From headline-grabbing investments in plant-based companies
to unprecedented requests for meat-free fare, there’s no question that this
year was the tipping point for veganism.
Here are 11 highlights proving that veganism has gone mainstream
and there’s no going back!
1. America’s largest
meat producer invested in a vegan company—twice.
In October, Tyson Foods announced it had invested an undisclosed amount for a 5 percent stake
in Beyond Meat. More recently, the country’s largest meat producer announced it
had participated in the
vegan company’s latest round of funding.
Tyson CEO Tom Hayes told Fox Business,
“Plant-based protein is growing almost, at this point, a little faster than
animal-based, so I think the migration may continue in that direction.
2. Cargill invested
in clean meat.
In August, Cargill, the third-largest meat processor in the
United States, invested
in the clean meat company Memphis Meats. The company is known for creating
real beef burgers made without cows and the world’s first chicken and duck meat made
without animal slaughter.
3. Walmart asked
suppliers to make more vegan food.
In an unprecedented move, Walmart, the world’s largest
retailer, urged
its suppliers to meet the growing demand for plant-based foods.
In the memo to suppliers, the company wrote, “Even if your
target market isn’t vegans or vegetarians, you may still have plant-based foods
in your assortment that could meet the needs of these consumers. The company
also urged suppliers to utilize new marketing strategies to reach consumers
searching for vegan foods.
4. Elmhurst Dairy switched
to plant-based milk.
Elmhurst
Dairy, one of the largest dairy manufacturers on the East Coast, closed
down after 90 years and reopened as a plant-based milk company. The nut-based
milks are available in four varieties: almond, hazelnut, cashew, and walnut.
5. A report found there were six times as many vegans in America in 2017 as in 2014.
According to a report by research firm GlobalData, there were six times as many vegans in America in 2017 as in 2014. “Go meat-free and “ethical eating were among
six key trends explored in the report.
6. Campbell’s joined
the Plant Based Foods Association.
In October, the Campbell
Soup Company decided to leave the Grocery Manufacturers Association and
join the Plant Based Foods Association, which works to bring together
like-minded companies and promote their vegan products.
In the company’s statement, Campbell Fresh president Ed
Carolan said:
We are committed to providing our consumers with food choices that meet their nutrition, well-being, and lifestyle needs. Working together with the Plant Based Foods Association, we can advance our shared goal of bringing more plant-based foods to consumers.
7. Plant-based foods
topped $3.1 billion in sales.
A study commissioned by the Plant Based Foods Association and The Good Food Institute revealed that the
plant-based foods market had topped $3.1 billion in sales.
Collected by the market research company Nielsen, the data
included sales information from mass merchandisers and grocery, drug, club,
dollar, and military stores. The results showed an overall
growth in plant-based foods of 8.1 percent from last year.
8. The number of
vegan products in Australia grew by 92 percent.
In January, the market research company Mintel
reported that the number of vegan products in Australia had increased by 92
percent since 2014.
9. McDonald’s added
the McVegan to its menu in Finland and Sweden.
In October, McDonald’s
announced it was testing out the McVegan burger in Finland. Within just two
months, the fast-food giant decided not only to add the item to the menu
permanently but also to offer it in Sweden!
10. A poll found 47
percent of Americans want to shut down slaughterhouses.
The nonprofit think tank Sentience Institute in
collaboration with Ipsos Group recently conducted a poll that questioned more
than 1,000 U.S. adults and found that 47
percent of those questioned supported a ban on slaughterhouses.
Additionally, 49 percent agreed with the statement “I support a ban on the
factory farming of animals.
11. The vegan documentary
What the Health was nominated for an NAACP award.
Earlier this year, What the Health, a
documentary that promotes plant-based eating and explores the plethora of
public health threats posed by our Western meat-heavy diets, shook the world. The
documentary was recently nominated
for an NAACP Image Award in the “Outstanding Documentary category.
Soon after the film was available on Netflix it went viral, and many viewers, particularly
people of color, switched to a plant-based diet. Everyone from R&B singer Ne-Yo and a quarter of the Tennessee Titans to NBA
players Kyrie Irving, JaVale McGee, and Damian Lillard decided to ditch animal
products.
—
As vegan foods become more accessible, it’s never been
easier to ditch animal products. Join the growing number of people taking a
stand for animals, the environment,
and their own health by
transitioning to a plant-based diet.
Click here to
get started. And check
out our Pinterest page for thousands of recipe ideas!