Summer is here, which means it’s time for PETA to crown its Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities, and this year’s winners, Bella Ramsey and Halle Bailey, are the breakout stars of 2023.
Ramsey, who played Lady Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones and Ellie Williams in The Last of Us, is set to star in the upcoming, highly anticipated sequel to the stop-motion animal rights classic Chicken Run. “I’m vegan primarily because I love animals,” the young actor says. “But I also, like most of us, care about the planet. The environmental benefits of going vegan are so significant.”
For Bailey—who currently stars as Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid and sings with her sister in the duo Chloe x Halle—the thought of consuming her aquatic costars inspires horror. When a reporter at the Met Gala asked whether she’d rather eat Sebastian or Flounder, the singer was shocked by the question. “I would not eat either of them!” she said. “They’re my friends.”
“Bella Ramsey and Halle Bailey remind everyone to save who you can save by keeping animals off your plate, both on land and under the sea,” says PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange. “PETA’s Most Beautiful Vegans of 2023 are superstars shining their light on a bright vegan future for Hollywood.”
Previous winners of the annual title include Lenny Kravitz, Anitta, Ava DuVernay, Jenna Dewan, Maggie Q, Ruby Rose, and Jared Leto. Everyone who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals a year; reduces their risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer; and dramatically shrinks their carbon footprint. According to the United Nations, a global shift toward vegan eating is necessary to combat the worst effects of the climate catastrophe. PETA offers a free vegan starter kit for those ready 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.
As the dairy industry attempts to brand June as “National Dairy Month,” PETA is hitting TV airwaves, including in Wine Country, with a new video that highlights the true price of cheese—cruelty to calves—to inspire everyone to choose vegan foods between sips of chardonnay.
The 15-second spot created for PETA by Push Pull Production, Antepost, and Christian Carl shows a shopper grabbing a wedge of cheese and inquiring how much it costs. A calf stares back at him incredulously and bellows in response, “Too much.” The clip will air in Austin, Texas; Ashville, North Carolina; and Napa and Santa Barbara, California. You can watch it online below:
The Hidden Cost of Dairy
In the dairy industry, calves are torn away from their mothers so that the milk meant to nourish them can be sold to humans. Male calves are routinely slaughtered for veal, and female calves usually endure the same suffering as their mothers. Soon after giving birth, mother cows are forcibly impregnated again, and the cycle repeats. When their exhausted bodies can no longer produce enough milk, they’re slaughtered.
Some people say they can’t live without cheese, but it’s calves, not us, who need the milk that’s meant to nourish them. PETA reminds everyone that there’s a delicious vegan cheese to pair with every wine, whether it’s an assertive cabernet sauvignon or a fruity chenin blanc.
Every person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals each year daily suffering and terrifying deaths and avoids all the artery-clogging cholesterol and saturated fat found in dairy cheese. PETA’s vegan starter kit can help those looking to make the switch.
Next Gen Foods, the food tech startup behind the popular plant-based chicken brand TiNDLE, has announced a high-value media-for-equity deal with SevenVentures, the investment arm of ProSiebenSat.1, Germany’s largest media and digital company.
The strategic partnership, valued at at least $10 million, marks the first media collaboration for Next Gen Foods and aims to increase awareness of TiNDLE throughout Germany.
TiNDLE made its initial launch in Germany last summer, and the new media partnership follows the startup’s recent entry into nationwide grocery stores. As part of the deal, SevenVentures will work closely with Next Gen Foods to expand TiNDLE’s brand recognition and educate consumers about plant-based food, which is growing in popularity across Germany. According to USDA data released last year, more than half of Germany’s population wants to reduce their meat consumption.
‘A more sustainable food system’
The investment from SevenVentures also comes after Next Gen Foods’ successful Series A fund raise, which yielded $100 million last year. This media-for-equity agreement will provide Next Gen Foods with the resources to expand its marketing efforts, promote the TiNDLE brand, highlight the range of delicious and versatile plant-based chicken offerings, and contribute to the advancement of plant-based foods in the market.
Tindle adds 6 new items to 6,000 German supermarkets | Courtesy
“With a strategic partner like SevenVentures, there is potential to introduce TiNDLE to new audiences and educate consumers about the broader role that plant-based foods play in combating our global climate crisis,” Andre Menezes, CEO and co-founder of Next Gen Foods, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome them as our latest mission-aligned investor and leverage their media expertise to raise greater awareness for our category and our efforts to create a more sustainable food system.”
SevenVentures, founded in 2009, specializes in securing media partnerships for early-stage to growth-stage B2C companies. As an investor, SevenVentures focuses on companies targeting the German and Austrian markets, leveraging the reach of ProSiebenSat.1 to raise awareness for impact and sustainability.
Florian Hirschberger, CEO of SevenVentures says the Next Gen Foods partnership suits the company’s “responsibility to use the reach of ProSiebenSat.1 to raise awareness for impact and sustainability.”
“The quality and taste of TiNDLE’s chicken products are incredible, and we believe that our media-for-equity investment comes at the perfect time to accelerate and support a nationwide retail rollout, so all German consumers can experience their ‘ridiculously good’ chicken made from plants,” he said.
German’s shifting diet culture
Earlier this month, new research conducted by AOK health insurance found that children in Berlin eat a predominantly plant-forward diet. According to the findings, 33 percent of children are reducing their meat across the county, and in Berlin, that number is closer to 50 percent.
Germans are eating less meat than ever. Courtesy Pami Avila via Pexels
Overall, meat consumption in Germany has dropped more than 12 percent from 128 pounds per person per year in 2011 to 121 pounds per person in 2022, according to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
According to Inka Dewitz, a representative of Heinrich Böll Stiftung, a foundation in Germany linked to the German Green Party numerous factors are responsible for the shift — from climate change to labor issues and scandals in the meat industry.
“There has been a cultural shift, particularly among young people, who are much more conscious of what they consume and how they eat,” she said.
In a major development for the failing plant-based meat company Meatless Farm, U.K.-based VFC Foods has announced the purchase of the other Yorkshire-based plant-based company, in a deal worth £12 million in sales.
The Meatless Farm acquisition expand the vegan offerings of VFC, the vegan chicken brand launched by Veganuary’s co-founder, Matthew Glover and entrepreneur Adam Lyons.
According to VFC, the Meatless Farm brand will remain intact, and its product range will enrich VFC Foods’ existing lineup of plant-based chicken products.
‘Numerous synergies’
VFC says the strategic purchase represents a vital step in its expansion plans, further solidifying its mission to provide an increased array of vegan options in retail and food service industries, with the ultimate goal of eliminating animals from the food system.
Since its inception during the pandemic and securing its first significant listing in Tesco in 2021, VFC Foods has consistently grown its presence with its successful vegan chicken alternative. Meatless Farm marks its first acquisition.
VFC | Courtesy
“We are delighted to announce this strategic acquisition, whilst being extremely mindful of the business’ challenges and the impact on the people involved,” David Sparrow, CEO of VFC Foods, said in a statement. “Meatless Farm has built strong consumer awareness, which aligns with our core values, and their exciting product portfolio enhances our existing range. By integrating both brands, we can utilize numerous synergies with valued customers and suppliers, thus driving innovation and extending customer choice.”
Expanding the plant-based meat market
The acquisition comes following the June 12th announcement from Meatless Farm that it had laid off most of its team after failing secure additional funding. An industry source told AgFunder News that the investor they thought was going to make “a multi-million dollar investment” backed out and the company ran out of time to get the capital needed.
Lyons says the acquisition is “a testament” to the work of the Meatless Farm team. He commended the company for doing “an exceptional job in developing and establishing quality products.”
The announcement comes as the plant-based industry is seeing rapid expansion in both the U.K. and the E.U., with sales of plant-based milk, meat, and cheese outstripping their animal-based counterparts. “Reducing our meat consumption is crucial for a healthier, more sustainable future,” Glover said.
Meatless Farm | Courtesy
“VFC Foods is well positioned to sustainably grow the Meatless Farm brand once the cost-of-living crisis eases, and the plant-based space has experienced further consolidation,” he said.
