In time for Ash Wednesday tomorrow—and in the heart of El Paso—PETA has erected a sky-high message in the parking lot of Wendy’s, which is serving fish for Lent, and near several other eateries that serve fish, urging everyone to keep all animals off their plates during the Lenten season and, for cod’s sake, throughout the rest of the year. Nearly 80% of El Paso’s residents are Catholic.
“PETA is encouraging people to observe a Lent that’s kind to all, because fish feel pain and fear, just as all animals do,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “From fish-free fillets to mock lobster and no-crab cakes, today’s tasty vegan options are causing a sea change that makes it easy to show mercy to animals during this period of self-reflection and beyond.”
Animals are not mentioned in Genesis 1:29, which states that God provides “every seed-bearing plant” and “every tree whose fruit contains seed” as food for humans. Fish are intelligent and sensitive beings who experience pain, think, and deserve to live. They share knowledge, have cultural traditions, and communicate with one another using low-frequency sounds that humans can’t hear. Some woo potential partners by singing to them or creating intricate works of art. Despite all this, 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 conscious. In addition, 38 million tons of other aquatic animals are unintentionally caught each year to satisfy humans’ demand for “seafood.”
PETA’s billboard is located at 6201 Montana Ave., which is also near Long John Silver’s, Arby’s, and two Catholic churches.
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.
Local diners just might think twice about chowing down on fried chicken after they see—and hear—“Hell on Wheels,” PETA’s new guerilla-marketing campaign featuring a life-size chicken transport truck covered with images of real chickens crammed into crates on their way to a slaughterhouse, complete with actual recorded sounds of the birds’ cries and a subliminal message every 10 seconds suggesting that people go vegan. It will debut by driving past Tucson City Hall on Thursday before moving on to confront diners at The Drunken Chicken, Lucky Wishbone, ATL Wings, The Buffalo Spot, and other eateries through Sunday as part of the group’s national tour.
When: Thursday, February 23, 12 noon
Where: Tucson City Hall, 255 W. Alameda St., Tucson
“Behind every barbecued wing or bucket of fried chicken is a once-living, sensitive individual who was crammed onto a truck for a terrifying, miserable journey to their death,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA’s ‘Hell on Wheels’ truck is an appeal to anyone who eats chicken to remember that the meat industry is cruel to birds and that the kindest meal is a vegan one.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.
In time for Ash Wednesday tomorrow, PETA is potentially reigniting its feud with Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, this time through a sky-high message near the restaurant urging everyone to keep fish off their plates during Lent and, for cod’s sake, throughout the rest of the year.
“PETA is encouraging people to observe a Lent that’s kind to all, particularly in light of Jimmy’s Famous Seafood’s tasteless jokes about killing sea animals,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “From fish-free fillets to mock lobster and no-crab cakes, today’s tasty vegan options are causing a sea change that makes it easy to show mercy to animals during this period of self-reflection and beyond.”
Animals are not mentioned in Genesis 1:29, which states that God provides “every seed-bearing plant” and “every tree whose fruit contains seed” as food for humans. Fish are intelligent and sensitive beings who experience pain, think, and deserve to live. They share knowledge, have cultural traditions, and communicate with one another using low-frequency sounds that humans can’t hear. Some woo potential partners by singing to them or creating intricate works of art. Despite all this, 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 conscious. In addition, 38 million tons of other aquatic animals are unintentionally caught each year to satisfy humans’ demand for “seafood.”
The owners of Jimmy’s Famous Seafood infamously started a “billboard war” with PETA and have a history of mocking the animals they kill and serve as food. PETA’s billboard is located at 6400 Holabird Ave., just a two-minute walk from Jimmy’s and less than a mile from several other fish-serving eateries as well as two Catholic churches.
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 faux-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.
As the demand for vegan food continues to expand across the globe, Joy Burgers & Plants is the first vegan fast food chain to open in Latin America.
Joy Burgers & Plants opened its doors in Argentina last October. Joy offers a range of animal-free burgers, chicken, mac and cheese, nuggets, and more fast-food staples, all served in compostable and recycled packaging.
‘Franchising in mind’
According to Patricio Lescovich, one of the founders of Joy, the brand was developed with franchising in mind, leveraging the extensive experience of the founders of Hell’s Pizza and SushiClub. Lescovich is also behind the Argentinian burger restaurant named after (mostly vegetarian) actor, Kevin Bacon.
Joy is adding two more locations before the end of the fiscal quarter, with two other openings slated for later this year.
Joy Burgers & Plants is expanding in Argentina | Courtesy
In addition, Joy has partnered with Argentina’s leading plant-based alternatives company, Felices las Vacas, to develop its burgers and chicken alternatives.
Felices las Vacas has the logistics and production capacity to supply Joy’s rapid expansion plans. The company started selling soy milk in Buenos Aires in 2016 and now has an award-winning plant-based portfolio with nearly 40 products, including dairy, meat alternatives, ice cream, snacks, sweets, and drinks.
LATAM embraces plant-based
The popularity of plant-based protein in Latin America is on the rise. A study by Innova Market Insights found that 57 percent of Latin American consumers are trying to increase their consumption of plant-based protein, citing health and environmental concerns as the main motivators.
As the demand for plant-based protein continues to grow, food companies are taking notice. Leading LATAM’s shift is the Chile-based NotCo, which recently partnered with fast-food giant Burger King in LATAM. It also recently joined forces with Kraft Heinz.
Kraft Heinz and NotCo have signed a joint venture agreement earlier this year
Founded in 2015 by Matias Muchnick, Karim Pichara, and Pablo Zamora, NotCo uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to create plant-based products that taste and feel like their animal-based counterparts.
NotCo is also providing vegan chicken for Joy.
Both NotCo’s and Joy’s success in the plant-based food industry highlights the growing demand for sustainable and healthy food options outside of the U.S. and Europe.
“Sometimes you can have an excellent product and a market that is not ready to receive it,” Lescovich told Forbes Argentina last year. “But is not the case. Ours is a country that is always innovating in terms of gastronomy, on par with what happens in other parts of the world. We are prepared for a 100% vegan fast-food chain. Because Joy, in addition, is not just a hamburger restaurant for people who do not eat meat. A good part of our consumers are flexitarians, people who like the taste of meat but who try to reduce their consumption. Not only for a matter of food but also for awareness of animal care and the environment.”
Planetarians, the San Francisco-based company that creates plant-based protein from minimal ingredients, has received a $6 million venture capital infusion to help it move to its next phase of commercial production.
San Francisco-based Mindrock led the Seed II investment round, with support from Traction Fund, Techstars, SOSV, and ZX Ventures, the corporate venture arm of AB InBev — the world’s leading beer brewer, which has recently turned its focus toward the plant-based sector.
Two-ingredient vegan meat
Planetarians, which was founded in 2013 by Aleh Manchuliantsau and chef Max Barnthouse, uses spent yeast from commercial fermentation facilities and native plant proteins, such as soy leftover from the vegetable oil extraction process to produce its whole-cut carbon-neutral vegan protein that is made from just two ingredients.
“It took 7 years of R&D to work through the long list of ingredients that are possible for plant-based proteins,” Manchuliantsau said in a statement. “before we realized that one readily available fermented protein, spent yeast from breweries, could combine with soy flakes and other native plant proteins to deliver a meaty taste and texture at a low cost compared to the alternatives.”
“We are deeply grateful for the support of Mindrock, AB InBev, and the rest of our investors,” said Barnthouse.
Planetarians co-founders Max Barnthouse and Aleh Manchuliantsau
The new investment will be used to build a pilot facility and ramp up sales. The company has already verified its technology works at an industrial scale and has secured its first commercial contract. Manchuliantsau said the facility can be as small as 3,000 square feet because it gets the fermented product without having to do that process itself.
Food waste potential
“While the protein industry was developing new ways of manufacturing that poured money into expensive infrastructure,’ said Ulvi Rashid, head of investments at Mindrock, “Planetarians acted from first principles to re-purpose already existing ingredients to create affordable and sustainable meat.”
Anheuser-Busch InBev is identifying new market opportunities for spent beer yeast and grains | Courtesy
True to its name, Planetarians is tackling one of the biggest reasons people are shifting away from conventional meat: its carbon footprint. Analysts at IAMECON calculated that Planetarians vegan meat has a carbon footprint that’s 50 times better than animal meat and nine times better than most other plant-based meat, due in large part to its upcycling of existing ingredients leftover from other industries, which lowers both water and power consumption. “Eating Planetarians Vegan Meat once a week equals planting 19 trees,” the company says.
Planetarians has already tested its product with hotels, restaurants, and schools, and has secured its first commercial contract. It is now preparing its second line and is collecting orders to begin production in October. It is also working with AB InBev to place its lines across every brewery it has around the world.
“Like many other hard-working entrepreneurs and scientists, we have been trying to discover an alternative protein that hits all the marks,” Barnthouse said. “I think we have finally found it. I cannot wait to see Planetarians’ technology deployed across every brewery in the world.”
Plant-based dairy company Miyoko’s Creamery has filed a case against founder Miyoko Schinner alleging breach of contract and company IP misappropriation.
Earlier today, Green Queen received a PDF copy of court filings detailing that on February 16, Miyoko’s Creamery filed a complaint case in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California naming founder and former CEO Miyoko Schinner as the sole defendant.
The filings cite a range of complaints against Schinner: Breach of Contract, Violation of Defend Trade Secrets Act, Violation of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Breach of Duty of Loyalty and Breach of Promissory Note.
