan

    More than 29 million cows suffer and die in the meat  dairy industries every year in the U.S., and their experiences largely mirror those of the ones exploited in Japan. Workers gouge off calves’ horns, separate them from their mothers shortly after birth, and force them to spend their entire lives on industrial farms where they’re kept in filthy, cramped conditions. As long as humans keep buying products such as steak and cheese, cows will continue to suffer. Try vegan Wagyu beef instead!

    If you want to help cows and all other animals exploited by humans, go vegan today.

    The post The True Cost of Wagyu Beef: PETA Reveals Horrific Conditions for Cows appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Protesting ‘Polar Bears’ to Occupy Downtown Starbucks Over Earth-Killing Pro-Dairy Policy

    On Thursday, a pack of “polar bears” will surround the Starbucks store on E. Sixth Street to urge the company to stop charging customers extra for vegan milk, which incentivizes them to opt for dairy milk, even though the dairy industry is a top producer of the greenhouse gases that are contributing to melting the ice caps, killing polar bears, and catastrophic and irreversible global heating. The pleading “bears” are the latest action in PETA’s campaign calling on Starbucks to end the upcharge for vegan milks, which the company already agrees are better for the planet.

    When:    Thursday, July 27, 12 noon

    Where:    580 Walnut St. (meeting at the intersection with E. Sixth Street), Cincinnati

    “Starbucks admits it has a massive carbon footprint from its use of dairy, yet the company still refuses to put planet over profits,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is calling on Starbucks to give a frap about the polar bears who are dying on melting icecaps, as well as the cows who are forcibly impregnated on dairy farms and have their babies stolen from them, and end Starbucks’ shameful upcharge on vegan milks.”

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat or abuse in any other way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.

    For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post Protesting ‘Polar Bears’ to Occupy Downtown Starbucks Over Earth-Killing Pro-Dairy Policy appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • VFC Expands Its Vegan Chicken Portfolio With Chilled Food Launch

    vfc chicken
    2 Mins Read

    U.K.-based plant-based food innovator, VFC, is broadening its portfolio beyond the supermarket frozen section with its first-ever plunge into the chilled food sector.

    VFC’s new foray will be led by two novel products: a chilled interpretation of its beloved VFC Original Crispy Chickn Fillets, and a brand new entry, Piri Piri Chickn Wings, complete with a separate dipping sauce. The products are currently available at Asda supermarkets.

    This chilled food venture marks the beginning of an anticipated slew of new products targeting what the company hopes to be new customer segments. Strategically innovating within closely related categories is a significant part of VFC’s international expansion plan and its commitment to excluding animals from food production.

    VFC burger | Courtesy

    This launch comes in the wake of a dynamic year for VFC, which has included a £6M investment, extensive frozen food development, and broadening distribution through key U.K. and international retailers as well as foodservice outlets like Marston’s Community Pubs. Recently, VFC made a move into diversifying its existing plant-based chicken range across multiple channels by acquiring the Meatless Farm brand in a £12m sales deal.

    ‘Another major milestone’

    “This is yet another major milestone for VFC and our unrelenting mission to convert more people into the incredible taste of VFC and spare the lives of more animals,” VFC CEO, Dave Sparrow, said in a statement.

    Sparrow says the chilled meat-free category is worth £275M and reaches a different consumer than those shopping the frozen section, making this launch “a natural next step” in what VFC hopes will be a game-changing series of innovations.

    VFC meal | Courtesy

    VFC co-founder Matthew Glover launched the popular U.K. Veganuary campaign in 2014 that has since grown into a global movement. “We’re activists first and food producers second,” Glover told Green Queen in 2021. “‘Plant-based’ doesn’t cover how we feel or what we want to achieve as a company.”

    The company has since carved out a niche in the overcrowded vegan chicken sector, going toe-to-toe with industry heavyweights including Quorn and Gardein, as well as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, both of which now offer chicken products.

    Last month, VFC announced the acquisition of floundering U.K.-based vegan meat company Meatless Farm. VFC says Meatless Farm will remain intact and its product range will enrich VFC Foods’ current product offerings.

    The post VFC Expands Its Vegan Chicken Portfolio With Chilled Food Launch first appeared on Green Queen.