This morning, PETA sent a letter to Ohio Expo Center & State Fair General Manager Virgil Strickler offering to sponsor the state fair’s upcoming annual cow-and-calf butter sculpture display—if it’s made of vegan butter.
PETA points out that the revamp would better reflect the values of modern fairgoers—Gen Z’s dairy consumption is down 20%—and the growing number of people who choose vegan options to protect animals, slash their carbon footprint, and improve their health. In the dairy industry, calves are torn away from their mothers so that the milk meant to nourish them can be sold to humans.
“Dairy farmers don’t like to talk about it, but mother cows produce milk only after pregnancy, which means they’re forcibly impregnated over and over again to ensure that they maintain a steady supply of milk—only to see their beloved babies taken away from them within hours of birth,” writes PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “This is nothing to glorify, and it’s especially macabre to sculpt the victims out of a product that causes them terrible suffering.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—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.
PETA’s letter to Strickler follows.
June 21, 2023
Virgil Strickler
General Manager
Ohio Expo Center & State Fair
Dear Mr. Strickler:
Greetings! I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally, including many thousands in Ohio—with an offer that would send a kinder message to fair attendees and help modernize the Ohio State Fair’s “butter cow” exhibit by reflecting the ever-growing demand for vegan butter. This year and beyond, please show true reverence to mother cows and calves by sculpting them only from dairy-free butter. We’d even donate all that’s needed.
As you know, displaying butter sculptures of serene, smiling cows and calves beside kind-looking farmers is a drastically misleading depiction of today’s dairy industry. Dairy farmers don’t like to talk about it, but mother cows produce milk only after pregnancy, which means they’re forcibly impregnated over and over again to ensure they maintain a steady supply of milk—only to see their beloved babies taken away from them within hours of birth. Cows on modern farms are forced to produce so much milk that they typically become worn out by the time they’re just 4 or 5 years old—a fraction of their natural life expectancy. At that point, they’re sent to slaughter. Male calves, who are useless to the dairy industry, are usually slaughtered when they’re just a few months old. This is nothing to glorify, and it’s especially macabre to sculpt the victims from a product that causes them terrible suffering.
Making the switch to vegan butter also means staying relevant and caring for the environment and human health. The vegan butter industry is flourishing, and dairy consumption is down 20% among Gen Zers, 65% of whom say they want a more plant-based diet. The production of vegan butter emits less greenhouse gases and uses less land and water than dairy farms do. Dairy has also been linked to numerous health problems, including diabetes, allergies, and prostate and breast cancer, and approximately 36% of Americans are lactose intolerant.
Times and traditions change. A dairy-free butter sculpture would offer the ever-growing number of people who don’t consume meat or dairy for ethical, environmental, or health reasons something to visit at a fair that honors cows, rather than glossing over their suffering. We’d love to work with the “home to the largest butter sculpture display of any fair in the country” to set a compassionate example for fairs around the nation to emulate. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.
“When you eat fish, other animals—like whales and turtles—suffer and die, too.” That’s the Zippertron message from PETA now running on the Staten Island Ferry’s schedule board at Whitehall Terminal, alongside new artwork showing some of the millions of “nontarget” animals who die after becoming entangled in abandoned fishing gear each year. These unintended victims are known euphemistically as “bycatch” by the fishing industry—and their lives would be spared if everyone went vegan.
PETA notes that eating sea life contributes to the decimation of ocean ecosystems. Worldwide, nearly 10% of marine life is at risk of extinction, and for many of the world’s 86 cetacean species—including the humpback whales who increasingly frequent New York’s waters—death by fishing gear is one of the biggest threats to survival.
“Abandoned nets don’t discern between a tuna and a tortoise, which is why millions of unintended victims have died in discarded gear,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA reminds everyone that all aquatic animals deserve respect and that going vegan is the only way to eat sustainably.”
Fish are now known to feel pain as acutely as mammals do, have long-term memories, and communicate with each other using squeaks, squeals, and other low-frequency sounds that humans can hear only with special instruments—yet they’re impaled, crushed, suffocated, or cut open and gutted, all while conscious. More fish are killed for food each year—billions in U.S. waters alone—than all other animals combined.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—offers a list of delicious vegan fish options, such as Gardein’s f’sh filets, Sophie’s Kitchen’s Fish Fillets, and Good Catch Plant-Based Crab Cakes, as well as a free vegan starter kit.
The ad is located in the main waiting area of Whitehall Terminal (southeast wall, across from slip 2–3) at 4 Whitehall St. in Manhattan until August 14.
As the dairy industry tries to promote June as National Dairy Month, a new message from PETA raised across from United Dairy and just a stone’s throw from a local Kroger grocery store may have consumers steering clear of cow’s milk. Featuring a cow mired in manure with a swollen udder, the new sky-high appeal urges everyone to help spare cows suffering by ditching dairy—something that’s easy to do since Kroger stocks oat, soy, hemp, and many other dairy-free milks.
“If consumers saw cows confined in filth and forcibly impregnated on dairy farms, they’d lose their lunch,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA urges everyone to ditch dairy and leave cows in peace by opting for readily available, affordable, and delicious vegan milks, cheeses, and yogurts.”
In the dairy industry, calves are torn away from their mothers within a day of birth so the milk meant to nourish them can be stolen and sold to humans. It’s standard industry practice to forcibly and artificially inseminate cows—workers insert an arm into the animals’ rectum and a metal rod to deliver semen into their vagina—and to send them to slaughter once their bodies wear out. PETA’s investigations into dairy facilities have found workers electroshocking cows in the face, hitting them with poles and a cane, and abusing them in other ways.
PETA’s campaign is located at 510 Lee St.
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.
Impossible Foods has announced the Impossible Indulgent Burger, a premium version of the original Impossible Burger promising to be juicier and meatier than its predecessor.
The new Impossible Indulgent Burger caters to consumers who desire a more meaty vegan burger. According to the company, 82 percent of consumers say the new burger’s taste is as good as, or superior to traditional beef.
Indulgent is a restaurant-style third-pound patty developed to provide maximum flavor and succulence, whether serving at special dining events or casual backyard barbecues. Impossible says the new burger showcases reduced shrinkage compared to traditional beef burgers when cooked on a grill or stovetop.
‘Giving consumers more options’
“Our burger put us on the map and it’s the core of our business. But we’ve heard from our fans they’d like something bigger and even juicier, so we of course said yes,” Peter McGuinness, president and CEO of Impossible Foods, said in a statement.
The new Indulgent Burger | Courtesy Impossible
“Not only do we have our original beef products for versatile everyday cooking, but we launched Beef Lite earlier this year for more nutrition-conscious consumers who want an even leaner alternative to animal beef. Our Indulgent Burger is the perfect addition, giving consumers more options and ways to try and buy Impossible. Creating a more differentiated portfolio allows us to better meet consumers where they are.”
Like all of Impossible Foods’ products, the Indulgent Burger offers a rich source of protein and boasts zero cholesterol. It also eliminates the potential exposure to animal hormones and antibiotics often found in traditional meat. In addition, it presents a greener choice with its significantly reduced land use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Taking vegan meat mainstream
This new burger enhances Impossible Foods’ already extensive plant-based beef selection, which includes Impossible Beef. In March, the California-based vegan meat company introduced Impossible Beef Lite, a leaner version of the original, to appeal to more health-conscious consumers.
Courtesy Impossible Foods
In anticipation of the summer grilling season, Impossible Foods has launched an extensive brand advertising campaign. Leslie Sims, the company’s new Chief Marketing & Creative Officer, is leading these efforts to attract a wider audience to the plant-based meat market. It recently debuted a new campaign created by Terry Crews’ new advertising agency.
The Impossible Indulgent Burger is currently available at popular burger outlets like Bareburger and Monty’s Good Burger, with further availability expected in the coming summer months. It will also be available at select retailers, with wider nationwide distribution to follow.