According to the filings, Schinner allegedly stole company IP and “hatched a plot to steal the Company’s property, trade secrets, and confidential information so that she could create a competing company.”
In the documents, the company says it issued multiple notices to Schinner upon discovering her plans and asked her to return the confidential items which included R&D materials such as “proprietary recipes and plant-based culture configurations”. It claims Schinner did not comply and as a result, the company “was forced to bring this action to protect its trade secrets and confidential information.”
Further allegations against Schinner mentioned in the filings include not being able to develop or maintain a strong executive team, repeatedly missing performance and financial targets, refusing to facilitate a smooth transition following her departure as CEO, and enlisting the help of now-former company employees to help her steal company documents.
Green Queen has reached out to Schinner for comment and this story will be updated when we hear back.
Schinner was removed as CEO last June
On Thursday (February 16), the company issued a press release stating that it has parted ways with company founder Miyoko Schinner citing “a new stage of growth” for the organization. The company said Schinner had exited as CEO and was no longer involved in day-to-day operations. It announced that it had hired executive search firm Heidrik & Struggles to help find a new CEO and that existing company CFO Jon Blair had taken on the role of interim President “to guide this transition” in the meantime. Schinner remains as board Chair.
In the court filings, the company says it “unanimously terminated her as CEO to move her to a more appropriate employee role” and that the company’s rapid growth “required a CEO capable of taking on the increased responsibilities that come with an expanding business and the management of a larger company.”
In a social media post commenting on the news, Schinner said that her removal as CEO “occurred months ago in June 2022” and that “negotiations for my continued involvement stalled before Christmas”, concluding that “we did not arrive at this point by my choosing”.
Credit: Miyoko’s Creamery
Miyoko’s Creamery: a vegan dairy pioneer
Miyoko’s Creamery (originally Miyoko’s Kitchen) was founded in 2014 by Schinner, a longtime vegan chef, cookbook author, activist and TV presenter.
The company, which earned B Corp status in 2019, produces a range of vegan dairy products aimed at consumers and food service including cashew-based artisan cheese wheels, a popular European-style butter, cream cheeses and other plant-based dairy spreads, and liquid mozzarella.
According to a 2021 press release, the company’s products are sold in over 20,000 retailers worldwide.
Two years ago, Miyoko’s won a legal battle against the State of California that granted the company permission to use the term “butter” to describe its products after winning a preliminary injunction in 2020, with the Judge commenting that “the State’s showing of broad marketplace confusion around plant-based dairy alternatives is empirically underwhelming.”
That same year, the company raised a $52 million Series C funding round led by PowerPlant Partners, with participation from CPT Capital, Obvious Ventures, Stray Dog Capital and JMK/Cult Capital.
Last year, Miyoko’s raised just under $7 million in equity from undisclosed investors; BizJournalsreported the company has received over $78.6 million worth of funding since its founding. According to data published on Dealroom, the company was valued $260 million as of June 2022.
PETA India recently named Acharya Prashantthe “Most Influential Vegan” of 2022. As a teacher of Vedanta—the pinnacle of Indian “wisdom literature,” rooted in self-awareness and liberation—Prashant cares deeply about ending speciesism. His passion is on display in a new video in which he sits down for an interview with PETA India founder and PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, delving into his outreach efforts; the concept of ahimsa, a core tenet of many Eastern religions that means not causing harm to any sentient being; and his many accomplishments. The two animal rights icons also discuss effective ways to persuade others to go vegan.
Watch the Interview Below: Meet the ‘Most Influential Vegan’ of 2022
As the discussion progresses between these two luminaries, central vegan concepts emerge with further clarity: the gift of consciousness; the human responsibility to make kind choices; the respect and consideration all animals deserve; why every sentient being is an individual person; how being vegan also means being against all forms of supremacy, violence, and prejudice; why killing an animal is like killing a part of oneself; how problematic it is that many Indians want to adopt destructive consumption patterns from the West, often involving speciesism; why feeling compassion should outweigh the pull of popular culture; and why we must actively share what we know.
How Prashant Earned the Title ‘Most Influential Vegan’
Prashant—the founder and CEO of the PrashantAdvait Foundation—campaigns against superstition and strongly advocates for female empowerment, protection of the natural world, compassion for animals, Vedantic wisdom, living “rightly,” and living a life of compassion and honesty. He explains in person and on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram how being vegan is an essential part of true humanity.
Prashant’s compassion shines through his work to spare the lives of cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, fish, and other animals exploited by the meat, egg, and dairy industries. His award from PETA India spotlights how he encourages everyone to live a conscious, nonviolent life and respect all sentient beings by going vegan.
He has consistently advocated against the mistreatment of animals used for food and made millions of humans aware of the perils of consuming them and “products” stolen from them, highlighting how vegan living linked to true spirituality is a solution to the global crises of poor health and environmental damage.
Teaching Vedanta pairs perfectly with raising awareness of animal liberation. Ahimsa is at the heart of this spiritual practice, so Prashant speaks often about it.
Ahimsa is deep understanding. Without that understanding, whatever one does is violence. Veganism is nothing but the logical culmination of vegetarianism. Where does vegetarianism come from? The feeling that I will not kill the animal—I don’t want to harm the animal. That same feeling finds its final expression in veganism.
—Acharya Prashant
How to Inhabit Your Inherent Ahimsa and Become an Influential Vegan Yourself
Going vegan shows compassion for animals; reduces your own risk of suffering from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity; helps fight the climate catastrophe by reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and can even help prevent future pandemics since COVID-19, SARS, swine flu, and bird flu have all been linked to confining and killing animals for food.
PETA has presented President Joe Biden with a tasty opportunaty to set a positive example for America’s nearly 62 million Catholics by keeping all animals, including fish, off his plate during Lent this year: PETA is offering to help the country’s second Catholic president throw the first-ever White House vegan fish fry—and make sure it goes swimmingly by providing delicious fare from Washington-area restaurants. In a letter sent today, the group sweetens the deal for the president—who traditionally gives up his cherished ice cream and other sweets for the 40 days of Lent—with a promise to serve the city’s best dairy-free ice cream for dessert.
“It may be inconvenient to accept the fact that fish feel pain and fear, as all animals and humans do, but anything can be made deliciously vegan these days, so leaving fish off our plates during Lent and beyond isn’t hard at all,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is offering to treat the White House to a full vegan fish fry if President Biden goes vegan for Lent, inspiring others to show mercy to animals, too.”
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.
PETA’s letter to Biden follows.
Dear Mr. President:
I’m writing on behalf of PETA, the world’s largest animal rights organization, with more than 5 million members and supporters in the U.S., with a respectful request: Will you please leave fish off your plate and go vegan for Lent? This act of mercy would encourage the nation’s Catholics to consider that fish—and all other animals—never lent humans their flesh while showing you’re aware of the devastating impact that fishing has on the environment and the health risks associated with eating them. If you agree, we’ll cater a vegan fish fry at the White House with dairy-free ice cream for dessert from Washington restaurants such as NuVegan Café, Elife Vegan Restaurant, and Little Sesame.
Pope Francis has said, “Every act of cruelty towards any creature is contrary to human dignity.” Although old Lenten abstinence laws still treat fish differently, it’s no longer a seacret that fish are smart, sensitive beings, who have distinct personalities, learn from one another, recognize themselves in mirrors, and have better memories than most humans around our age. Scientific books like Jonathan Balcombe’s What a Fish Knows: The Inner Lives of Our Underwater Cousins should prevent us from pretending that fish are some kind of swimming vegetable, insensible to pain. Fish don’t willingly give up their lives to be eaten on Fridays—or any other day.
During this period of self-reflection, please show mercy and understanding by abstaining from eating all flesh, including that of fish. Thank you for your consideration.
Although many residents are up in arms over plans to build a new taxpayer-funded slaughterhouse in Alachua County, PETA fired off a letter today to the Board of County Commissioners expressing its support for the project—if, that is, the facility is built with glass walls or includes livestream video footage so the public can see what happens inside it.
PETA notes that Alachua County Commission Chair Anna Prizzia may embrace the need for such transparency, as she has publicly stated that industrial slaughterhouses are often cited for “safety violations” and that “the animals are treated as a commodity rather than living beings, and consumers have little to no understanding of the process.”
“As long as people eat meat, they can’t complain when a slaughterhouse comes to their town, and Alachua County leaders seem to recognize that people have no idea of the houses of horror these places are,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is asking county commissioners to seize this opportunity to build a literally transparent slaughterhouse, because taxpayers have a right to see what they’re paying for.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—offers a free vegan starter kit and 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.
PETA’s letter to the Board of County Commissioners follows.
February 17, 2023
Dear Alachua County Board of Commissioners:
We’re writing from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally, including many thousands across Florida) to support the proposed construction of a cow slaughterhouse in Alachua County—but with one special request.
This proposed structure would be built with taxpayer funding, so it’s reasonable that it should have a glass wall or walls so that everyone could see inside. That would not only provide a degree of accountability but also allow anyone who wants to see what goes on inside such a place to witness the terror and torment that animals endure before they’re killed for food. Please allow me to elaborate.
Meat is no longer considered a healthy food, and animal agriculture is now condemned for contributing mightily to greenhouse gas emissions. Add to that the suffering of a vast number of animals as sensitive as you, me, or any dog or cat. As Sir Paul McCartney famously said, “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, no one would eat meat.”
