How plant-based diets and ‘impossible’ meat substitutes ruled the conversation in 2019, as we enter World Vegan Month
November 1 marks the beginning of World Vegan Month, and with worthy celebrations well underway recognising how far the movement has come since this time last year, it’s high time for a look back at the remarkable rise of vegan food in 2019.
Impossible and Beyond Meat probably need no introduction – these plant-based meat substitutes are making their way into the mainstream (you can even find them at Burger King and KFC now) and this resounding success has proven that veganism is on its way to even greater days – UBS has projected that the plant-based meat market will be worth as much as US$85 billion by 2030.
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But aside from the commercial awareness of vegan alternatives, there is also a very real demand for products that gear towards a healthier diet. In the United States alone, DuPont Nutrition & Health found that 52 per cent of consumers are eating more plant-based foods, with 60 per cent of the study’s subjects responding yes to a question about the possibility of switching permanently to a plant-based diet.
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In Hong Kong, the vanguard is no doubt led by the indefatigable David Yeung, founder and CEO of Green Monday, who also proved naysayers wrong when there was initial disbelief in the positive response to plant-based movements in the city. Apart from expanding the company’s grocery arm Green Common, Yeung is also the progenitor of the now ubiquitous Omnipork, which has allowed many Chinese cuisines to be emulated in a very convincing way.
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Bringing in Beyond Meat and various other brands such as Oatly and Califia, Green Monday has made going plant-based relatively effortless in this city. Of course, true to his restless nature, Yeung has further spread the Green Monday movement to Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore.
Sonalie Figueiras, the founder of media platform Green Queen, is also pushing the envelope with her exciting monthly United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) #PlantBased Dinner Series, collaborating with restaurants around Hong Kong. Aside from putting the chefs to the test to come up with different kinds of plant-based dishes, the monthly events also support the UN’s SDG goals and each feature a talk from a local NGO representative addressing the chosen subject of the night.
Hong Kong restaurants including Bedu, Uma Nota, Dragon I and the Tsui Wah chain have all adopted the Green Monday movement – which champions sticking to plant-based foods for one day a week – so next time someone asks a vegan here in the city where we go out to eat, there is no need to fret!
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Conscious chic
On the fashion front, luxury giants like Prada, Gucci, Chanel and Versace have all pledged to stop using exotic skins and fur. (Who can ever forget Donatella Versace’s words, printed in The Economist Group’s 1843 magazine: “Fur? I am out of that. I don’t want to kill animals to make fashion. It doesn’t feel right.” Tell it like it is, Donatella!) Burberry also recently announced that they will stop using fox, mink, rabbit, raccoon and angora fur – and Stella McCartney is definitely a forward fashion designer who went vegan long ago.
And the best bit is there are also many vegan brands springing up as more sustainable options for high street wares. Australian-born Kinds of Grace, founded by Grace Newstead, is one such brand that has begun to use Pinatex in its handbag range.
Grace explains: “I use a variety of vegan, cruelty-free fabrics, including microfibres woven from fine polyester or nylon threads, and durable vegan PU (polyurethane) leathers which provide longer life spans and the ability to handle sustained daily use.
“I avoid the use of PVC or polyvinyl chloride as, despite its durability, it’s a less sustainable option and also can have risks in production due to toxicity effects. In addition I'm working with Piñatex (pineapple-leaf fibres) to create a new range using sustainable pineapple fibres, and also working with cork for potential uses ... Beyond that I am also exploring other sustainable materials for future collections – it's exciting to see new options being invented or becoming more available, giving more choice to cruelty-free fashion lovers.”
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One thing for consumers to note: “Traditional bags and accessories use materials like leather and animal skins, but also other ingredients, including glues, that often include ingredients derived from animal muscle, bone and sinew. Also the production process for leather includes harmful chemicals in the tanning process, which also means it can't naturally degrade due to this processing,” Grace says. “As someone who is vegan for both animal and environmental reasons, I couldn't go with an option more harmful to both. So I've chosen to go with more environment and animal-friendly vegan materials, produced in ethical production facilities. I'm firmly against human cruelty, too – which means no sweatshops, no child labour and no gender or age discrimination.”
Conscious chic. We like!
So, more proof is in the pudding that today it is easier than ever to become a full-fledged vegan and maintain this sustainable lifestyle. As we enter World Vegan Month, there is definitely a lot to celebrate, so don’t be surprised when you see some vegans dancing about with lettuce and carrots tonight (just kidding – maybe). For curious non-vegans, we have also picked some of our best video reels to get you inspired!
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Make vegan Scotch eggs, or …
For the sweet tooth …
And of course, we cannot miss out Hetty McKinnon’s recipe for her famous roasted cauliflower:
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With Impossible and Beyond Meat now available in Burger King and KFC, and with Hong Kong restaurants Bedu, Uma Nota, Dragon I and Tsui Wah all adopting Green Monday, there is plenty for vegan and vegetarian eaters to celebrate in the city, and beyond