Impossible has had a longstanding relationship with Burger King, which sells a version of the popular Whopper sandwich with the Impossible patty, but no plans have been announced to add the Indulgent Burger to the menu.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, is a vibrant South American city with a host of appealing sights, sounds, and tastes for travelers to explore, from eclectic restaurants to modern art museums. There’s really no end to what you can do in this city, so having a travel game plan can help you make the most of your time there. PETA Latino has prepared this essential guide so that your trip will go as smoothly as possible.
What Not to Do When Visiting Buenos Aires
When you’re preparing for your trip, it’s important to be aware of animal abuse and tourist traps so that you don’t contribute to any form of animal exploitation. By doing so, you can ensure that you have a meaningful experience in the city while protecting animals from harm. Here are some things you should avoid doing during your visit, because there are much better activities that don’t exploit animals:
Don’t visit marine parks or petting zoos.
Animals aren’t here for our entertainment. At marine parks, they’re often kept in inadequate tanks and with incompatible tankmates. They deserve to be left in their natural homes, not torn away from their families or bred so that humans can gawk at them. At Mundo Marino—the largest marine park in Argentina—Kshamenk the orca has been imprisoned for 30 years, in a tank so small that he swims in circles endlessly.
Petting zoos and any other displays that allow visitors to touch animals are dangerous for both groups. In many cases, animals in petting zoos don’t get enough food, water, or rest, and they may snap at visitors. It’s also simply speciesist to assume that we should be able to view or touch any animal whenever we want, disregarding what they want.
Horses used for racing are forced to sprint beyond their limits, which often leads to injuries, many of which are fatal. You can enjoy many sports that don’t involve animal exploitation—including Argentina’s favorite one, soccer!
Don’t buy souvenirs made from animal skins.
When you’re looking for souvenirs, be sure to avoid those made from cow’s skin, fox fur, and other cruelly obtained materials. Our vegan guide to traditional Latin American items can help you find the best animal-friendly souvenirs.
Things to Do When Visiting Buenos Aires
The opportunities are endless in this extraordinary city, and there’s truly something for every type of traveler. Here’s just a taste of what you can do and see in the city that’s friendly to animals:
Try some of the best vegan food in the world.
The vegan food revolution is alive and well in South America, and Buenos Aires is a hub for new restaurants. Check out some of those we’ve listed below.
Buenos Aires has a rich history, so you won’t want to miss what it has to offer. The Obelisco is a national landmark that commemorates the founding of the city, so be sure to check it out if you’re a history buff. If the weather is nice, head to Lagos de Palermo to enjoy peaceful scenery and take a ride in a pedal boat. Take a walk among blooming roses in the Rosedal de Palermo. In the city’s Chinatown, you can visit a variety of shops and, if you’re there in January or February, enjoy the Chinese New Year celebrations. If you’re interested in a more macabre site, check out La Recoleta Cemetery, a beautiful public cemetery where some of Buenos Aires’ famous former residents are entombed. Finally, museum lovers won’t want to miss the Museo Histórico Nacional, where you can learn more about Argentina’s history from pre-Hispanic life to contemporary society.
See some of Argentina’s natural wonders.
Argentina is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and you can take some of that beauty in without venturing out of the city center. The Jardín Botánico, which is home to nearly 1,500 plant species, features libraries, greenhouses, walking paths, sculptures, monuments, and fountains.
Take in culture at one of the city’s many art museums.
Buenos Aires is a cultural and artistic hub as well as home to many working artists. The Museo Moderno hosts more than 7,000 works of art by Argentine and international artists. Check out the National Museum of Decorative Art to see important design works, historic room displays, and other fascinating objects. MALBA’s collections and exhibitions focus on Latin American art from the 20th century to the present, and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes hosts a variety of works from artists such as Rembrandt, Goya, and Van Gogh.
Tango dancing, which originated along the border between Argentina and Uruguay in the 1880s, is a major part of cultural life in Buenos Aires. La Boca is one of the many neighborhoods where you can see tango shows on the street, but you can also head to the many clubs, theaters, and cultural centers to see other shows or even take a class. And if you’re interested in opera, ballet, the orchestra, or other kinds of performances, you might want to see what’s on the calendar at Teatro Colón.
Shopaholic? Visit Buenos Aires’ street fairs and shopping centers.
The city’s Feria de San Telmo is a street fair open every Sunday, where you can find antiques and cultural items, see tango shows, and check out some local vegan food offerings. For upscale shopping in a beautiful, historic setting, head to Galerías Pacífico.
If you’re a soccer fan—or just a sports fan who loves a good game—check out Argentina’s national sport at La Bombonera, an iconic stadium that’s home to one of the country’s top soccer clubs.
By being a responsible traveler, you can enjoy all the wonders that Buenos Aires has to offer without contributing to animal exploitation. Learn more about how to be a responsible tourist:
At Kroger’s 2023 annual shareholder meeting, PETA will confront the grocery giant in behalf of monkeys suffering in Thailand’s abusive coconut industry, which steals monkeys from nature and condemns them to lifetimes of forced labor. We’re asking Kroger—which owns Ralphs, King Soopers, and other major supermarkets—to remove all Thai coconut milk products from its supply chain, which is the only way to guarantee that the coconut milk items it sells weren’t produced from the exploitation of threatened and endangered macaques.
Many coconut farms in Thailand keep monkeys chained or tethered for extended periods, condemning them to barren patches of dirt where they have little to no opportunity to move around and socialize with others. These abusive operations exploit the animals by turning them into coconut-picking machines. PETA Asia investigators saw monkeys pacing and circling endlessly on Thai coconut farms. These actions are apparent signs of severe psychological distress.
In 2021, Kroger stopped purchasing coconut milk from a major producer, Chaokoh. The grocery giant’s decision followed an extensive PETA campaign that included tens of thousands of e-mails, a billboard placed next to one of the company’s stores, and passionate protests outside other Kroger retail locations.
Protesters left a truckload of coconuts at Kroger’s headquarters in Ohio to remind the company that it’s nuts to do business with Thailand’s Chaokoh brand, which uses forced monkey labor.
Now, PETA’s asking for Kroger’s commitment to purchasing only coconut milk sourced from the many countries—such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines—that don’t exploit monkeys to produce it.
Take Action for Monkeys
PETA Asia has repeatedly shown that the Thai government and coconut milk producers in Thailand lie about the existence of forced monkey labor. The best thing anyone can do for these monkeys is to avoid supporting supermarkets and other retailers that source canned coconut milk from that country.
If you want to help monkeys suffering in Thailand’s abusive coconut milk industry, pledge never to buy coconut products sourced there—and tell Whole Foods to end its sale of Thai coconut milk:
Unusual gifts from PETA are on their way to Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel and the company’s nine regional presidents. We’ve sent each of them an armload of human-picked coconuts along with a letter urging them to ban Thai coconut milk from Whole Foods’ shelves and supply chain.
Why? Thailand’s coconut-picking industry is fueled by the labor of endangered pig-tailed macaques—many of whom were illegally snatched from their forest homes as babies.
Handlers in Thailand fit these monkeys with rigid metal collars, use chains and leashes to choke and control them, and may pull out their canine teeth so that they can’t defend themselves. Because the industry and the Thai government lie about their systemic reliance on forced monkey labor, it’s impossible to guarantee that any coconut milk from the country is free of it.
One of Whole Foods’ coconut milk suppliers was implicated in PETA Asia’s latest investigation into the trade, but the company failed to act after PETA presented it with this information.
PETA is calling on Whole Foods to stop supporting Thailand’s abusive coconut industry and ban Thai coconut milk.
Whole Foods’ decision to continue selling Thai coconut milk, including through its own 365 by Whole Foods Market brand, exhibits a willful disregard for monkeys who are being kidnapped and used as coconut-picking machines.
Please urge the company to stop supporting this cruel industry:
Our resident vegan food reviewer tastes frozen vegan ready-meal brand Sunday Supper and shares her honest feedback.
