Change in eating habits drives a vegan revolution that already drives $ 50 billion a year and transforms world industry

Until recently, the vegetarian was seen as “weird people with weird habits.” In the US, they even invented the term tree hugger to refer to the group, which also included environmentalists. Among these consumers was an even narrower niche: that of vegans. Unlike vegetarians, who avoid meat only, they prefer to stay away from any animal products such as leather, eggs, wool, and silk. But in recent years, vegetarians and vegans have grown in number, with a growing trend accelerated. And this can be clearly seen in two countries that are champions in animal protein consumption: Brazil and the US.

That is, the market for customers wishing to avoid animal products has reached a size that can no longer be overlooked by any consumer giant. There are examples everywhere: McDonald’s, Burger King, BRF, Nestle, JBS, Tyson Foods, and Danone joined the veggie wave with products, investments, and projects in development.

The richest country in the world, by the way, points to an accelerated expansion of this news. Sales of vegan foods grew 10 times more than the total food market in twelve months (through June 2018), compared to the same period last year. There was also an explosion in the sale of alternative “milks”, which rose from $ 1.5 billion to $ 5 billion between 2011 and 2016. What drives growth is coconut milk. Ice creams without milk are also new. Ben & Jerry’s, a brand purchased by Unilever, has been investing in new flavors without the protein. The US already has the largest animal substitute market, which moves $ 700 million a year.

ALTERNATE BUTCH The signs of revolution are all over the world. In Italy, the vegan and vegetarian population has doubled in size in five years. The Chinese, who have enriched animal protein producers since the early 2000s, has another challenge: increasing protein supply without causing global production to collapse. Thus, the country is already the largest global alternative milk market, which caused a 60% drop in the price of these products within the country. In the Netherlands, one of the most advanced alternative meat companies was founded: Vivera, which has run out of stocks of herbal steaks in the British supermarket chain Tesco by selling 40,000 units in a week. The UK has 22 million people who are classified as “flexitarians”, those who like to eat meat but want to reduce consumption. Australia is considered the most attractive market for herbal snacks. Substitute ingredients include quinoa, cannabis seed, chickpeas, algae, and even insects.

FOOD STARTUPS The quality of animal substitute products has also greatly improved. Several startups have created major innovations and attracted the attention of companies interested in not missing the tram of the revolution. In December, Unilever bought the Dutch The Vegan Butcher, which invented products like chicken-free nuggets. The company was founded in 2007 by a farmer who represented the ninth generation of a family of breeders but decided to go vegetarian after seeing his pig farming decimated by swine flu.

In the US, Tyson Foods, the big American rival of Brazilian JBS, bought 5% of California startup Beyond Meat. The fledgling company, whose office combines a research center with a dog hotel, sells meatless protein discs to chains such as TGI Friday’s and announced in November that it is preparing to make a $ 100 million IPO. Beyond Meat has developed vegetable meat that even “bleeds” beet juice. The product was praised by billionaire Bill Gates, one of the investors alongside actor Leonardo DiCaprio of rival Impossible Foods, another Californian company that develops alternative meats.

Global economic organizations have also entered the topic. At the Davos World Forum, which will take place this week, a study by the University of Oxford will be presented preaching a decrease in meat consumption for health and environment. Research estimates that replacing animal protein would cause a 2.4% decrease in deaths from an inadequate diet. Meat, the study suggests, should be replaced by other sources of protein, such as synthetic meat, tofu, lentils, walnuts, jackfruit, and insects.
The American Medical Association also concluded at a congress in 2018 that hospitals need to offer more vegan meals.

In Los Angeles, public schools began serving such meals in the academic year 2018-2019. But the first major government initiative on the subject will take place this year, when the European Commission promises to initiate the plan to create a formal definition for vegan and vegetarian food, creating a standard that can be a benchmark for businesses and consumers around the world. So before you call that vegan friend “weird,” remember that he is a disputed consumer of the world’s largest companies.

By Carlos Eduardo Valim
Sem carne com lucro (Edition summary)