How veganism is revolutionising the food industry

We’re in a protein substitute revolution, or so the experts say. With health and eco-conscious warriors pivoting to vegan food, does the meat industry stand a chance? 

When Swiss chef and restaurateur Daniel Humm chose to reopen his high-end eatery Eleven Madison Park – one of the most celebrated restaurants in the world – following the COVID-19 pandemic with an entirely plant-based menu, Michelin-star chefs of the world took note. In a statement posted on the restaurant’s website, he wrote: “It was clear that after everything we all experienced this past year, we couldn’t open the same restaurant. With that in mind, I’m excited to share that we’ve made the decision to serve a plant-based menu in which we do not use any animal products — every dish is made from vegetables, both from the earth and the sea, as well as fruits, legumes, fungi, grains, and so much more.”

The move follows a series of shifts kickstarted by the plant-based community – once a niche area relegated to stews and a perfunctory Mediterranean pasta – which has upended the system, solving problems it only recently realised it had; animal cruelty, environmental decline and unethical practices.

The original pivot can be credited, of course, to PETA, who back in 2008, offered up $1 million to the first scientist who could create and bring to market in vitro chicken — poultry meat created from a few chicken cells, rather than from a whole bird. The proposition wasn’t a stunt. If anything, it was foreshadowing the massive shift happening in our food system — a not-too-distant future where vegans are running the global meat supply.

Scientists tried. Teams at the University of Missouri and the Netherlands’ Maastricht University worked diligently, but the cost of bringing lab-grown meat, “clean meat” as it is known today, was prohibitive. PETA, willing to go to any lengths to bring a viable alternative to the massive livestock industry, extended its initial 2012 deadline to March 2014.

Still, no one was able to claim the prize. Research labs and for-profit businesses tempted by the prize money, fell at a hurdle which detailed that the ability to “grow” lab meat without having an animal attached to it would revolutionize our food system, laying the groundwork for one of the most profound shifts humanity has ever seen. And a lucrative one at that. If successful, companies producing clean meat stand to be as profitable as the companies leading the near-trillion dollar global meat industry. Quite likely even more so.

Veganism is booming

These days, the clean meat business is booming. The gauntlet was thrown and a number of companies like Impossible Burger and The Good Food Institute picked it up. Travelling alongside it is the plant-based world, which has skyrocketed so much in recent years, now the high street is paying attention. Chains such as Marks & Spencer and LEON have introduced vegan ranges, Wagamama has a new plant-based menu, Pizza Hut recently joined Milanos and Zizzi in offering vegan pizzas, Cadbury’s is producing vegan chocolate and very recently, Guinness went vegan, changing its entire brewing process after two and a half centuries. Deliveroo also recently reported that orders of their plant based offering shot up 187% during the pandemic. 

If this is the year of mainstream veganism, as every trend forecaster and market analyst seems to agree, then there is not one single cause, but a perfect storm of rationale. The main ones being animal welfare, health reasons and environmental issues, which are also falling neatly in line with an endless assemblage of trendy cafés, celebrity push and malevolent documentaries. Because of this, the traditional food industry is hopelessly attempting to pivot to keep up with demand. “What do you mean, weak, limp and weedy? In 2017, the vegan category is robust, energetic, and flush with crowdfunding cash,” ran a recent article in the Grocer, pointing to new plant-based burger company Vurger, which hit its £150,000 investment target in little more than 24 hours.

The rapid explosion of the annual Veganuary campaign is also to credit. It sees curious eaters opt in for a month of veganism following the heavy Christmas period. Punters are supplied with recipes, advice and stats to show how easy veganism is, and how it’s growing. Having launched in 2014, Veganuary started with 3,300 sign ups only to jump to 23,000 two years later. By 2017, there were 59,500 participants with over half a million taking part in 2021 – and those are just the numbers that signed up officially online. 

Predominantly plant-based

The pivot to veganism boasts a number of benefits, but perhaps most prudently is that of animal rights. In a world where animals have never been so inconsequentially adored (consider how many animals you know with their own Instagram account) the thought of eating cow or pig finds itself a little less appealing when you return home each day to an affectionate dog. And for those still reliant on both meat and their dog, the clean meat industry neatly slots in solving a lot of problems — from the ethical to the logistical. 

Even though sales of animal products are on the uptick, particularly in the developing world, there’s no question consumers are opting for alternatives. The plant-based protein market surpassed $10 billion in sales in 2020, and most of the people buying these products aren’t vegans. They’re the flexitarians, the Tom Bradys of the world, who rely heavily on a predominantly plant-based diet, but still add in small amounts of animal protein.

Foreseeing the trend, Oxford academic Dr Marco Springmann has attempted to model what a vegan planet would look like, especially as climate change, food shortages and population growth intensify. He projected that were the world to adopt a vegan diet by 2050, the global economy would benefit to the tune of $1.1tn savings in healthcare costs and environmental savings of $0.5tn and a cut in greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds. It’s quite hard to argue with numbers that speculative – especially when one is not a fellow of the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future Of Food – but what is certain is that the makers of advocacy films such as Cowspiracy, An Inconvenient Truth and Seaspiracy were right in their general argument, if not some of the key specifics.

Final thought

All of this begs the question: Will all humans eventually have to follow suit? “We have to change the way we eat,” Martin Heller, a research specialist at the University of Michigan, recently told The Guardian. “That certainly isn’t saying that diet change – or even becoming vegan – will ‘save the planet’. It’s more of a necessary but not sufficient kind of thing.” He added that “these diet shifts need to come with government, corporate and every other kind of action”

“It’s also probably naive to assume that people will just change these behaviours because it’s good for the planet. It will require directed policy, changes in the restaurant and foodservice industries,” he said.

Some restaurants, from fast-casual joints to full-service establishments, have made the switch to fully vegan menus and have thrived by way of attracting new customers and reaching Generation Z/Millennial longevity. Doubtless, many chefs, restaurateurs, and consumers are watching and wondering if the switch to plant-based cuisine is a passing fad or if it will become a lasting shift in the industry, but it’s also worth noting that after the year we just had, many restaurants are doing everything they can to stay alive and survive. For longevity, it seems no other choice is possible, and if Burger King, Starbucks and Taco Bell’s vegan menus are anything to go by… we’re in for a long, plant-based road. 

As part of the team that brought LEON to Ireland, we understand your perspective as only a fellow operator can.

At Fitzgerald Power we have always been incredibly passionate about the food and beverage sector. Our managing partner Stuart is managing director of LEON Ireland and we were a key part of the team that brought this exciting and unique brand to Ireland in 2019. To be playing such a key part in creating and developing LEON in Ireland has afforded us an amazing opportunity to understand the sector from an entirely different perspective – an operator’s one. 

Contact us today to discover the possibilities for your food and beverage brand, from a firm that really knows. 

Further Articles

What investors look for in food businesses

Five top tips on what investors look for in a food business.

Read Blog

Covid supports for hospitality sector

Over the past 18 months governments across the world have had to find novel…

Read Blog