I felt I was letting down my Italian heritage when I went from vegetarian to vegan. As a vegetarian, I could still eat all of my mom’s amazing home-cooked Italian dishes like lasagna, cannelloni, and ravioli. As a vegan, not so much. My mom was a trooper and, though she never changed her own eating habits, she learned how to make the world’s best vegan meatballs. When I bit into the TiNDLE Meat Balls made by Los Angeles award-winning Chef Celestino Drago at Sunday Supper’s five-course “Una Festa Italiana” Plant-Based Pride Celebration earlier this month, I got the same melt-in-your-mouth texture and nostalgia hit really hard.
It was a perfect way to kick off the evening hosted by Sunday Supper in partnership with TiNDLE, Vertage and Gaingels at Los Angeles Drago Centro to showcase two new additions to their range.
The first course (and my favorite) was the Vertage Mozzarella In Carrozza reminded me of a Brazilian pastel de queijo. Next came an heirloom tomato salad with arugula, veggies, hearts of palm and Vertage Mozzarella. For the third course, we were served Sunday Supper Ravioli With Ricotta, Saffron, Thyme, Butter & Zucchini, a chef recreation of the brand’s raviolis without tomato sauce, followed by Sunday Supper’s Manicotti Al Forno. The manicotti was a highlight- particularly the creamy and nutty ricotta. TiNDLE Petto Di Pollo Con Crosta Al Tartufo followed, which consisted of the plant-based chicken patty served with a decadent truffle cream sauce. At this point, I could have used a doggie bag, but I managed to save a bit of room for the last course, a no-bake Sicilian Cheese Cake made with tangy Vertage Cream Cheese.
It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of both TiNDLE and Vertage. The latter’s mozzarella is featured in Chef Tal Ronen’s pizzas at his LA Crossroads restaurant and it’s actually one of the cheeses used in Sunday Supper’s ready meal lasagnas. What these three plant-based brands have in common, aside from being mouth-wateringly delicious in their own right, is that they were all chef-inspired, created by chefs, for chefs.
Courtesy Sunday Supper
Sunday Supper FTW
I can’t believe this was my first time trying Sunday Supper. As a longtime vegan with Italian heritage, this vegan Italian ready-to-eat brand has got my name written all over it. I can’t think of another brand of 100% plant-based handcrafted frozen Italian meals that are family-style and made with fresh herbs, farm-grown veggies, and authentic San Marzano tomatoes. Long story short- any Italian nonna would approve.
The startup was co-founded in 2021 by Richard Klein and Florian Radke. A veteran in the plant-based space, Radke also co-founded vegan pet food brand Wild Earth and vegan cinnamon bun chain Cinnaholic. and it outshines the competition when it comes to gourmet frozen foods. Sunday already has the support of industry heavy-hitters like Daniella Monet and Wild Earth’s Ryan Bethencourt. The brand is backed by Gaingels, one of the largest and most active LGBTQIA+ private investment syndicates supporting diversity and inclusion within the venture capital ecosystem.
The company launched with two flagship frozen lasagnas- the Italian Sausage and the Three Cheeses- and has expanded its range to include a Mushroom Ravioli, a Cheese Ravioli, and a Baked Manicotti.
The last two were showcased at the tasting event I attended. Sunday Supper collaborated with Chef Celestino Drago, dubbed “one of the best-known Italian restaurateurs in Southern California” by both Bon Appétit and the LA Times, to veganize much-loved Italian dishes without sacrificing one iota of flavor. The evening was a delicious feast and everyone who attended seemed to rave about the food.
The question still remained: how would Sunday Supper’s food hold up without a fancy chef to prepare it? A 5-course menu prepared by a veteran Italian chef at their own restaurant is one thing, but the real question is: how do the dishes taste when the average person prepares them at home?
Luckily for you, I did the hard work of reviewing Sunday Supper’s entire frozen meal range and here’s what I thought.
Sunday Supper’s Italian Sausage Lasagna
Preparation: if you’ve ever made lasagna, you know it takes hours of preparation. You have to make the sauces, cook the pasta, put it all together, and then finally bake. Sunday Supper does all the heavy lifting for you. All you have to do is open the box, pop the lasagna in the oven, and 90 minutes later, voila! No need to defrost it because it cooks straight from frozen. Keep in mind, it does take 90-95 minutes to fully cook so make sure you get it going about an hour and a half before you want to serve it.
Taste: 10 – I broiled it for the last 10 minutes of cooking, per the instructions on the box, and the top layer of mozzarella was bubbly and completely melted. All the cheese in between the layers of pasta oozed out when I cut into it. I would have liked a little more Italian sausage and a little less marinara sauce, but it was still delicious and my entire kitchen smelled of lasagna yumminess. Think lasagna from plants for anyone who loves lasagna (yes, I’m shamelessly plagiarizing the Impossible Foods slogan). If you feed it to non-vegans, I guarantee they’ll never know it’s not the real deal.
Ease of Preparation: 10
Overall: 10 out of 10
Retail Price: $26.99
Sunday Supper’s Three Cheeses Lasagna
Preparation: It also cooks from frozen and it takes the same amount of time to fully cook as the one above, but it’s worth every minute!
Taste: 10 – the blend of parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta makes this lasagna way cheesier and richer than, but just as tasty as the Italian Sausage version. It’s more versatile because it has no “meat” and can be served as a companion dish to other plant-based entrees like meatballs, sausages, or even seafood.
Ease of Preparation: 10
Overall: 10 out of 10
Retail Price: $26.99
Courtesy Sunday Supper
Sunday Supper’s Cheese Ravioli
Preparation: The ravioli cooks from frozen exactly as you would cook any regular ravioli. You add it to boiling water and cook it for about 5 minutes. The sauce comes separately and needs to be defrosted before being heated on a stovetop. Technically, it’s not ready-to-eat, nor it is ‘heat and serve’, but I didn’t mind the prep and it’s probably why it tastes so good.
Taste: 10 – this is by far the best vegan ravioli I have prepared at home; it knocked Kite Hill’s down to number two on my list.
Ease of Preparation: 8
Overall: 9 out of 10
Retail Price: $18.99
Sunday Supper’s Mushroom Ravioli
Preparation: same as the Cheese Ravioli
Taste: 9 – you definitely get a rich umami-packed flavor from the mix of shitake, nameko, oyster, porcini and portobello mushrooms. I’m not a big fan of mushroom dishes so I enjoyed this one a little less but fungi lovers will rejoice.
Ease of Preparation: 8
Overall: 8.5 out of 10
Retail Price: $18.99
Courtesy Sunday Supper
Italian Baked Manicotti
Preparation: Have you ever tried to stuff pasta tubes? Exactly. It’s hard work. Thanks to Sunday, all you to do to prepare Manicotti is open the box, pop it in the oven, and 55 minutes later, it’s ready to serve.
Taste: 9 – I grew up eating Cannelloni; Manicotti is the Italian-American version of it. Both involve cooked pasta tubes that are stuffed and covered in sauce in pretty much the same way. There’s nothing else in the market like Sunday Supper’s Manicotti. In fact, I don’t know of any restaurants that serve a vegan Manicotti or Cannelloni- not even Pura Vita, my favorite LA vegan Italian spot. Sorry Chef Drago, but I liked the Baked Manicotti I made at home better. The sauce was creamy but light, and it really allowed the taste of the spinach ricotta stuffing to shine. It does have a black pepper kick to it, which makes it not as kid-friendly as the other meals, and it’s the only reason I’m not giving it a 10.
Ease of Preparation: 10
Overall: 9.5 out of 10
Retail Price: $24.99
Overall, the suggested 4 servings for each meal seemed off. Depending on how much you eat and whether or not you’re serving it with other dishes, a Sunday Supper meal will likely feed 2 to 3 people, rather than 4. There are also 5 Manicottis in the Baked Manicotti, so you may have to resort to rock paper scissors to decide who gets the last one!
Bonus Points: I really like the innovative cool packaging and my entire kitchen smelled of yummy Italian food when I made one of the Sunday Supper meals. I think the lasagnas and ravioli will be a hit with most little ones, making them a meal the entire family can enjoy.
