Veganism is becoming a healthy business option
An increasing number of observers have recently suggested that veganism – dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals – is set to be one of the major trends of 2018.
Already, tens of thousands of people have committed to Veganuary, adopting this diet for the whole of this month, thus adding to the growing number who have taken it up.
According to the Vegan Society, the number of people considering themselves vegan in the UK has grown from 150,000 a decade ago to over 542,000, and it looks set to develop further over the next few years.
Much of this trend is down to younger people adopting this lifestyle, with 20% of under-35s having tried a vegan diet (compared to one in 10 of the rest of the population). In fact, nearly half of all vegans were aged 15-34 age, which suggests further growth will happen as younger generations embrace this lifestyle.
A recent survey from the Vegan Society suggested UK consumers are demanding more meat- or dairy-free options when eating out. Half of those questioned said they welcomed the increased availability of vegan foods in cafes and restaurants.
At a global level, recent data shows that 70% of the world’s population is reducing its meat consumption. Since 2010, the number of new vegan products has increased by over 250%. The fastest-growing market for vegan products is set to be China, with an estimated growth rate of 17% from 2015-20.
While UK meat consumption is declining, vegetable sales are expected to rise by 20% by 2021. Incredibly, the global almond milk market has expanded by 250% in the past five years and is now worth £650m.
Given this, it is not surprising that large businesses are beginning to identify opportunities for new products that take advantage of the growing demand for vegan food and drink – the vegan cheese market alone will be worth nearly £3bn by 2024.
Recent developments include Pizza Hut adding vegan cheese to its UK menus, Italian restaurant chain Zizzi launching a vegan avocado pizza earlier this month, Wagamama having a full vegan menu and Nando’s offering two vegan burger and wrap options.
As an alternative to milk products, Ben & Jerry’s have introduced a new non-dairy ice cream and Bailey’s now has an almond milk-based version of its Irish Cream.
Given this, one can only surmise that that the number of vegan options will increase in both restaurants and supermarkets over the next few years. This may in itself not be as a result of a massive growth in veganism but an increasing choice by mainstream consumers (including myself) to occasionally buy vegan food as part of their ethical or health choices.
And it is becoming easier to find establishments that can cater for vegan or vegetarian tastes. For example, HappyCow, founded in 1999, is an online service that helps millions across the world find vegan options and healthy food every month.
Other useful apps include Is it Vegan?, which reads packaged foods’ barcodes to determine whether they are vegan and, if not, what the nonvegan ingredients are; and Veganexpress, which helps find all the vegan options on chain restaurants’ menus.
And while existing restaurants are changing their menus to make the most of the growth in veganism, specialist food outlets are catering only to vegans.
As a foodie in Cardiff, I can honestly say that Anna Loka in Roath is simply one of the best restaurants (vegan or not) I have ever eaten at and has helped persuade me and others that vegan food is as good as (and certainly healthier than) any other type.
So veganism looks set to grow over the next few years, although as the Vegan Society’s survey pointed out, nearly half the UK population would still never consider becoming a vegan, even if they knew they would lose weight, improve their health and have a real impact on animal welfare.
That said, given that the UK food and grocery market is set to be worth £213bn by 2022, there are certainly going to be opportunities for businesses to take full advantage of this trend as vegan foods take a larger slice of the market over time.