It’s easy to forget where meat comes from when you see it in neatly wrapped packages in a grocery store, but animals don’t go peacefully for it. They tremble in terror, as they smell the blood and hear the cries of those ahead of them on the kill line. When it’s their turn, cows are shot in the head with a captive-bolt gun—which we have shown is not always accurately aimed—and hung up by one leg, often dislocating their hips. Then their throats are cut and they are gutted—sometimes while they’re still conscious. They fight for their lives because, just like you and me, they don’t want to die.
Surely, everyone has the right to see this process and to consider who animals are, what makes them tick, and how they feel, especially since the meat industry is heavily subsidized by taxpayers. Cows are curious, clever animals who sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to escape slaughter. They understand cause-and-effect relationships and become excited when they figure out how to do something, such as operating a water pump with their horns. They are gregarious, forming intense friendships and holding grudges against herd members who have treated them badly. They are thinking, feeling individuals.
The residents who have pointed out how cruel, dangerous, environmentally destructive, and unhealthy it is to kill and eat sentient beings are correct. Meanwhile, vegan foods continue to proliferate on grocery store shelves. But should you insist on building a slaughterhouse, at least be transparent about what goes on inside it by giving it a viewing wall and livestreaming its operations for the rest of the world to see.
Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.
At the Tar Heel facility, the largest pig slaughterhouse in the world, workers kill up to 36,000 pigs in a single day. The sanitation and animal welfare violations in FSIS’ reports between December 2021 and December 2022 would make anyone sick:
An inspector discovered feces of various colors and consistencies, “unidentifiable foreign material,” and wood chips on pigs’ body parts that were going to be sold for human consumption. In some cases, workers simply trimmed the feces off the meat.
Hydraulic fluid leaked onto two dead pigs in a cooler, an unidentified liquid dripped from a pipe directly onto ribs on a conveyor belt, and welding sparks landed directly on pig kidneys intended for human consumption.
Employees of the slaughterhouse entered the bathroom without removing the smocks and gloves they wore while cutting apart pig corpses.
An FSIS inspector found roaches in the facility twice, and it’s impossible to know how many have gone undiscovered. In one instance, an inspector saw “numerous” roaches along a 50- to 60-foot span along a wall, and in the other, an inspector noted that “no one was addressing” roaches on a wall.
Boxes of rancid, foul-smelling, slimy meat were found rotting inside the facility.
Cleaning routines were “inadequate to nonexistent,” and inspectors often documented that “fat particles” and other matter from the previous day’s butchering were left on equipment.
Meat was dropped on the contaminated floor, picked up, and returned to processing.
In addition to these stomach-turning findings, conditions for live pigs at the slaughterhouse were horrific. In August 2022, a worker was caught trying to force three pigs who couldn’t walk—and two others with porcine stress syndrome, a debilitating disorder—toward a gas killing chamber, in violation of federal regulations. In May of that year, workers similarly attempted to force a pig with porcine stress syndrome, who was trembling, panting, and sitting down, into the facility to be killed. It’s worth noting that Smithfield’s use of gas chambers to stun pigs forces them to endure their last minutes suffocating in extreme pain, thrashing around and screaming, desperate to escape.
On October 31, 2022, an inspector found several pigs piled on top of one another in a truck and watched as many of them “slid and fell down” a ramp while workers offloaded them. Pigs already suffer tremendously in transport: According to a 2006 industry report, more than 1 million pigs die each year from transport alone. This pile of bodies and the immense suffering it caused for the pigs were avoidable with an updated truck design. Inexplicably, only some of Smithfield’s transport fleet had been modified with the “upgrades.”
Help Pigs by Going Vegan Today
These disgusting stories from Smithfield’s Tar Heel slaughterhouse are especially disturbing, but many of their details ring true of every slaughterhouse. There’s no such thing as “humane meat.”
For animals’ well-being and your own health, the most powerful action you can take is to go vegan. Each person who goes vegan saves nearly 200 animals per year. PETA’s got your back with a free vegan starter kit, with tips and delicious recipes to help get you on your way.
McDonald’s and Beyond Meat are expanding their McPlant line of plant-based products with the addition of McPlant Nuggets in Germany, starting on February 22.
The vegan nuggets are made from peas, corn, wheat, and tempura breading. The fast-food chain is also adding the McPlant burger to its menu in Germany. McDonald’s and Beyond Meat have been working together since 2019 when they signed a three-year deal for Beyond Meat to become the preferred patty supplier for McDonald’s McPlant burger. Since then, the burger has been permanently added to menus in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands, and now Germany.
Courtesy Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat’s chicken has been available in restaurants since mid-2021, when the company rolled out its revamped recipe. But the new McPlant Nuggets are an exclusive recipe for McDonald’s in Germany.
Despite the expansion of the McPlant line, Beyond Meat’s sales have been disappointing over the past year, and the company’s stock value has dropped by 75 percent. Last October, Beyond announced it would lay off 19 percent of its workforce.
But Beyond Meat continues to move forward; the company’s stock closed up 12 percent on Wednesday prior to the announcement of the McPlant Nuggets. Beyond Meat is expected to report its fourth-quarter results on February 23 after the bell.
Vegan fast-food demand
In recent years, many fast-food chains, including Burger King, KFC, and Subway, have introduced vegetarian or vegan options to their menus to cater to health-conscious consumers who want to reduce their meat intake. Most recently, chicken chain Chick-fil-A added a cauliflower-based vegetarian sandwich option.
Beyond Meat, which was founded in 2009, has been at the forefront of this trend, developing meat substitutes made from plant-based ingredients.
Although McDonald’s and Beyond Meat have been expanding the availability of their McPlant products in Europe, it is unclear when the McPlant line will reappear in the U.S. McDonald’s and Beyond ended their U.S. test of the McPlant burger in 2022 and haven’t announced any plans for additional testing or a nationwide launch.
TiNDLE adds chicken tenders to its lineup | Courtesy
The market for plant-based meat substitutes is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. According to a recent report from MarketsandMarkets, the global plant-based meat market is expected to reach $8.3 billion by 2025, up from $4.6 billion in 2020. The report cites increasing consumer demand for plant-based products, as well as improvements in the taste and texture of meat substitutes, as key factors driving the market.
Germany, like much of Europe, has seen a steady rise in demand for vegan options. Earlier this year, Singapore-based vegan chicken brand Tindle, announced the launch of six vegan chicken products at more than 6,000 German supermarkets.
Mardi Gras—or “Fat Tuesday”—is the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. This cultural phenomenon, which draws people from around the world to the Big Easy each year, is marked by parades, music, and tons of sweet, fatty foods. The iconic dish of Mardi Gras is the king cake, generally a ring-shaped cake covered with icing and green, purple, and gold sprinkles. Traditionally, there’s also a small porcelain baby baked into the cake representing Jesus, which is supposed to bring luck and prosperity to the person who finds it. While the dessert is sometimes made with eggs stolen from chickens and milk meant for baby cows, we’ve found some that are made without any animal exploitation and suffering.
Erin McKenna’s Bakery (multiple locations and nationwide shipping)
On the online marketplace Goldbelly, you can order Erin McKenna’s Vegan + Gluten Free King Cake Kit, which comes complete with tinted vegan sugar and a “baby” to bake inside.
Multiple pickup locations are available for Van Friendly’s gluten-free and vegan King Cake Box, which includes four King Cake Donuts and a traditional cinnamon-flavored cake.
Filled or unfilled vegan king cakes are available for pickup at this all-vegan bakery in New Orleans. Filling flavors include Chocolate Tiramisu, Bavarian Cream, Cream Cheese, Strawberry Cream Cheese, and Almond Cream.
Head to White House Coffee and Creamery if you want a single slice of cinnamon-spiced vegan and gluten-free king cake topped with a tasty icing and colorful sugar.
While the indulgent king cakes of this confectionary are sold out online, you can still find them at locations around the New Orleans area, including Haydel’s Bakery, Grounded Coffee Cafe, the Lafreniere Park Farmers Arts Market on Wednesdays from 2 to 7 p.m., and other locations announced ahead of time on the confectionery’s social media.
These cakes offer tons of flavor without doing an ounce of harm to chickens or cows. It’s easy to celebrate Mardi Gras while being kind to animals—check out these vegan Mardi Gras recipes for your own inspiration, and order a free vegan starter kit for more tips:
Going vegan is a piece of plant-based cake when you remember that by making the switch, you’ll be sparing the lives of animals, helping to protect the environment, and improving your health. If you’re already vegan, keep up the good work! If not, what are you waiting for? Stop with the excuses and start living compassionately.
We’ve heard every excuse in the book, but none of them holds up. Here are a few tips to motivate you to go vegan or to stay on track if you’ve already made the animal-friendly switch.
No, you don’t have to give up cheese—just go dairy-free!
Can’t give up cheese? Well, you don’t have to! Going vegan doesn’t mean limiting the foods you eat—it just means taking the cruelty out of them. Top your pizza with cashew-based mozzarella, sprinkle some vegan Parmesan on your pasta, and spread dairy-free cream cheese on your bagel.
Brands like Miyoko’s Creamery and Daiya offer a variety of delicious vegan cheeses that have all the cheesy flavor but without causing the suffering of mother cows, whose babies are torn away from them by the cruel dairy industry.
If you think vegan burgers don’t have the flavor you expect, you clearly haven’t tried a Beyond Burger! These protein-packed patties look and taste much like traditional burgers, but no animals were exploited and slaughtered to make them. To sweeten the deal, you can find Beyond Meat foods at most major grocery stores.