Sunday Supper is definitely going to be a staple in my freezer from now on. According to co-founder Florian Radke, the frozen food market is having a moment, as consumers choose the products as a healthier and more nutritious alternative to highly processed foods. Radke cites industry data suggesting the sector is worth $55 billion in the US alone, and of that, frozen Italian food accounts for $22 billion. “Sunday Supper is here and ready to disrupt this major category,” he says. I think he’s onto something. Here’s hoping they add a Baked Ziti or even a Tortellini into their lineup.
Sunday Supper is available at Fresh Markets, Erewhon Markets, and Plum Markets. In addition, online retailer GTFO It’s Vegan stocks the Italian Sausage Lasagna. The company says it is on track to expand to 2,500 additional retail outlets by the end of 2024.
A recent survey conducted by the think tank GFI APAC looks at the primary challenges the cultivated meat industry is facing when it comes to acquiring commercially viable cell lines.
The survey’s insights were extracted from responses gathered from 44 businesses across the sector. The findings paint an unprecedented picture of the sector’s evolution, tendencies, and stumbling blocks. Among the key hurdles highlighted in the report is the significant overlap in cell line development efforts across companies, with the same species and cell types being independently pursued.
The survey underscores an urgent market demand for off-the-shelf cell lines. However, these options are either currently unavailable or lacking in the offerings that companies are looking for.
The survey also comes on the heels of two USDA label approvals; California’s Eat Just and Upside Foods both earned the approval earlier this month, putting cultivated meat closer to commercialization in the U.S.
Good Meat’s cultivated lab meat | Courtesy
Addressing these gaps and optimizing cell lines’ characteristics could help to pave the way for improved quality and cost-effectiveness in cultivated meat production at scale. Companies such as the U.K.-based Extracellular are already making strides in this direction. It recently launched a license-free cell bank to facilitate cultivated meat research.
The findings show a concerted effort from all stakeholders will be essential to push through the barriers to the commercialization of cultivated meat. The critical points of consideration from the study include:
Selection of Species: The highest demand among companies is for cell lines derived from both terrestrial and marine species. The most popular species are cows, pigs, sheep, and lambs, while for aquatic species, salmon, tuna, and other fin fish are the top choices. However, many businesses have struggled to source the appropriate cells for these species.
Cell Types and Accessibility: The cell types most commonly used by businesses include myoblasts, fibroblasts, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The survey suggests that this could be due to the difficulty in obtaining more suitable cell types such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), especially for terrestrial species. Cell line providers who can supply these hard-to-source cell types are likely to be highly sought after.
Sourcing of Cells: The survey revealed a heavy dependency on slaughtered animals as cell sources. However, challenges such as limited access to live animals and low proximity to cell isolation facilities slow the procurement process. But the report says this situation opens up an opportunity for livestock and seafood producers to collaborate with these businesses and create new revenue streams for access to cell lines.
Cell Line Features: Companies generally expressed reluctance in using genetically engineered cell lines, as restrictions on genetic modification exist in key markets. The need for cell lines with high proliferation, genetic stability, and the ability to grow in suspension has also been highlighted.
Regulatory Challenges: A majority of the surveyed companies said they lacked confidence in their understanding of the necessary documentation and safety testing for gaining regulatory approval for cell lines in high-priority markets, such as the U.S. and Singapore. This finding underscores the need for greater clarity from regulatory bodies.
Religious Certifications: Companies expressed a strong inclination towards developing cell lines that comply with halal and/or kosher certifications. The lack of resources that clarify the alignment of cultivated meat production with these certification requirements is seen as a significant entry barrier.
Prominent Israeli plant-based food-tech company More Foods has announced a strategic partnership with Tivol, a branch of the Osem-Nestlè Group.
This inaugural alliance for Tivol with a food-tech startup signifies a commitment to developing and marketing a line of ‘meaty’ products derived from pumpkin seeds. The range of products will be high in fiber and protein, aiming to achieve great taste while using the least possible number of ingredients.
Clean-label protein
This collaboration emphasizes the shared ambition between More Foods and the Osem-Nestlè Group to reduce the environmental footprint of food production. Together, they aim to launch a range of innovative plant-based products intended for main meals using More’s seed-based vegan products.
More Foods Pulled Mediterranean cuisine in pita | Courtesy
More Foods is focused on high-quality main meal ingredients that rival traditional animal-based proteins. This strategic collaboration will enhance More Foods’ reach, allowing it to bring its plant-based products to a larger demographic. The union will focus on delivering the clean-label products to consumers, aiming to offer a nutritious, ‘meaty’, and satisfying main meal option.
Already a popular choice in more than 100 Israeli restaurants, More Foods has initiated its global expansion, with products being distributed in Europe and the U.K. The partnership with the Osem-Nestlè Group will supplement More Foods’ determination to change consumers’ food perceptions and preferences, providing healthier and sustainable main meal options.
‘An important milestone’
“We are proud to partner with the Osem-Nestlè Group and combine our unique product offering with their market accessibility,” Leonardo Marcovitz, Founder of More Foods, said in a statement. “This collaboration represents an important milestone in our journey to broaden our market presence, reach a larger customer base, and further our mission to make nutritious meaty center-plate plant-based products more accessible to consumers worldwide.”
Courtesy More Foods
The partnership’s primary goal is to respond to the increasing consumer demand for sustainable and healthful food choices. It combines More Foods’ proficiency in plant-based technology with the extensive market influence of the Osem-Nestlè Group.
Osem-Nestlè has a long history as an innovator in plant-based products, particularly in the Israeli market, where 13 percent of consumers currently identify as vegetarians or vegans, and an additional 45 percent are actively reducing their meat consumption.
Prominent Israeli plant-based food-tech company More Foods has announced a strategic partnership with Tivol, a branch of the Osem-Nestlè Group.
This inaugural alliance for Tivol with a food-tech startup signifies a commitment to developing and marketing a line of ‘meaty’ products derived from pumpkin seeds. The range of products will be high in fiber and protein, aiming to achieve great taste while using the least possible number of ingredients.
Clean-label protein
This collaboration emphasizes the shared ambition between More Foods and the Osem-Nestlè Group to reduce the environmental footprint of food production. Together, they aim to launch a range of innovative plant-based products intended for main meals using More’s seed-based vegan products.
More Foods Pulled Mediterranean cuisine in pita | Courtesy
More Foods is focused on high-quality main meal ingredients that rival traditional animal-based proteins. This strategic collaboration will enhance More Foods’ reach, allowing it to bring its plant-based products to a larger demographic. The union will focus on delivering the clean-label products to consumers, aiming to offer a nutritious, ‘meaty’, and satisfying main meal option.
Already a popular choice in more than 100 Israeli restaurants, More Foods has initiated its global expansion, with products being distributed in Europe and the U.K. The partnership with the Osem-Nestlè Group will supplement More Foods’ determination to change consumers’ food perceptions and preferences, providing healthier and sustainable main meal options.
‘An important milestone’
“We are proud to partner with the Osem-Nestlè Group and combine our unique product offering with their market accessibility,” Leonardo Marcovitz, Founder of More Foods, said in a statement. “This collaboration represents an important milestone in our journey to broaden our market presence, reach a larger customer base, and further our mission to make nutritious meaty center-plate plant-based products more accessible to consumers worldwide.”
Courtesy More Foods
The partnership’s primary goal is to respond to the increasing consumer demand for sustainable and healthful food choices. It combines More Foods’ proficiency in plant-based technology with the extensive market influence of the Osem-Nestlè Group.
Osem-Nestlè has a long history as an innovator in plant-based products, particularly in the Israeli market, where 13 percent of consumers currently identify as vegetarians or vegans, and an additional 45 percent are actively reducing their meat consumption.
With the goal of revolutionizing the alt market, Adamo Foods has secured £1.5m in fresh funding, earmarked for introducing its mycelium-based steak to the mainstream consumer.
U.K.-based Adamo Foods says it is harnessing innovation to craft appetizing, healthful, and ecologically viable alternatives to meat whole cuts. The venture’s vision is to fill what it sees as a gap in the vegan meat market, namely the dearth of high-quality alternatives resembling whole pieces of meat, such as steaks, filets, and chops.