    The post VFC Expands Its Vegan Chicken Portfolio With Chilled Food Launch appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Illegal, Deadly Drug Found in Meat From Smithfield

    Federal records just obtained by PETA from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveal that meat from Virginia-based Smithfield Foods (a Chinese-owned company)—along with meat from pork producer Swift Pork Company—tested positive for clenbuterol, an illegal drug that increases muscle mass in animals and can cause cardiac problems, tremors, and even death in humans. Just last year, hundreds of people in the Mexican state of Yucatán were thought to have fallen ill after ingesting meat laced with clenbuterol, and in 2011, tainted meat from Smithfield owner Shuanghui (now WH Group) sickened 1,700 people and killed one in China.

    Tainted pork from pigs killed at Smithfield’s Tar Heel slaughterhouse was exported to Mexico, where authorities denied entry to the shipment(s) and documented the violation in a memo to the USDA. The agency launched an investigation, and USDA records note that Smithfield management was “unable to provide any monitoring records” to show that the animals they receive are clenbuterol-free. The U.S. only permits the drug for veterinary use in horses.

    “An illegal and dangerous drug in Smithfield’s supply chain is one more reason people should stop eating animal products now,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA encourages everyone to choose healthy, clean, ‘green’ vegan foods and spare pigs a lifetime of misery.”

    Most of the 129 million pigs killed for food each year in the U.S. are confined to filthy enclosures so small that they can barely turn around. Workers chop off piglets’ tails, cut their teeth with pliers, and castrate the males—all without pain relief. At slaughterhouses, workers shoot, electrocute, or gas pigs before hanging them upside down and cutting their throats.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and offers a free vegan starter kit on its website. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post Illegal, Deadly Drug Found in Meat From Smithfield appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Illegal, Deadly Drug Found in Meat From Swift Pork Company

    Federal records just obtained by PETA from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveal that meat from Swift Pork Company’s local slaughterhouse—along with meat from pork producer Smithfield Foods—tested positive for clenbuterol, an illegal drug that increases muscle mass in animals and can cause cardiac problems, tremors, and even death in humans.

    Swift Pork Company had exported the tainted meat from its Worthington slaughterhouse to Mexico, where authorities denied entry to the shipment(s) and documented the violation in a memo to the USDA. Following an investigation, the USDA informed Mexican officials that pigs from fairs or shows may have been fed clenbuterol and mixed in with Swift’s “market” hogs, which is illegal since the U.S. only permits the drug for veterinary use in horses.

    PETA notes that just last year, hundreds of people in the Mexican state of Yucatán are thought to have fallen ill after ingesting meat laced with clenbuterol, and in 2011, tainted meat from Smithfield owner Shuanghui (now WH Group) sickened 1,700 people and killed one in China.

    “An illegal and dangerous drug in Swift Pork Company’s supply chain is one more reason people should stop eating animal products now,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA encourages everyone to choose healthy, clean, ‘green’ vegan foods and spare pigs a lifetime of misery.”

    Most of the 129 million pigs killed for food each year in the U.S. are confined to filthy enclosures so small that they can barely turn around. Workers chop off piglets’ tails, cut their teeth with pliers, and castrate the males—all without pain relief. At slaughterhouses, workers shoot, electrocute, or gas pigs before hanging them upside down and cutting their throats.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and offers a free vegan starter kit on its website. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post Illegal, Deadly Drug Found in Meat From Swift Pork Company appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

  • Truck Crash Prompts PETA Memorial to Chickens in Aiken County

    To memorialize the chickens who were killed Friday when a truck carrying them overturned on I-20 westbound near the Columbia Highway interchange, PETA plans to place a sky-high message near the site, reminding everyone that the crash victims were individuals. Already this year, there have been at least 27 animal-transport truck crashes.

    “Each of the chickens on this truck experienced terror and agony as they were crushed to death or suffocated,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA urges everyone to see chickens as the sensitive beings they are and go vegan.”

    Chickens killed for their flesh are crowded by the tens of thousands into filthy sheds and bred to grow such unnaturally large upper bodies that their legs often become crippled under the weight. Those used for egg production are confined to cramped barns, where each bird has no more than a square foot of space. At the slaughterhouse, their throats are cut, often while they’re still conscious, and many are scalded to death in defeathering tanks.

    Each person who goes vegan saves nearly 200 animals every year; reduces their own risk of suffering from cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and obesity; and dramatically shrinks their carbon footprint.

    PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and offers a free vegan starter kit on its website. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

    The post Truck Crash Prompts PETA Memorial to Chickens in Aiken County appeared first on PETA.

    This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.