Plenty of other brands have perfected the meat-free burger, too. Check your local Whole Foods store for NotBurger and Meatless Farm burgers, and get grilling!
When it comes to supplements, stick to the basics.
Taking dietary supplements isn’t just a vegan thing. Research shows that the vast majority of Americans don’t get enough key nutrients in their diet.
Getting the nutrition you need is nothing to stress about—just eat a balanced mix of vegan foods, like beans, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and add a multivitamin to your routine that contains other essential nutrients like B12, vitamin D, iodine, and selenium.
Save time in the kitchen.
So you don’t have time to cook elaborate meals. Who does? You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to prepare simple, delicious vegan dishes. Check out some of PETA’s simple vegan recipes, like three-ingredient lentil soup, five-ingredient hummus pasta, and more.
Additionally, a quick search for “vegan” on your favorite delivery app should bring up lots of options for vegan meals. If you need help getting started, order PETA’s free vegan starter kit, which is packed full of helpful tips and recipes.
Did you know that plenty of big-shot athletes—including world-famous tennis star Venus Williams—are vegan?
Carbohydrate-rich foods like potatoes, oats, pasta, and fruit are the perfect workout fuel, and there’s no shortage of plant-based protein sources, such as beans, lentils, peas, soy, peanuts, quinoa, cashews, and pumpkin seeds.
Get creative with tofu.
If you haven’t warmed up to tofu, don’t worry—you can opt for plenty of other vegan protein sources, such as seitan, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Even so, we suggest trying new ways to prepare tofu before you write it off completely. Try adding it to a flavorful stir-fry or blending it to make tofu ricotta. And have you tried Sriracha tofu yet?
Become familiar with kid-friendly vegan foods.
By going vegan, you can help encourage your family to eat more vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. You can also boost your skills in the kitchen by finding ways to veganize foods your kids already enjoy!
There’s certainly no shortage of kid-friendly vegan foods, from dairy-free boxed mac ’n’ cheese to meatless chicken nuggets.
More restaurants nowadays are adding to their menus to accommodate vegan diners, so dining out is the perfect opportunity to encourage businesses to offer more vegan meals. Even better, gather your friends together to support local all-vegan restaurants!
Rely on vegan-friendly apps when you travel.
You can be a vegan foodie anywhere in the world. Follow vegan food travelers on Instagram to find awesome vegan spots, and download the HappyCow app, which will show you where to find the nearest vegan grub, no matter where you are.
Save money at the grocery store.
Vegan lunches and dinners cost 40% less on average than those that contain meat or fish. Check out PETA’s guide to cheap vegan grocery shopping for some tips to save money while eating nutritious foods.
Take the 3-Week Vegan Challenge
If you need another vegan boost, take PETA’s 3-Week Vegan Challenge, which includes our three-week meal plan, simple vegan recipes, product recommendations, and tips for dining out:
Following reports that an Oscar Mayer Wienermobile’s catalytic converter was stolen last week, PETA sent a letter this morning to parent company Kraft Heinz’s North American zone president, Carlos Abrams-Rivera, offering to cover the costs of replacing the part and maintaining the vehicle for one year—if the company converts it to a vegan hot dog mobile, a switch that might not prove too hard for the company, considering that it has plans to drive sales of its vegan dogs said to be in development.
PETA notes that the vegan hot dog market grew 20% last year—and because Kraft Heinz is exploring vegan meats with NotCo, including Oscar Mayer “Not Hot Dogs,” it’s the perfect time for the vehicle to shift gears.
“Instead of slinging cancer-causing processed meat made from cows’ livers and pigs’ snouts, the Oscar Mayer NotDogMobile would dish up the delicious veggie dogs that today’s diners want,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA would relish the opportunity to help Oscar Mayer ketchup with the booming vegan food market.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—offers free vegan starter kits to help anyone make the switch. 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 Abrams-Rivera follows.
February 16, 2023
Carlos Abrams-Rivera
Executive Vice President and President, North America Zone
The Kraft Heinz Company
Dear Mr. Abrams-Rivera:
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 thousands in Chicago—following reports about the theft of a catalytic converter from a Wienermobile in Las Vegas, with an offer you could really sink your teeth into. PETA is willing to cover the cost of the replacement part and the maintenance of the vehicle for one year if you convert it into a Not Dogmobile or something similar. With the rising demand for vegan hot dogs and following last year’s report about the potential for Oscar Mayer Not Hot Dogs, now is the perfect time to put the brakes on an old idea and make a shift. Allow me to elaborate.
As you know, the global market for plant-based hot dogs grew by a whopping 20% last year and is projected to reach a market value of $1.99 billion by 2032. In fact, 79% of Gen Zers choose to go meatless one day a week, while 65% want to follow a more plant-based diet. Eating hot dogs can put consumers of all ages in the fast lane to ill health. As a recent study showed, eating just one hot dog can take 36 minutes off a human life. The World Health Organization reports that eating processed meat—including hot dogs—causes cancer, while studies show that consuming vegan foods like protein-rich, cholesterol-free tofu reduces the risk of suffering from certain types of cancer, heart disease, and strokes.
There’s another excellent reason to consider a Veggie Dog Mobile: Pigs, cows, and other animals commonly used for hot dogs are intelligent, sensitive individuals who feel pain and form strong bonds with others. Putting the brakes on products made from animals and promoting tasty vegan dogs instead would spare living, feeling beings this miserable fate and win you a place in all compassionate hearts.
Frankly, we want everyone to consider that they now have options, whether they’re vegan for ethical, environmental, health, religious, or other reasons or they just want to try a vegan hot dog. Since Americans’ appetite for cruelty-free foods is only growing, we hope you’ll relish this opportunity to ketchup with the trend by having at least one veggie dog mobile. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.
Haofood, the leading producer of vegan chicken made from peanuts, says its clean-label plant-based chicken is now available in China.
Made without any artificial additives, preservatives, thickeners, or MSG, Haofood’s clean Carefree Pulled Chickless chicken is now available in select restaurants and via the Haofood website.
Haofood says demand for plant-based food options in China and the greater Asian market is on the rise, making it crucial for brands to “stay informed and adaptable” in order to remain competitive
Carefree Pulled Chickless
The Shanghai-based company, which launched in 2020, says it conducted several consumer studies to better understand consumer preferences. It says the top three cited obstacles to including plant-based meat are taste, unnatural additives, and cost.
The company says its Carefree range addresses these challenges.
Haofood’s new pulled peanut chicken comes in three flavors | Courtesy
“Clean-label products will be more favourable for consumers, as one of the main reasons to choose plant-based products are for health benefits,” Astrid Prajogo, Founder & CEO of Haofood, said in a statement. “The consumer demands for the assurance that they are eating the healthiest and safest food product, and at the same time that it is less harmful to the planet. Carefree Pulled Chickless is healthy and delicious — using simpler and plant-based ingredients produced with our know-how that enables us to create great texture and taste at the same time.”
According to Haofood, even when a plant-based product meets food safety regulations, consumers are wary if it contains artificial or excessive additives. And when plant-based products are more costly than conventional, Haofood says it makes consumers even less likely to add the products to their shopping carts.
Yip Hon Mun, an expert from the alternative protein industry and Haofood’s board member says Haofood’s new chicken offers a clean-label, innovative solution. “With a focus on consumer needs and a dedication to staying ahead of market trends, Haofood is setting a high bar for the industry.”
Larry Lee, Founder and CEO of China Plant Based Food Association likens the plant-based food industry to other lifestyle categories such as cosmetics that he says require “constant” research and development to keep consumers interested. “This clean-label product is exactly what our industry needs now,” he said.
The new Carefree Pulled Chickless range comes in three flavors: Original, Xinjiang Spices, and Salt & Pepper, and Haofood says the products are priced on par with chicken breasts and cost about half as much as the average plant-based meat products. The products are available at restaurants in China including 2060, the plant-based fast food restaurant located at Wanda Mall in Wujiaochang, and as pre-orders on the Haofood WeChat store.
Local diners just might think twice about chowing down on fried chicken after they see—and hear—“Hell on Wheels,” PETA’s new guerilla-marketing campaign featuring a life-size chicken transport truck covered with images of real chickens crammed into crates on their way to a slaughterhouse, complete with actual recorded sounds of the birds’ cries and a subliminal message every 10 seconds suggesting that people go vegan. It will debut by driving through Las Cruces Downtown Plaza on Thursday before moving on to confront diners at Grandy’s, Hooters, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chick-fil-A, Cattle Baron, and other eateries through Friday as part of the group’s national tour.
When: Thursday, February 16, 12 noon
Where: Las Cruces Downtown Plaza, 200–298 N. Main St., Las Cruces
“Behind every barbecued wing or bucket of fried chicken is a once-living, sensitive individual who was crammed onto a truck for a terrifying, miserable journey to their death,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA’s ‘Hell on Wheels’ truck is an appeal to anyone who eats chicken to remember that the meat industry is cruel to birds and that the kindest meal is a vegan one.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.
Over in foodservice, behavioral architecture and future-thinking operators are ushering in an age of plant-forward corporate cafeterias, which is good news for both the planet and a new generation of climate-conscious talent.
