A plant-ba$ed business is not a vegan business, and that's ok.

If you have been a part of the Vegan movement for many years, you know that in 2018 something strange happened to it. I will try to explain what happened and why it divided the movement.

In 1944 Donald Watson started a newsletter called “The Vegan News”, he did so because he did not like the way The Vegetarian Society promoted dairy-vegetarianism and the use of animals products such as honey and leather. In the last five years, the Vegan movement has grown to millions of individuals in every country. It is the result of many years of work by grassroots movements, and more recently its promotion on social networks. In some western countries, 1 in 4 young adults identifies as vegan.
The movement is effective, and it is changing the world.

So why try to change it?

Money.

In 2017 veganism gained more popularity and it became a significant consumer drive force creating a high demand for vegan products on the market. Several organisations with shared economic interests started their organised effort to change the meaning of veganism. They argue that veganism is too restrictive and radical and that harms animals in the short-term. The argument vilifies vegan activists and pushes them aside unless they change their opinion.

It works! Many people, including business owners that were previously proudly using the term vegan, are now afraid of using it in their products branding. Vegans no longer try to convince their friends and family to go vegan; instead, they encourage and reward them for eating expensive and processed “plant-based” nuggets on Mondays, and it’s ok to eat lamb on Tuesday.

Their arguments are basic but effective. They argue that you can help more animals in the short term by selling plant-based products to meat eaters than trying to convince people to become vegan.
Because every vegan wants to help as many animals as possible, they are easily convinced by this basic argument.

If you read “the vegan news” of today, you see gratification towards businesses and non-profit organisations financed by the same companies. The grassroots movements are no longer featured.
A company like Nestlé and McDonald’s receives more praise than any vegan business with innovative and healthy products.

Veganism is the fastest growing lifestyle trend, and for the food industry, it means profits. The big players on the food market don’t want small pop up vegan restaurants using fresh vegetables appearing everywhere. They want customers to buy their manufactured packaged goods.

The reason why millionaires and food corporations are financing plant-based organisations and think tanks is because they want veganism mission to be a diluted message. They want veganism to be non-confrontational.

These organisations claim that it is more effective for animals welfare to collaborate with big corporations than to partner with vegan businesses.

This argument is a lie, and the truth scares many corporate CEO’s.
The truth is that vegan businesses can reduce the power that traditional food businesses have and even destroy them.

Recently Kraft Foods lost a third of its market value within a few weeks; conscious consumers are looking for alternative products and prefer to buy from boutique mission-driven companies.

In economics, a business that is not growing is a failed business; it loses its access to credit, and investors start dumping its shares resulting in a low valuation that affects the cash flow.

The number of vegan and conscious consumers is continuously growing, and those consumers are looking for unique vegan experiences from companies that share the same values.

How does it affect your vegan business?

There are two markets for vegan products; the vegan consumers and the regular meat consumers looking to replace meat products with plant-based alternatives.
If you offer vegan products, you can satisfy both consumers (everyone) while supporting the vegan movement. If you hide that your company is vegan, many vegans will prioritise a vegan company over yours.
Oatly is an example of how a small company that proudly uses the term vegan became vegans’ favourite milk brand.

It is a well accepted and recommended business strategy to share a business mission that resonates with consumers even if it is a confrontational message for the competition.

Vegan consumers demand vegan companies and not just vegan products.

There will be a period for neutral companies to sell vegan-friendly products, and like other food trends, it will fade away. Vegans are learning and sharing that many of these products are not ethical, healthy or entirely vegan.

It represents a unique opportunity for vegan companies to reassure their customers that their values are strong and therefore their products better.

The companies that opt to use the term “plant-based” choose to be part of a consumer trend that for financial and social reasons need to please those who oppose veganism and cannot afford to be controversial.

Plant-based is an excellent adjective for all the health and clean eating flexitarians who do not associate with veganism.

Just like in 1944 when Donal Watson made sure that there was a term to refer to those who did not use animals in every possible way, it’s crucial that we protect the meaning of veganism so that it can fuel social changes and complete animal liberation.

It’s essential that vegans and vegan businesses choose vegan products from a vegan company over plant-based products from meat producers.

A growing vegan economy that can finance social change is vital for complete animal liberation.