A growing appetite for plant-based food
A growing appetite for plant-based food
When big players get into the game, you know a trend is heading mainstream. That is exactly what is happening with plant-based food.
Across North America and Europe, big companies, such as Maple Leaf Foods, Tesco and Danon are acquiring plant-based companies or expanding their plant-based food lines.
Maple Leaf Foods, best known for its processed meat products, has just launched a separate plant-based company. Tesco recently introduced the Wickedly Healthy line of plant-based prepared meals in its stores. The UK grocery chain sold 44 million meals in 33 weeks. Danon is projecting sales of its plant-based projects to triple by 2025 and is about to release an almond milk version of its popular Activia brand of yogurt. Kroger, a large retail grocer in the United States predicts plant-based to be one of the food trends for 2019 . I actually came across the Kroger article on a pork industry news site.
A&W’s Beyond Meat Burger
This summer, shortly after A & W launched the Beyond Meat Burger, it sold out. Susan Senecal, A & W’s CEO said it was the fastest new product launch in the burger company’s history. The demand for the burger garnered a lot of unpaid media attention for the Canadian fast-food chain. My public relations brain wonders if the limited supply was part of the company’s marketing strategy, because the Beyond Meat Burger received similar media coverage during its US debut. The company has received so much attention and is doing so well, there is talk it will go public. On Vancouver Island, the vegan start-up, The Good Butchers, has received a lot of attention regionally and will soon be introduced to a national audience on CBC’s Dragon’s Den.
Dining options are also increasing. A survey of US chefs showed 51% are adding plant-based items to their menus and there has been a surge in new restaurants opening focused on plants.
In Edmonton, where I lived for 20 years, at least five new plant-based restaurants have opened in the last year alone; Good Stock, An Chay, The Moth Café, Die Pie and Kanu Café. They join Edmonton pioneers, Padmanadi Vegetarian Restaurant, Café Mosaics and Noorish Conscious Eatery.
There is even activity in my new home, Ladysmith, B.C., a small town of 8,500 people. The owners of the restaurant Plantitude are currently refurbishing a heritage building on the town’s main street. Down the road in Duncan, there are already a few plant-based options. The Duncan Garage Café and Bakery is a hot spot for all types people who just love the vibe and food.
New vegan restaurant opening late 2018 on Ladysmith’s main street
I find the growth exciting, but it also sets off a few warning bells for me. We all look for convenience in our daily lives and have different levels of interest and ability in the kitchen, so having access to more plant-based food options is definitely a plus. My fear is as large companies get involved, profit will trump quality and people hoping to eat healthier will unknowingly be back eating over-processed food that just happens to be plant-based. So regardless of the food type, it is important to look behind the marketing and read labels.
My husband and I have eaten plant-based for eight years. The benefits were so positive for me personally, I took my certification as a raw vegan chef and launched my business and website - Sage Plant Cuisine, to help share my passion. In my diet right now, I try to eat about 80% whole plant foods, with a large portion raw, sprouted and fermented. I don’t expect people to follow my path, instead, I encourage them to determine where they are comfortable. I also don’t like labels, you can get stuck in a box framed by rigid rules. My choices are based on my experience and knowledge, which is ever evolving.