While the debate over the future of the plant-based meat industry rages on, one area that is showing signs of hope in the fight to reframe what’s on our plate is foodservice. SPINS data, often quoted in hit pieces by underfunded journalists about the supposed demise of the sector covers retailer stats- think grocery stores and other shopping outlets where consumers can purchase food. And while in the US the numbers show flat or negative retail growth for plant-based meat replacement products (important note: Europe, Latam and Asia data does not support the same narrative) as consumers fight rising food inflation, the higher prices of most of these products compared to their conventionally-reared animal counterparts and a general ebb of the novelty of headline-grabbing brands like Impossible Foods, foodservice operators offer lessons in how to transition consumers to lower emissions, plant-forward diets.
A still from the ‘Plant-Forward Meals’ page on the Compass Group website.
Foodservice giants commit to plant-forward eating
Foodservice is a broad term that encompasses everything from school cafeterias to corporate canteens, as well as hospitals, travel meals (food service in airport lounges, on airplanes, in trains) and restaurants (including fast food chains).
Foodservice operators, a fairly consolidated industry that counts giants such as UK-headquartered Compass Group and French MNC Sodexo, are increasingly committing to a more plant-forward offering for the patrons they serve as they work to decarbonize their operations, particularly those pesky Scope 3 numbers aka emissions from agriculture, food processing, waste, and transport upstream, as well as transport, consumption, and waste downstream.
Back in 2021, Compass Group said it was planning to replace 40% of the animal-based foods throughout its supply chain with alternative proteins as part of its net-zero emissions campaign.
Earlier this year, Sodexo shared that ten percent of all meals sold across almost 500 outlets in their UK and Ireland business in 2022 were vegan or vegetarian, up from 8% in 2021. For healthcare clients, that figure was 17%.
Choice Architecture & The Power of Nudging
Eve Turow-Paul, founder of the non-profit Food for Climate League, which works with partners such as Sodexo’s Future Food Collective and the Better Food Foundation to democratize sustainable eating and empower consumers towards climate-smart eating using nudging and choice architecture says that you can shift the norm “by making plant-based or plant-forward the default offering, while still providing the option to consume animal products with a request”.
Dr Sophie Attwood, senior behavorial scientist at the World Resources Institute, has done extensive research on the levers that help change people’s dietary habits. She agrees that making the desired choice accessible and convenient is key. “Some of the stronger approaches are those that don’t directly rely on people making a thought-through change each time they select lunch (i.e. talking to them about the environment etc), but instead craft their choice context so this decision naturally flows.”
In a review of all the levers (her team has identified 81 in total) people use to make food choices, she says there is the most evidence for approaches that “modify the food offering and then incentivize the desired choice – i.e. Increase the variety of plant-rich dishes on offer, add more of them to the menu, and then sell them at a good price or offer reward/loyalty card points.
Linkedin, the US-based business social media company that has over 21,000 employees globally, worked with Sodexo subsidiary Good Eating Company (GEC) and Greener By Default (GDB), an organization that uses behavioral choice architecture to help make plant-based food choices the default says it has halved the carbon emissions of its San Francisco office and saved 14,400 CO2 equivalent, for comparison that’s the emission of driving 35,000 miles.
The company launched a 12-week pilot that involved replacing the majority meat-based menu with a majority plant-based menu (a 2:1 ratio of dishes, or 65% plant-based), making oat milk the default coffee bar choice and featuring flavors rather than words like “vegan” and “vegetarian” on the menu dish title cards.
A company spokesperson told VegNews: “We’ve always incorporated plant-forward efforts into our program, but working with GBD allowed us to take it to the next level and make plant-based offerings front and center while still preserving freedom of choice.”
Interestingly, they did not face any employee pushback. According to a statement by a Sodexo spokesperson, “the pilot was extremely successful.” Not only was the amount of meat served and resulting carbon emissions halved, “diner satisfaction remained constant.”
GEC chef Alicia Jenish Mc Carron, who worked on the pilot, said in a video that “we’ve had not a [sic] negative word about the reduced meat option”. A Linkedin employee said that because of the options presented during the pilot, he ate “a lot more vegetables and a lot more plant-based food”.
Younger Employees Are ‘Eating Less Meat’
Offering environmentally-friendly foods may be key to retaining upcoming talent. Fedele Bauccio, co-founder of Bon Appétit Management Company, which provides food service at corporate cafeterias (including LinkedIn) told the New York Times that younger employees in particular are “demanding more culturally authentic meals and climate-friendly kitchen protocols” and “eating less meat”.
This tracks with what Turow-Paul has observed. “There are many ways to increase eater interest in plant-forward dishes, mainly because people seem to already be interested, it’s just that our usual environments aren’t conducive to plant-forward dining.”
Veganuary, a yearly UK-based global campaign aimed at getting people to try out a vegan diet for 31 days in the month of January says over 150 organizations have signed on to the non-profit’s Veganuary Workplace Challenge. This is a 50% increase compared to last year. 100+ organizations joined in 2022 and more than 60 in 2021, according to numbers shared with Green Queen.
This year, names such as Aveda, Loyola Marymount University, Behaviorally, and LinkGraph are participating. Companies are looking for ways to curb their corporate emissions and empower their employees to discover climate-conscious eating. “By collaborating and making a commitment to Veganuary, we are taking another step and doing our part to support a more sustainable future for all” added Janice Lai, VP Marketing at Behaviorally.
Source: IKEA
Restaurant Chains Are Getting Involved Too
In 2020, the furniture behemoth IKEA pledged that by 2025, 50% of the main dishes offered in its store restaurants would be plant-based and 80% would be red meat-free. Further, it promised that 80% of all of its packaged food would be plant-based. While most people associate IKEA with budget DIY assembly furniture, the Swedish giant told Fast Company in 2019 that it was the sixth-largest restaurant chain in the world. Buildd.co estimates the company serves over 230 million customers at its restaurant each year. That makes the company’s plant-based commitment incredibly powerful from an emissions reduction perspective.
Burger King’s UK franchise made a similar commitment in 2021, stating that 50% of its menu will be plant-based by 2031 at its 500+ locations across the country.
In May of last year, Blue Bottle Coffee chain announced it had made oat milk the default milk choice in their US location (approximately 100 stores) as part of the company’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2024 writing in a blog post that they estimated dairy to be a leading source of emissions in their cafe operations and “sought the opportunity to go plant-based and reframe what it means for a choice to be ‘alternative.’”
Early trials showed promising results in terms of consumer behavior: in Southern California, the company saw a 28 percent increase in oat milk-based beverage orders over six months in 2021 and a 40% increase in New York stores in early 2022 compared to the previous six months.
Plant-based food and beverage manufacturer SunOpta has opened a new $125 million production facility in order to double its output.
Minneapolis-based SunOpta says its Midlothian, Tex., plant is now open, bringing 175 new jobs to the region. SunOpta has invested nearly $200 million into its production capacity over the last three years, with $125 million for this facility alone. The company says the new facility will allow it to double production by 2025 with a focus on plant-based milk and creamers.
“This plant is an important part of SunOpta’s long-term goals and a powerful next step in our company vision,” Joe Ennen, CEO of SunOpta, said in a statement.
SunOpta works as a co-packer for a number of brands including Costco’s Kirkland label, as well as offers its own-label product ranges including Sown, Dream, West Life, and Sunrise Growers.
Low-carbon production facility
“The fully-equipped and state-of-the-art facility will enhance our manufacturing and supply chain capabilities. In addition, through innovation and our dedication to sustainability, we can respond to the increasing nationwide demand for plant-based food and beverages,” Ennen said.
The new location supports SunOpta’s sustainability initiatives, the company says, with the Midlothian facility reducing carbon emissions through more efficient power use, water conservation, and the use of recycled materials in offices and labs.
SunOpta has opened a new sustainable factory | Courtesy
The strategic location will also see reduced emissions through lower transport needs. SunOpta says it will reduce more than 15 million freight miles annually, saving the equivalent of nearly 60 million pounds of CO2.
SunOpta anticipates water usage will drop by 20 million gallons per year, and its energy-efficient HVAC system will reduce energy use by 45 percent. The use of LED lighting and water heaters will drop power use by 95 percent.
The 285,000-square-foot facility will expand to 400,000 square feet as the company anticipates its future growth. At its full capacity, SunOpta says it will be the company’s largest plant-based food and beverage facility in operation.
Dairy-free leaders
Two years ago, SunOpta acquired legacy vegan milk brands Westsoy and Rice Dream for a combined $33 million, now rebranded as West Life and Dream.
The two brands are expected to play a vital role in SunOpta’s production expansion plans.
SunOpta has re-branded legacy dairy-free brands | Courtesy
West Life saw a 30 percent sales increase last month compared to the plant-based milk category’s three percent increase.
“Both of these brands have been around for decades and play different roles for different customers,” Mike Buick, SunOpta’s senior vice president and general manager of plant-based foods and beverages, told the Star Tribune earlier this month.
During an investor conference in January, Ennen called plant-based milk a “40-year overnight success story.”
“We have a lot of different ways to win in this business,” Ennen said in a nod to the company’s range of capabilities for ingredients and packaging.
“An investor one time said in a gold rush, you want to be selling picks and shovels,” Ennen said. “We represent that kind of picks-and-shovels model.”
One-third of US consumers say they like/love plant-based foods, and restaurant operators are increasingly likely to add plant-based menu items, with price and taste still key attributes for diners.
In a January webinar titled ‘The State of Plant-Based in Food Service’, the Plant-Based Foods Association (PBFA), a US-based trade association representing leading plant-based brands, shared some data about how US restaurants are thinking about plant-based meat and plant-based dairy products and what their plans are for 2023.