The company’s first successful funding initiative was a Pre-Seed investment led by SFC Capital, a prominent seed-stage investment firm in the U.K. and the third venture capital to back Adamo Foods.
Adamo also received two significant grants from Innovate U.K. under the ‘Better Food for All’ and ‘Novel Low Emission Food Production Systems’ competitions.
Whole-cut vegan meat
The struggle to emulate the texture of whole-cut meat using plant proteins has often left consumers underwhelmed, says Adamo. But demand is there; whole cuts represent 85 percent of the $1.2 trillion traditional meat market yet are almost non-existent in the realm of vegan substitutes.
Whole-cut mycelium steak from Adamo Foods | Courtesy
Adamo Foods has been able to reproduce the consistency of whole-cut meat using fungal mycelium — the root system of fungi. Mycelium boasts high protein and fiber content and even surpasses pea, soy, wheat, and beef in terms of protein quality.
Adamo says it has discovered a technique to grow mycelium into long, dense fibers that form the texture analogous to the “grain” of a steak or chicken fillet. Utilizing this process, Adamo seeks to attract both vegans and traditional meat consumers. The product will be available later this year.
Future plans
Adamo says its future plan includes collaborating with research partners to increase specific micronutrients naturally present in mycelium, thereby emulating the nutritional benefits of beef without the detrimental dietary and sustainability issues.
It joins a growing number of companies focused on mycelium technology to replace meat. Earlier this month, MyForest Foods secured $15 million in a Series A extension round for its vegan mycelium meat. Also this month, U.K.-based mycoprotein pioneer Quorn partnered with startup Prime Roots to co-develop mycoprotein-based meat.
Courtesy MyForest Foods
The company will also focus on refining its unique fermentation and formulation processes to transit from the laboratory to a pilot scale, gearing up for product launch.
Last week, the Helsinki First International Cellular Agriculture Conference witnessed a glimpse of Adamo Foods’ innovative technology as part of the EIT Food Accelerator Network. The start-up also earned a finalist spot in the 2023 Coller Startup Competition and is gearing up to present at the final round.
Shanghai is surprisingly full of great vegan eats! While Buddhist-inspired vegetarian food has long been a cradle of Shanghainese food culture, the city has seen more new modern plant-based offerings appear of late.
From high-end veggie fine dining to casual bowls of dumplings served on the side street or modern eateries with burgers and wraps, Shanghai is for sure friendly to vegans! Are you ready to taste all the delicious dumpling noodle soups that Shanghai has to offer? Below is Green Queen’s guide to the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in China’s financial hub.
Source: HappyCow
1. Hui Yuan Vegetarian Restaurant
Hui Yuan Vegetarian Restaurant is a vegan Chinese restaurant full of meat-free Shanghainese classics. The no-frills diner is usually crowded, a testament to their delicious menu. Most of the food contains mock meats with an array of fresh vegetables cooked in all ways – braised, stir-fried, steamed. And don’t miss out on tasting the dumplings Shanghai is famous for, meat-free of course!
Address: Hui Yuan Vegetarian Restaurant, 49 Huaihai East Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, China. Open Daily: 11.00am – 9.00pm.
Source: TripAdvisor
2. If Vegan
If Vegan is an all-vegan restaurant serving fusion dishes inspired by both Western and Chinese cuisine. Part coffee bar, part flower shop and part restaurant, If Vegan is the ideal place to drop by for a plant-based meal when you have some time and need a place to hang out. You will find some classic Shanghainese tofu-based dishes on their menu, as well as a range of healthy international fare, from salads to pastas.
Address: If Vegan, 408 Shaanxi Bei, Jing An District, Shanghai, China. Open Daily: 11.00am – 9.00pm.
Source: TripAdvisor
3. Jujube Tree
If you’re looking for more veganised Shanghainese food, then check out Jujube Tree, a vegetarian restaurant with many animal-free options. They have an extensive menu comprised of many modern dishes, featuring ingredients like wild mushrooms, mock meats, tofu, seitan and yams. Make sure to try the visitor-fave: Deep Fried Monkey Head Mushroom with Satay Sauce. Yum!
Craving Mexican cuisine in the middle of Shanghai? Don’t fret – Maya, a Mexican-Californian restaurant is the perfect spot to get your salsa and mole fix. Though the restaurant does serve meat, it does have an entirely separate vegan menu catering to plant-based folk. Expect Lentil Enchiladas, Veggie Fajitas, Mushroom Tacos, and more. Oh, and don’t forget to try dairy-free ice cream for dessert.
Address: Maya, 568 Julu Road, Grand Plaza, 2/F Clubhouse, Shanghai, China. Open Weekdays: 5.00pm – late; Weekends: 11.00am – 4.00pm.
Source: HappyCow
6. Wu Jie
Another upmarket restaurant suitable for a romantic dinner date is Wu Jie. They offer various set menus comprised of completely meat-free Chinese dishes presented with a creative modern twist and using only seasonal fresh ingredients. The restaurant has been featured on the Michelin Guide before and is highly popular, so make sure to book ahead. While Wu Jie is vegetarian, they are happy to accommodate fully plant-based diners if you call ahead. Bonus for Buddhists: the menu is entirely leek- garlic and allium-free.
WTH Foods is expanding its presence in both the European and Southeast Asian markets with a new range of low-sodium, clean-label plant-based seafood products.
Known for its popular Umani brand of plant-based meat alternatives that launched earlier this year, the Philippines-based WTH Foods is now venturing into vegan seafood.
The company has taken a pioneering approach, using microalgae, for use in this new product line.
Microalgae seafood
“We are working with the real microalgae biomass to make our products, and have discovered that it gives that nice soft texture that consumers would expect in fish,” WTH Foods Co-Founder and CEO Stephen Michael Co told FoodNavigator-Asia.
The company has successfully developed plant-based tuna and crabcakes using microalgae. Co says the superior nutritional value of the company’s plant-based tuna is more nutritious than conventional tuna.
WTH Foods has launched vegan seafood | Courtesy
“We have developed plant-based tuna and crabcakes at this point, and the tuna in particular stands out because it is actually far superior in terms of nutritional value [compared to regular tuna], being that there is no cholesterol, microplastic or heavy metal contamination, but still carries the same amount of DHA and Omega-3 one would get from tuna,” Co said.
While WTH Foods primarily aims to target the European market with its seafood line, Co says that ensuring clean-label products is crucial to capture consumer interest.
Market potential
“We still see Europe as the biggest market in terms of plant-based products, and plan to first look at Central and Southern Europe for this, so places like Prague, Germany, Spain, Italy where the more cosmopolitan cities are which are more receptive to shelf stable seafood,” he said.
“The products have purposely been made clean label with just five ingredients including the microalgae and low sodium in order to increase the appeal in this market, which really places a lot of importance on clean label products.
WTH Foods launched a Filipino-inspired frozen range, Umani, earlier this year | Courtesy
“We also are pushing for South East Asian flavours in order to differentiate ourselves from what’s already out there in the market in Europe, perhaps Thai or Malaysian flavours in the tuna, and then market these as handy options for pastas or pizza toppings or sandwiches and so on,” Co said.
“We are looking for the right Asian market some of our seafood products and it’s still in the market testing phase – what we are planning to do here is to use a different kind of plant protein which might just lead to a bit of difference in the taste profile as well,” Co says/ “So while the products in Europe will be primarily pea-based, for ASEAN markets we believe that soy is still a very acceptable source of protein – as such, we will be looking at launching soy-based tuna in Southeast Asia and a more pea-based tuna for the European market.”
Some interest groups tout June as National Dairy Month, but this year, a giant PETA billboard advocating for cows could help change that. Featuring an image of a cow mired in manure with a swollen udder, the sky-high appeal for animals sits atop Waldo Pizza in Kansas City, Missouri—where it may inspire some diners to opt for a vegan slice.
How PETA’s Ad Exposes Dairy Month as a Sham
PETA’s ad in Kansas City—in place from May 31 through June 26—has an anti-Dairy Month message:
Cows suffer. Their calves are stolen from them,
then they’re killed for meat. Ditch dairy. Go vegan.
Urging everyone to ditch dairy and spare cows a life of suffering, PETA offers free recipes, articles, and resources to show how easy it is to prepare vegan food at home or to find it in restaurants in the City of Fountains and many other places around the country.
Waldo Pizza—located at 7433 Broadway St.—has a vegan menu with plenty of animal-friendly “meat” and “cheese” options. PETA chose to place its ad above the restaurant to show everyone how easy it is to choose foods that are made from plants instead of the flesh or secretions of another species.
PETA’s new ad comes after the University of Copenhagen released a study detailing the dire conditions faced by cows in the dairy industry:
[T]he welfare is worse with cattle in the most common dairy production systems in opposition to cattle in the most common beef production systems.
PETA also posted the billboard in Charleston, West Virginia.
Why Ditching Bovine Milk for Dairy Month and Beyond Is Crucial
If speciesist humans were to choose to end their addiction to bovine mammary secretions, it would help do the following:
Give the environment a better chance amid the climate catastrophe
Why Cows Deserve Respect This Dairy Month
Cows are intelligent, gentle animals who mourn the deaths of those they love and sometimes shed tears over their loss. The mother-calf bond is particularly strong. There are countless reports of mother cows who, once separated from their calves, continue to call and search frantically for their babies, who are sold to veal or beef farms.
In the dairy industry, workers confine cows amid filth, tear calves away from their mothers within a day of birth, and steal the milk meant to nourish them so companies lacking compassion can sell it to humans. It’s standard industry practice to forcibly and artificially inseminate cows—workers insert an arm into the animals’ rectum and a metal rod to deliver semen into their vagina—and to send them to an agonizing death in a slaughterhouse once their bodies wear out.
PETA’s investigations into dairy facilities have found workers electroshocking cows in the face, hitting them with poles and a cane, and abusing them in other horrific ways.
How Drinking Cow’s Milk Harms Human Health and the Planet
Humans are the only animals who drink milk beyond the age of weaning and who knowingly consume the milk of another species. Consuming bovine mammary secretions can cause a host of health problems, including broken bones, prostate and ovarian cancer, lactose intolerance, and allergies.
Fortunately, the consumption of dairy milk has been declining for years as conscientious consumers turn to healthier and tastier vegan milks. Half of Americans now consume plant-based milks, and one-third of Americans drink them weekly. An estimated 65% of the world’s human population is lactose intolerant.
According to the United Nations, about a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are linked to food production. The largest percentage of these gases comes from the dairy, meat, and egg industries. The horrific rate at which humans use cows for their mammary secretions—and their flesh for food and leather—is destroying the environment.
The most compassionate, effective, and immediate way to take action against the climate catastrophe is to go vegan. The increased demand for vegan milk from those concerned about the abuse of animals, their own health, and the environment makes this kind choice that much easier.
How You Can Help Cows During National Dairy Month and All Year Long
No animals should suffer so that speciesist humans can steal their babies and their milk. Do your part to leave cows in peace by ditching dairy and opting for delicious vegan milks, cheeses, and yogurts. Start by ordering free vegan starter kits for yourself and some friends:
Based on overwhelming evidence gathered during a PETA undercover investigation into Plainville Farms, Pennsylvania residents Juan Carlos Turi Baeza and Jose Enrique Turi Baeza pleaded guilty this morning to charges of cruelty to animals before Hon. Jessica E. Brewbaker in the Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas. They were each sentenced to 12 months of supervised probation and are prohibited from obtaining any employment that involves the care of animals during that time.
Pennsylvania State Police charged the two Turi Baezas and 10 other former Plainville workers with a total of 141 counts of cruelty to animals, the largest number in any factory-farmed animal case in U.S. history. Charges against 11 of the men remain pending from Chester, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Perry, and Union counties, including more charges against Juan Carlos Turi Baeza in Fulton County.
“Factory farms should take note that shoppers have seen PETA footage of the suffering inflicted on gentle turkeys, chickens, ducks, and pigs we’ve filmed being beaten, kicked, and cruelly killed on various farms,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “While the defendants in this case are being taken to court, PETA reminds everyone that the best way to help end such cruelty is to take personal responsibility and simply go vegan. Our resources, recipes, and tips are yours for the takin’.”
PETA’s investigator documented that workers kicked turkeys, including birds who were sick, injured, and unable to walk. After failing to break their necks, they left the birds to convulse and die in agony on the shed floor. Instead of trying to stop the abuse, a supervisor joined in, kicking turkeys and berating the investigator for not doing the same. Workers threw hens at one another as though they were basketballs. One worker pretended to masturbate with a dying bird, and another sat on and pretended to rape a live turkey.
Broadcast-quality video footage from PETA’s investigation is available here.
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 or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
On June 14, six PETA members wearing monkey masks were arrested inside a Whole Foods’ store in Washington, D.C., while holding a sit-in to protest the company’s sale of coconut milk from Thailand, including through its own 365 by Whole Foods Market brand. PETA Asia investigations have revealed that monkeys in Thailand are caged, kept in isolation, chained for life, and trained via fear of punishment to pick coconuts.
The group—five women and one man—joined more than 20 other protesters. They dumped wheelbarrows full of humanely picked coconuts outside before moving inside and sitting on checkout counters, holding posters and chanting, “Whole Foods Stop Abusing Monkeys,” for more than an hour before being handcuffed by police officers and carried out of the store. Each was charged with unlawful entry.
Following the protest, the store was closed for the rest of the day.
We’re not monkeying around, @Whole Foods Market! Six PETA supporters were arrested in #WashingtonDC today while protesting Whole Food’s support of forced monkey labor in the Thai coconut industry!
Here are more photos of PETA’s protest at a D.C. Whole Foods:
The Problem With Coconut Milk From Thailand
Many monkeys used in Thailand’s coconut-picking industry are abducted from their forest homes as babies. Handlers put metal collars and leashes on them and sometimes remove their canine teeth so they can’t defend themselves. PETA Asia’s investigative footage shows trainers striking them, dangling them by their necks, and whipping them. Because the industry and the Thai government lie about and deceive consumers about their systemic reliance on monkey labor, it’s impossible to guarantee that any coconut milk from Thailand is cruelty-free.
Whole Foods knows that Thailand’s forced monkey labor is a damnable business, yet it’s profiting off these suffering primates by obtaining coconut milk from that country. PETA is calling on Whole Foods to take a whole lot of cruelty off its shelves by selling canned coconut milk only from countries like India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, where monkey labor isn’t used.
After hearing from PETA, HelloFresh made the conscientious decision to no longer obtain coconut milk from Thailand.
Help Put an End to Forced Monkey Labor in the Thai Coconut Industry
Always check the labels on coconut milk products, and whether it’s in a can, a box, or other packaging, if it reads, “Product of Thailand,” leave the item on the shelf.
Please urge Whole Foods to stop supporting this cruel industry by refusing to sell coconut milk from Thailand.
Featuring a “talking” fish with an unmistakable New Jersey accent, a new PETA appeal near a seafood market, a fishing supply store, and multiple restaurants is asking locals, “J’eet yet?” while urging residents of the Garden State—home to six major commercial fishing ports, including a local one—to treat aquatic animals with kindness by opting for crispy vegan fish fillets and other tasty fish-free fare.
“Fish aren’t swimming potatoes. They really do talk, using squeaks, squeals, and other low-frequency sounds to communicate with each other,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “Beyond the beaches of ‘America’s Playground’ are feeling individuals who value their lives, just as we do, and PETA encourages everyone to exercise their empathy by choosing delicious vegan food.”
Fish feel pain, share knowledge, have long memories, and have cultural traditions. Some woo potential mates 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. In addition, 38 million tons of other aquatic animals are unintentionally caught each year to satisfy consumers’ demand for “seafood.” Every person who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals, including aquatic ones, each year.