The PBFA report, produced in partnership with Datassential, US restaurant industry menu database MenuTrends to gather data from a nationally representative sample of 4,800 US chains and independent restaurants. The report features some key data and insights. Below, we highlight what you need to know.
Close to two-thirds of fast-casual restaurants plan to offer plant-based menu items in 2023
Almost half (48.4%) of all restaurants currently offer plant-based alternatives. Trend-forward restaurants are most likely to offer plant-based options (64.7% fast-casual restaurants) with fine dining restaurants the least likely (31.6%) and QSR restaurants coming in at 41.8%. Since 2012, growth in plant-based food menu penetration across all operators stands at 62%.
‘Plant-based’ as a diet and menu descriptor is growing
In terms of menu descriptions and dietary terms, ‘plant-based’ as a descriptor has grown by 20% across national restaurants, compared to 7% for ‘vegetarian’ and 11% for ‘vegan’ over the past year. ‘Dairy-free’ is also up 20%. Over the past 4 years, ‘vegan’ is up 98%.
One-third of US consumers like/love plant-based foods
According to the survey, 28% of the US population has an affinity for plant-based foods (this is defined as consumers who love/like plant-based), with younger consumers (Gen X and Millenials), Asian and Black ethnicities, and fast-casual restaurant consumers especially likely to support these products.
Price and taste are still the biggest concerns for plant-based meat consumers
When polled about the concerns around eating less meat in restaurants versus eating more plants and plant-forward foods, 40% of consumers said they were worried about not being satisfied with the taste of the alternative meat, while 30% were concerned about paying too much for such dishes. Not getting enough protein (27%) and plant-based foods being too processed (18%)were much further down the list.
60% of restaurants operators see plant-based as a long-term trend
Four times as many operators plan to add plant-based to their menus over the next twelve months than those who said they would drop these products from their menus. 28% of operators plan to add more plant-based menu items (21% for QSR chains), while 29% said they don’t feature them at all and don’t plan to (46% for QSR). 7% said they plan to remove some or all from their menu (8% for QSR).
When asked whether plant-based meat substitutes were a long-term trend or a short-term fad, 60% of operators said long-term.
Plant-based meat burgers restaurant launches double that of whole veggie burgers
Despite the many headlines around the processed nature of plant-based burgers, the latter are expected to double their penetration on restaurant menus, compared to veggie burgers (defined by the survey as traditional plant-based burgers including black bean burgers, chickpea burgers and burgers from brands like Morningstar Farms and Boca).
Consumers are ready for other categories of plant-based like eggs and seafood
That being said, beyond burger patties, other plant-based food products and formats were highlighted as having strong YoY growth potential including plant-based crumbles (87%), seafood (57%), fish (44%), and eggs (52%), as consumers were getting used to burgers (14%) and sausages (24%).
Plant-based meat is doing well overseas
While no exact numbers were shared, PBFA noted that overseas markets have become a key focus for plant-based meat brands, highlighting Burger King’s plant-based menu across many European countries. The USDA’s Foreign Services Agency recently published a report directed at US plant-based brands calling for them to export to Germany where the plant-based foods category is popular and growing.
Plant-based dairy is showing strong growth across all types of products
Dairy-free menu offerings are up over 20% across all restaurant segments and 31% at fast-casual operators. Almond milk is the most popular alternative drinking milk offering on menus, with 3.6% penetration and 41% growth over the past four years. Oat milk comes in at 1.9%; the report notes that oat milk had almost no menu appearances four years ago but is now experiencing strong growth. Coconut milk is by far the most popular alternative milk for savory cooking applications (i.e. used in another dish like a curry). Plant-based cheese has 4.5% menu penetration across all restaurants, with a y-year growth of 110%; mozzarella is the most popular. The report suggests that there is a great deal of potential for this sub-sector.
Plant-based menu launches can offer restaurant menus ‘uniqueness’
The report says that while general monthly menu launches are almost back to pre-Covid levels, uniqueness ratings are declining so there is an opportunity for plant-based food to help operators get those numbers up. January and September are the most popular months for restaurants to launch limited-time plant-based menu offerings.
Cashew fruit meat startup Cajú Love has made its retail debut with placement in select retailers across Los Angeles, Portland, and New York.
Hawaii-based Cajú Love is carving a new category in the booming vegan meat market. But unlike the majority of products made from processed soy, pea, and wheat bases, it’s jumping on a vegan meat trend that started with jackfruit and tacking on food waste commitments as well.
Fruit meat
Cajú Love is using cashew fruit as its meaty substitute. The meat not only offers a sustainable replacement for conventional meat, but it also reduces the agricultural waste left over from the cashew industry. The company says since its 2021 launch, it has upcycled more than 100,000 cashew apples by turning them into vegan meat. It says one 200g pack of cashew fruit meat uses five cashew fruits.
Cajú Love co-founders Felipe Barreneche and Alana Lima show off the fruit | Courtesy
Agricultural waste is a big problem, contributing to the global food waste issue. The United Nations says about one-third of all food is wasted — about 1.3 billion tons annually. This isn’t just a waste of food, but a key contributor to global warming. The United Nations says it adds about 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year, costing the global economy nearly $1 trillion.
Cajú Love says more than two million tons of cashew fruits go to waste in Brazil every year. But uses run the gamut from juice — which uses up about eight percent of the fruits — to jam, wine, candy, and animal feed.
The global Products from Food Waste or upcycled food market size was valued at nearly $53 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.6 percent to reach $83.26 billion by 2032. The Upcycled Certified program is estimated to prevent 840 million lbs. of food waste each year.
Market-ready
The hyped-up cashew fruit meat is now ready for consumers with the company announcing placement at Besties Vegan Paradise in Los Angeles, Food Fight! Grocery in Portland, Ore., and Orchard Grocer in New York City. It’s also available on Amazon.
Cajú Love hits retail stores in the U.S. | Courtesy
“Cashew fruit meat has the potential to feed a growing population without putting pressure on the environment,” Cajú Love founder Alana Lima, said in a statement.
“Cajú Love has been a pioneer in the upcycled food movement by creating a new plant-based staple from upcycled cashew fruits. We have built a new supply chain system to upcycle cashew apples that helps conserve energy in food production, reduce food waste, soil exploitation and water usage, and provides an additional income stream for local farmers,” she added.
Beth Sullivan, owner of Food Fight! Grocery says that her customers have been very excited to try Cajú Love. “We have had several add it to their weekly shopping list,” she said.
Papa John’s expands its South Korea vegan presence while a national brand pushes ahead with U.S. almond cheese expansion plans.
U.S. pizza chain giant Papa John’s has brought two new vegan pizza options to 220 locations across South Korea for the first time.
Papa John’s South Korea
The new Papa John’s pizzas, Green Eat Vegetable Margarita and Green Eat Vegetable Garden Special, feature vegan cheese and a certification pass from the U.K.-based Vegan Society.
“Although the domestic market is still small compared to the overseas vegan market, the role of a premium pizza brand is to respond to preferences of each consumer,” Jeon Joong-gu Papa John’s Korea head, said in a statement.
Papa John’s brings vegan pizza to South Korea | Courtesy
South Korea has been steadily expanding its stake in the vegan market. Last November, Red Baron pizza’s parent company, South Korea’s food giant CJ CheilJedang, invested in New Culture Foods, a precision fermentation cheese startup. CJ CheilJedang’s holdings accounts for about 25 percent of the U.S. frozen pizza market.
“CJ CheilJedang has invaluable experience and connections in the food and pizza industries that will provide New Culture pivotal scale-up momentum as we push forward our go-to-market strategy,” Matt Gibson, co-founder and CEO, New Culture, said in a statement. “This partnership brings New Culture one step closer to being America’s favorite cheese, animal-free or not.”
Almond cheese comes to the U.S.
The news comes as Armored Fresh, the U.S. subsidiary of South Korea’s Armored Fresh Inc., says it is expanding its U.S. headquarters in Tysons, Virginia for its vegan cheese. Armored Fresh makes dairy-free almond milk-based cheese.
“Northern Virginia and Fairfax County has a rich history in dairy and is advancing in tech innovation. We’re glad to make Fairfax County our home and be part of the vibrant business and innovation community,” Andrew Yu, CEO of Armored Fresh, said in a statement.
“I am thrilled to see an innovator like Armored Fresh expand its Fairfax County headquarters, creating jobs and growing its business capacity,” Jeff McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said in a statement. “Their environmentally sustainable approach to healthy food is an example of the type of forward-thinking companies that make their home here, and I especially appreciate the expansion of our economic ties with South Korea.”
Armored Fresh almond cheese is expanding in the U.S. | Courtesy
The expansion also earned praise from Virginia’s governor Glenn Youngkin (R).
“It is gratifying to support the growth of an international company like Armored Fresh, whose success further strengthens Virginia’s standing as a prime global business destination,” Youngkin said in a statement. “The company is advancing food technology with its vegan cheese products, and we are proud that this industry innovation is happening right here in the Commonwealth.”
Armored Fresh says it’s investing $125,000 into the expansion, and plans to add 27 jobs to the region. According to the company, its dairy-free cheese “comes super close to matching the taste and texture that people expect in cheese.”
The company, which launched in 2021, says it’s the first to commercialize almond milk cheese. It offers a range of slices, shreds, cubes, and cream cheese. Armored Fresh is targeting retail opportunities in New York City, with plans to expand from there.
Tofurky, a leading producer of plant-based meats in the US, and its sister vegan cheese brand, Moocho, have been acquired by Morinaga Nutritional Foods, the US-based manufacturer of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu.
The terms of the acquisition, including how much Morinaga paid for the Tofurky brand were not disclosed. According to a press release announcing the news, Morinaka described Tofurky as the third largest plant-based meat retail brand in the U.S.
According to Food Dive, which quoted disclosure documents filed by Morinaga’s parent company Morinaga Milk, Tofurky’s net sales for the 2021 fiscal year were close to $42.4 million.
The two companies have a longstanding business relationship, with Morinaga supplying Tofurky with tofu for 17 years, and the consolidation will help further integrate their combined supply chain and drive growth for both brands. Tofurky says it will continue its operations at its environmentally responsible facility in Hood River, Oregon, where Morinaga plans to enhance its capacity with technical staff.
Both Tofurky and Moocho’s recipes and product offerings will remain unchanged.
“We’ve been working with the team at Morinaga for nearly two decades, and over that course of time realized the multiple synergies our organizations have across our businesses – from supply chain and operations to new product development targets,” said Jaime Athos, President and CEO of Tofurky. “We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved thus far as an independent and family-operated company, but as we enter our next stage of growth, Morinaga will provide the platform needed to help us expand more aggressively in the U.S. and beyond.”
Morinaga is a Torrance, California-based manufacturer of soy products, probiotics, and postbiotic ingredients aimed at both retail and foodservice markets. The company owns the popular silken tofu brand, Mori-Nu Silken Tofu and unlike many of their competitors, Morinaga’s soy products are shelf-stable. The company is a subsidiary of Japanese company Morinaga Milk, which trades on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and produces dairy beverages and infant formula across Asian markets.
“Tofurky has a proven track record of success in the U.S. and is a significant player in the plant-based category with many loyal fans,” said Hiroyuki Imanishi, President and CEO of Morinaga Nutritional Foods. “We’re excited to help bolster both Tofurky and Moocho’s presence in the U.S. while strengthening manufacturing efficiencies and boosting new product development to meet ever-increasing marketplace demand.”
Tofurky was founded in 1980 by vegetarian entrepreneur Seth Tibbott and is one of a handful of pioneering brands like Quorn and Boca Burger that began serving vegan meat replacement products to an increasingly health-conscious segment of consumers in the post-70s era. Tofurky products are non-GMO and vegan, and the company says it uses local and organic ingredients where possible. The Certified B Corp company has over 35 products that include burgers, deli slices, sausages, tempeh and its popular holiday roasts. The company’s name is inspired by turkey replacement dishe it launched in the 90s for non-meat eaters to enjoy during family Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.
In addition to its Tofurky brand, the company also owns Moocho, a line of non-GMO, gluten-free and dairy-free cheeses which are soy-free, which debuted in 2020. Moocho offers meltable shreds and cream cheese-like spreads.
What exactly makes a restaurant romantic? For us, it’s a combination of atmosphere, elegance, and—of course—really delicious food. If you’re looking for a spot that will impress your sweetheart, you’ve come to the right place, because some of the most romantic restaurants in the world also happen to be some of the best vegan restaurants in the world! So next time you’re booking a reservation for Valentine’s Day, your anniversary, or just a fancy date night, check out one of these romantic vegan restaurants:
Did you know that there’s a scientific reason that vegan fare is the recipe for romance? The cholesterol and fat in animal-derived foods slow the flow of blood to all vital organs—not just the heart. Healthy vegan foods will leave you full of energy and maybe even feeling a little frisky. Plus, leaving meat, eggs, and dairy off your plate means that you won’t be breaking animals’ hearts.
Theme parks in the Orlando, Florida, area just got a major animal-friendly menu upgrade! Vegan meat brand Worthington has launched its fish-free tuna and meat-free pepperoni at eight new locations in Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort. We love to see theme parks add even more vegan options, because it makes it even easier for guests who want to help spare fish, pigs, cows, and all other animals who are used for food.
At Disney World, you can try Worthington’s savory vegan tuna in two delicious dishes:
You can find both these options at six Disney properties in Orlando: the All-Star Sports Resort, the All-Star Movies Resort, the All-Star Music Resort, the Pop Century Resort, the Art of Animation Resort, and the Port Orleans Resort.
At Universal Studios, you can find Worthington’s vegan pepperoni slices on two menu items:
These options are just a few of the many available at both theme parks. Our Disney World and Universal Studios guides can help you find the best vegan food during your visit to either park.
Fish, cows, and pigs are all intelligent, complex individuals who simply want to experience a life free of fear and pain. Going vegan is an easy yet effective way to make a difference in their lives. Learn about going vegan by ordering our free vegan starter kit:
We agree with Trevor Noah: There isn’t anything the Swifties can’t accomplish. We encourage them to take on the egg industry next!
Did you know that the actual price of eggs is higher than Taylor Swift Ticketmaster tickets? Every year, the U.S. egg industry exploits more than 305 million hens for their eggs, while more than 200 million male chicks are ground up—some of them while they’re still chirping—because they’re “useless” to the industry since they don’t produce eggs and aren’t large enough to be used for their flesh.
The best thing Swifties can do is to go vegan and join these 10 celebs who know the price of eggs has always been too high for chickens:
Sadie Sink
“I realized what goes on in the egg industry, and the dairy industry, so then I was like, ‘That’s it! Going vegan!’”
“I think hip-hop is becoming more conscious, you know, about their diets. I think some of it started with KRS-One having a song called ‘Beef’ and giving us an idea of the process that animals go through, you know, to make it to our tables, the uncleanliness of the factories, and the situation of how a hamburger is made.”
Edie Falco
Couldn't have said it any better Love what #vegan actress Edie Falco had to say about animals suffering. pic.twitter.com/DSQbnLyohz
“I don’t want to torture anything. I guess it’s about trying to live a life where I’m not contributing to the cruelty in the world. … While I am on this planet, I want everyone I meet to know that I am grateful they are here.”
“The Meat and Dairy industry is the 3rd leading cause of climate change” I’ve been a happy vegan for 14 years. I love the way it makes me feel! Thank you #JoaquinPheonix for speaking out on this. https://t.co/ZSgIJ0YyDH
PETA has a message for Super Bowl fans: The only wings you should eat are ones that don’t come from birds. To remind everyone that chickens are living, feeling beings who don’t want to be killed and eaten as a half-time snack, we purchased an ad in this year’s Super Bowl program that says, “Let Them Keep Their Own Damn Wings.”
An estimated 1.45 billion chicken wings will be consumed during Super Bowl weekend—that’s more than 350 million chickens killed, just for a single event.
Farms—even ones that use deceptive marketing labels like “cage-free” and “humane”—typically breed birds to grow so large that some have difficulty even walking. They’re often denied opportunities to satisfy even their most basic needs, such as experiencing fresh air and sunlight.
At slaughterhouses, chickens are shackled upside down by their legs, their throats are slit—often while they’re still conscious—and many are scalded to death.
Did You Know?
Chickens form social hierarchies known as “pecking orders,” and every chicken knows his or her place on the social ladder.
Birds Shouldn’t Suffer for Your Super Bowl Snack—Go Vegan!
You can still enjoy your favorite classic Super Bowl grub while watching the big game. Check out PETA’s guide to the best vegan wings across the U.S., which lists restaurants that serve tasty, chicken-free wings.
If you don’t live near any vegan wing spots, don’t sweat it! Brands like Gardein, LikeMeat, and MorningStar Farms all offer delicious vegan chicken wings that you can find at most major grocery chains.
Don’t just go vegan for Super Bowl Sunday—show compassion to animals every day! Order PETA’s free vegan starter kit to help you get started today:
PETA received heartbreaking video footage showing cows forced to stand in a wet, muddy pen before being slaughtered at J.W. Treuth & Sons in Catonsville, Maryland. The pen—reeking of feces, according to the complainant—contained as many as 50 animals. Watch the video below to see how these cows used for food spent the last hours of their lives:
We sent this troubling footage to officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), calling on the agency to investigate whether the conditions depicted at J.W. Treuth & Sons constituted a violation of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, a federal law. In response, a USDA representative claimed that “the [a]gency has no humane handling regulatory requirement that would prevent this condition from occurring.”
The cows seen in the video footage were left in the foul-smelling pen at J.W. Treuth & Sons for an unknown number of hours, likely overnight. The USDA’s response implied that “the smell of feces i[s] inevitable and normal” there and in similar situations at other facilities apparently deemed lawful by the agency.
Imagine spending your last day on Earth trapped in a cesspool, trudging through filth, mud, and wastewater until your time came to be killed.
PETA digs through records to discover exactly how animals are killed in slaughterhouses and urges authorities to investigate botched killings or any other incidents of suspected cruelty that we find.
When appropriate, anyone found to have committed an act of cruelty at a slaughterhouse should be slapped with charges.
Truly Humane Foods Have One Thing in Common: They’re Vegan
Cows and other animals are unique individuals with their own wants and needs. The notion that humans are entitled to exploit their bodies is rooted in speciesism, the misguided belief that one species is more important than another. When we see all animals as deserving of respect, we understand that we must change our personal choices in order to stop contributing to their suffering.
Going vegan not only helps these animals but also reduces your risk of suffering from some of the leading causes of death in the U.S., including heart disease,cancer, and diabetes.
Vegan foods provide us with all the nutrients that we need, without all the cholesterol and contaminants found in animal flesh, eggs, and dairy. Eating animal-derived foods has also been linked to an increased risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, and strokes. In addition, scientists have found that vegans have stronger immune systems and contract fewer chronic diseases, which means you’ll be less vulnerable to illnesses caused by viruses, such as the flu and COVID-19.