PETA’s billboard is located on Christopher Columbus Boulevard, next to Bass Pro Shops, near parking for Caesars Atlantic City (which houses Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, Morton’s The Steakhouse, and KWI Noodle House), and close to Barbera Seafood Market, Dock’s Oyster House, and other restaurants.
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.
Reality might bite a little too hard for some of Narragansett’s fishing apologists: A new PETA campaign featuring facts about the damage caused by the fishing industry was removed from a bus shelter, and another one was vandalized. The messages, which PETA placed near local seafood restaurants and beaches, inform passersby that fish aren’t the only victims of the fishing industry—millions of other animals also die on its hooks and in its nets every year.
“Dolphins, sea turtles, birds, sharks, and other animals are all collateral damage to fishers and big trawlers alike,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA urges conscientious consumers to leave all animals off their plates, for the sake of animals and the planet.”
PETA points out that “bycatch”—“nontarget” marine animals who are accidentally caught while fishing—is one of the biggest threats to marine biodiversity worldwide and has resulted in widespread species extinction, habitat destruction, and irreversible damage to ocean ecosystems.
The ads appear at the following bus shelters: Sand Hill Cove Road at Roger Wheeler State Beach near Champlin’s Seafood, Boston Neck Road at Penobscot Trail near The Coastal Cabin Restaurant, Boston Neck Road north of Conanicut Road in front of Linda’s Diner and steps away from Twin Willows, and Beach Street at the South Pavilion on Narragansett Town Beach near the Coast Guard House.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—offers a free vegan starter kit to help people get hooked on vegan food. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Do you know how to keep your animal companions safe in case of a wildfire? Being prepared is your job as their guardian. PETA breaks down what you need to know to help keep animal companions safe in case of a wildfire evacuation.
Here’s a list of items to include in your companion animal wildfire evacuation kit as well as other important information:
Escape Routes and Destinations
Before a disaster strikes, ensure that your planned destination accepts companion animals. (Evacuation shelters often don’t, but hotels and motels often do. Locations that usually don’t accept companion animals may allow them in an emergency.)
Use a map to plan your escape route ahead of time. Have a Plan A, a Plan B, and maybe even a Plan C—you never know what roads may be closed during an emergency.
Identification, Documents, and Medication
Animal companions should be microchipped. Keep the microchip registry up to date with your current e-mail address, home address, and phone number.
Dogs and cats should wear properly fitted buckle collars with up-to-date ID tags that include a phone number. Dogs should also have a current license and rabies tag.
Animals who can’t wear a collar (e.g., guinea pigs, fish, etc.) should have carriers labeled with their name and species and contact information for their guardians.
Carry current photos of your animal companions in your wallet.
Make sure you have photocopies or digital copies of adoption, veterinary, and vaccination records.
Keep a list of medications as well as instructions for when and how to administer them to your animal companions.
Basic Care Necessities
Enough food and water for one to two weeks
Collapsible food and water bowls
A can opener for canned food
For dogs, a harness, a leash, and waste bags
For cats, cat litter, a small litterbox, and waste bags
A familiar blanket or bed and toys
A towel and basic cleaning supplies (e.g., disinfectant, plastic bags, and paper towels)
A companion animal first aid kit (e.g., antibiotic ointment, gauze, nonstick bandages, saline solution, disposable gloves, and styptic powder)
Phone numbers for your primary veterinarian, your emergency veterinarian, and local animal shelters
Medications, including heartworm preventive
Transport: Ensure All Animals Are Restrained While Moving
Each small- to medium-size animal should have their own carrier for travel. Smaller animals who would take comfort in each other’s company can be kept together in an adequately sized carrier. A towel or sheet placed over the top of the carrier can help keep animals calm.
Dogs who are too big for a carrier or who are uncomfortable in one should be secured in a crash-tested harness, booster seat, or seat belt.
Keep travel supplies (e.g., a leash, harness, carriers, etc.) near the door at all times.
Never leave animals unsupervised in a motor vehicle.
What to Do for Reptiles, Fish, and Other Small Animals
For fish, lidded containers with small air holes should be ready to hold them with water from their aquarium. A 5-gallon bucket with a hole for their air pump is ideal. A lid will secure fish in a car and help prevent splashing.
For reptiles, be sure to have heat lamps and pads easily accessible in case of a wildfire evacuation.
Don’t feed reptiles until you’ve arrived at your predetermined destination and set up a proper heating source. Reptiles won’t be able to digest their food properly unless they’re at a safe temperature specific to their species.
Have a few gallons of water ready. Water sources can become dirty or contaminated during an emergency and could cause serious problems for fish, reptiles, or other small animals.
How to Help Large Animals in Case of a Wildfire
Local fairgrounds and other sites may have the capacity to care for large animals in an emergency. Before a warning is in place, contact these facilities and have a plan ready.
Horses, sheep, cows, llamas, and other large animals should never be locked in stalls or otherwise confined. If you’re able to bring these animals with you in a trailer, do so.
If it’s impossible to transport the animals, they should be freed so that they can flee the flames and attempt to survive.
What You Can Do to Help Limit Wildfires and the Climate Catastrophe
From the 75-day increase in the average wildfire season in California to the roughly 9.4 million acres burned in the 2023 wildfires in Canada, it’s clear that wildfires are worsening. Due to rising temperatures caused by the climate catastrophe, trees, grasses, and soil that were previously lush are dry during hotter months. These dry conditions create the perfect environment for wildfires to start and spread quickly.
The exploitation of animals for food is responsible for nearly one-fifth of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Do your part to help stop the climate catastrophe and the wildfires that come with it: Go vegan today.
It’s the Summer of Impossible according to a stellar new ad campaign for Impossible Foods from Terry Crews’ Super Serious creative agency.
No one wants summer to end and Impossible Foods is making that known even before the season is officially underway next week. The Bay Area vegan meat company debuted its new ad campaign during the 76th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday and it’s award-worthy itself.
The Summer of Impossible
The campaign (“Making Meat History”), led by the new agency Super Serious — an up-and-coming creative studio co-founded by actor and TV host Terry Crews, alongside Matthew O’Rourke and Paul Sutton — sees the Emmy-winning director Jake Scott direct the musical spot that journeys back through meat’s history. Think the 2022 Super Bowl spot for failed crypto giant FTX that sees Larry David ringside to some of the most major inventions throughout history meets another Super Bowl ad, 2021’s Oatly spot where CEO Toni Petersson and a keyboard find musical harmony in a field of oats.
The second in the Impossible campaign series, “The Summer of Impossible,” positions Impossible not so much as a meat substitute just for vegetarians or vegans, but as meat from plants for anyone who loves the taste of meat. This campaign is made up of multiple shorter vignettes, juxtaposing the Impossible Burger with traditional animal meat burgers as they discuss their differences and similarities.
“We need to welcome consumers into the plant-based space and give them a reason to choose Impossible,” Leslie Sims, Chief Marketing & Creative Officer of Impossible Foods, said in a statement.
“These campaigns are lighthearted and approachable by design to make the choice between our products and animal meat feel less intimidating.”
‘Meat – just made from plants’
The campaigns mark a new era for Impossible Foods, which has historically followed a traditional marketing strategy including high-profile partnerships and word-of-mouth. But under Sims’ new leadership, the company is enhancing its marketing strategies to attract a broader demographic, extending beyond just vegetarians and vegans. Similar campaigns worked well for Beyond Meat, Impossible’s chief rival, when it debuted at Carl’s Jr.
A range of plant-based burgers claim to deliver a meaty experience. But Paleo says it can improve them. Courtesy: Impossible Foods
“We want consumers to know they don’t have to give up the meat they love. Impossible products are meat – just made from plants – so they’re still delicious and have a ton of other benefits,” Sims said.
The campaigns follow major shifts within the organization after Peter McGuinness was appointed CEO last year. McGuiness scrapped plans to IPO earlier this year, and in March, the company announced cuts to about 16 percent of its workforce.
But despite the hiccups, sales for the brand have been strong as it launched new products and entered new key markets. While the plant-based meat category has seen lackluster sales, particularly over at Beyond Meat, Impossible reported a 50 percent hike in retail sales last year.
DONNET
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