Plant Sifu, Hong Kong’s first locally established and produced plant-based food brand, has announced it will be the exclusive plant-based meat partner with the regional meal delivery service Nosh in a limited-edition menu running from February 9th to April 30th.
The Nosh partnership marks the first time Plant Sifu dishes can be made at home, the company says.
‘Healthy and delicious eating’
“We’re very excited to launch a list of exclusive dishes with Nosh, Hong Kong’s leading healthy meal plan company,” Plant Sifu co-founder Joshua Ng said in a statement. “The new menus are all about healthy and delicious eating, combining Plant Sifu plant-based meat with a wide range of nutritious superfoods such as shirataki noodles, quinoa and mixed grains. This is what good food is all about.”
Ng co-founded Good Food Technologies with Dr. Andrew Leung in 2020. The company debuted with its first consumer brand, Plant Sifu, and its plant-based pork. The startup went on to raise HK$12 million in a seed round last March.
Plant Sifu is making its meal kit debut | Courtesy
According to Nosh’s executive chef Kevin James the demand for alternate proteins has boomed in recent years. “We’ve seen a rise in demand for our Nosh Veggie and Flexi meal plans, and we understand the importance of offering a variety of meal options that would appeal to everyone, especially when it comes to plant-based diets.”
Nosh is leading a new wave of meal delivery, using premium and sustainable ingredients with products featuring transparent calorie counts. It’s the first in Hong Kong to offer flexitarian meal plans that highlight plant-based protein along with leafy greens and mixed grains. Nosh says its meal kits come in biodegradable packaging, further underscoring its sustainability commitments.
Plant Sifu x Nosh menu
The Plant Sifu Nosh meal plans will feature two or three weekly meals. Sample menu items include a Thai Basil and Plant Sifu Mince with Broken Rice Bowl, which Nosh says is a healthy take on the Thai street food staple, Pad Kra Pao.
Plant Sifu Mince Chili with Quinoa Brown Rice “brings a new kick to the moreish Mexican must-have dish.” The company says its mince is stewed for two hours to soak up the sauce.
Courtesy Plant Sifu
The menu also includes a Hamburg steak with Japanese Curry rice, Plant Sifu pork slice with Goan curry and basmati rice in a spice-filled creamy curry with rice.
“Given our philosophy of providing customers with healthy meal plans, we appreciate the absence of MSG, preservatives, additives and colouring in Plant Sifu,” James said.
The Australian mushroom startup has secured a $8.5 million Series A round with a diverse group of backers including Princeton Professor Peter Singer, K3 Ventures and former YUM! Brands CEO Greg Creed.
Fable Food Co, the Australian startup making meaty mushroom products, has raised $8.5 million in a Series A round. The round was led by global venture capital firm K3 Ventures, based in Singapore, and included participation from several influential figures including former YUM! Brands CEO Greg Creed, renowned ethicist and Professor Peter Singer of Princeton University, and Asian fast-casual chain SaladStop! founders Frantz Braha and Adrien Desbaillets.
Existing investors Blackbird, AgFunder and Aera VC participated in the round too, as well as vegan personality Osher Günsberg and his wife Audrey Griffen.
“It’s with great pleasure that we announce our Series A fundraise and welcome our partners along in our mission to end industrial animal agriculture. Thanks to the backing and support of K3 Ventures and all of our investors, we will be able to accelerate bringing our delicious, clean label, and sustainable meaty mushroom products to every market in the world,” said Micahel Fox, co-founder and CEO.
Fable’s existing investors include Michael Simkin, the Executive Producer of Netflix Documentary Series Down To Earth With Zac Efron, and APAC alternative protein fund Better Bite Ventures.
Rapid expansion
Since its launch in December 2019, the company has been revolutionizing the meat alternative market with its clean-label, minimally processed, and natural mushroom-based meat products. The company received a major endorsement from Michelin Star chef Heston Blumenthal, who now features Fable’s meaty mushrooms on the menu of his restaurants.
Professor Peter Singer, who many credit with being the father of the effective altruism movement, said in a statement that he was delighted to “be able to invest in a company that seeks to end industrial agriculture by making plant-based food I love to cook with.”
Less than two years after its debut, Fable landed $6.5 million in a seed round and introduced its meaty mushroom burger patty in a partnership with Grill’d. The brand has since expanded its presence in Australia and its products are now available in several international markets including the UK, the US, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Last year saw Fable launched in the U.K. with burger chain Honest Burgers, meal delivery companies Gousto and Planty, and organic supermarket chain Planet Organic. In addition, the brand was added to the menu of U.S. plant-based quick service restaurant chain Beatnic (formerly By Chloe), New Zealand’s Hell Pizza, and SaladStop! in Singapore.
This January, the company announced more US brand partnerships with plant-based New York-based meal delivery service CookUnity and trendy restaurant chain The Butcher’s Daughter.
Fable’s latest funding will be used to further research and development and to push out new meaty mushroom products, as well as accelerate the company’s growth and expansion in international markets with a focus on North America, the UK, and Singapore. The company has already started the year on a high note with new brand partnerships in North America and will soon be expanding its US footprint with the launch of its mushroom burger slider patties at STK Steakhouse.
Jim Fuller in Fable R_D kitchen – Credit Fable Foods Co
Versatile, natural, delicious
With a focus on using mushrooms as the key ingredient, specifically Shitaake mushrooms, Fable creates meaty, flavorful dishes that harness the natural umami flavors and health benefits of mushrooms. The company touts “minimally processed plant-based ingredients” as a key feature for consumers looking to reduce animal meat consumption with a tasty, nutritous alternative.
Mushrooms also offer several health benefits. For instance, some mushrooms are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and can help boost the immune system. In addition, mushrooms are low in calories, fat, and carbohydrates, making them an excellent choice for those who are health-conscious.
Fable was founded by a team of experts including fine dining chef Jim Fuller, chemical engineer Chris McLoghlin, and former Shoes of Prey co-founder and vegan Fox. Together, they are committed to creating a more sustainable food system through the promotion of plant-based alternatives and the use of mushrooms as a key ingredient.
Michael Fox – Credit Fable Food Co
A rise in demand for meat alternatives
As Fox says, “We believe that eating more delicious, meaty food made from mushrooms will help the world reduce global meat consumption – without compromising on taste, texture, or experience – and this is how we will be able to achieve a more sustainable food system.”
The company said that with the increasing demand for plant-based alternatives and the growing recognition of mushrooms as a healthy and versatile ingredient, it believes it is positioned for continued success.
Creed noted that “after four decades working in the consumer goods and food industries, first with Unilever, then with YUM Brands, I have witnessed the changing demands of consumers around the world when it comes to what they eat. I’ve seen plenty of fads and gimmicks along the way and I know one thing that consumers will never compromise on, is taste.” He added that while Fable’s success in both retail and foodservice caught his attention early on, it’s the “team and mission that secured my investment in them.”
Amid the largest avian flu outbreaks in history, Yo Egg is offering Los Angeles-area consumers an alternative: vegan whole-poached eggs.
Israel’s Yo Egg has made its U.S. debut in Los Angeles at six area restaurants including two Real Food Daily locations and its offshoot, Junkyard Dog, as well as longtime east side vegan staple Flore, the popular outposts Swingers Diner and Coyote Grill, and Loma Linda’s Vegan District Asian Eatery.
“We thought if we’re here to conquer brunch and breakfast and to own that space, then L.A. is probably the best place to start,” Yo Egg cofounder and CEO Eran Groner recently told Fast Company.
‘Tastes just like chicken eggs’
Yo Egg says that unlike any other egg alternative on the market, its egg features a runny yolk and tastes just like chicken eggs. The eggs are made from chickpeas and soy.
Yo Egg has debuted in LA | COurtesy
Chef Yosefa Ben Cohen developed the eggs to deliver flavor and functionality with restaurants and home chefs in mind.
Yo Egg says it has already reached price parity with premium eggs, and says it will be able to rival conventional egg prices in just a few years. But consumers are already paying premiums for conventional eggs as the avian flu outbreak shows no sign of slowing down.
“It will work in our benefit to remove the animals from the food system,” Groner told Fast Company. “Because then we won’t see price hikes, we’ll use way less natural resources, and we’ll minimize the use of antibiotics and the danger of animal-borne diseases.”
Bird flu outbreak
As of last month, the deadly bird flu (H5N1) saw 60 million birds dead in North America from the outbreak either from infection or culling. Globally, nearly 150 million have died, according to the World Organization for Animal Health.
The spread of H5N1 has led to widespread egg shortages, driving up the price of eggs and limiting purchases in some stores, sending consumers in search of alternatives.
Photo by Jakub Kapusnak on Unsplash
Yo Egg says it fills that gap with its sustainable and affordable plant-based egg. “Yo Egg is a huge step forward for plant-based foods, as the world moves towards a food system that does not rely on conventional animal agriculture, and avoids their associated pandemics, price fluctuations and environmental concerns,” the company said in a statement.
The new poached egg is being tested in LA restaurants with a range of recipes from a ramen bowl and eggs benedict to poached in toast, in chilaquiles, and in fried rice.
“This product tastes just like an egg. It looks like an egg. The texture and flavor and color, everything is just like an egg. The animal is a middleman that we don’t really need,” Groner said. “It only adds complexity.”
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