Dear Annie: Last weekend, I got a text from my dad that said: Im going vegan LOL. (Yes, he says LOL. Hes hip like that.) I laughed and brushed it aside, but during dinner last night, he and my stepmom told me they are serious about it. It definitely took me by surprise, but I was supportive and excited about the idea, so much so that I even went with him to Barnes & Noble to pick out an awesome vegan cookbook. But since then, Ive been having a strangely emotional reaction to his decision.

We love to eat. Thats our thing. We go out to dinner, try new, unusual cuisines and eat our way through new cities when traveling. He even seriously considered taking a leave from work to audition for a Food Network show. Some of my best memories involve meals weve shared. And now what? Ill order sashimi, and hell have ... seaweed? I have no issue with the decision itself; Ive done every juice cleanse and 30-day challenge under the sun and I love me some seaweed. I actually find the choice quite admirable.

What I realized is that the child in me is afraid that a piece of our relationship will be lost. Through my parents (nasty) divorce, no matter how things were between them or between us no matter when new people came into the picture and old people left whenever we sat down at the table, all of the yuckiness melted away. This feels like one more thread of consistency and connection being cut.

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Dear Annie: Daughter supports parents going vegan, but worries dining on seaweed will change their relationship - Greensboro News & Record

It seems that every week in the world of vegan food is more exciting than the last and this week is no exception. While the details are still hush, it looks like Starburst will be giving gummy candy fans a gelatin-free option in the coming months. And speaking of sweet treats, TCHO is ditching dairy to become a totally vegan company. Over in Asia, Noble Foodsa vegan meat company launched by meat industry veteransis giving China a taste of its plant-based jerky, and massive chain Caf de Coral is treating diners to a vegan version of classic dish Pork Claypot Rice thanks to OmniFoods popular vegan pork. Read on for more.

Starburst was developed in the United Kingdom in 1960 and there, it does not contain gelatinwhich is sourced from collagen found in animal bones. While that might sound like an icky thing to have in your candy, Starburst has never offered a gelatin-free version of any of its candies in the United States. But that may soon change.

This week, Starburst took to its Instagram stories with a photo that stopped us in our tracks: a little pink baggie emblazoned with the message Plant Based Gummies depicting classic orange, lemon, cherry, and strawberry flavors. While we wait to hear back from its parent company Mars Wrigley, we cant help but wonder: are vegan pink strawberry chews next?

Chocolate brand TCHO is done with dairy and will be ditching the animal product entirely by 2023 in order to set a new standard in the artisan chocolate industry. Its professional products, used by bakeries and restaurants nationwide, will be ditching dairy even sooner in 2022. Instead of using dairy productswhich carry a large carbon footprint compared to their plant-based counterpartsTCHO will focus on new bases such as cashew butter and oat milk. TCHO is showcasing its vegan innovation in six new bars which will eventually replace its dairy chocolate offerings.

Reducing our reliance on dairy is one of the quickest ways TCHO can lighten our impact on the environment, Josh Mohr, Vice President of Marketing at TCHO, said in a statement. While this will not be an easy transition for us, we know its the right one.

To sweeten the deal, TCHOs packaging is now fully recyclable and made with 100-percent post-consumer waste paper and certified compostable film.

Treeline started its French-inspired vegan cheese business in New Yorks Hudson Valley in 2011 and continues to innovate the category with the recent launch of vegan goat cheese. Now, wed be happy with just one plain ol vegan goat cheesesince easily accessible options are few and far betweenbut Treeline gave us three: a plain and versatile Original, the herbaceous Garlic & Basil, and a fruity Blueberry.

Made with ethically sourced cashews from Brazil that are ground into a cream and then fermented to produce deep and complex flavors, Treelines goat cheeses are meant to be used in a variety of ways.

Treelines vegan goat cheese is now available through its own website and is scheduled to launch at stores in Spring 2022.

This week an iconic dish got a vegan makeover thanks to a partnership between two Hong Kong companies: plant-based food-tech company OmniFoods and popular restaurant chain Caf de Coral. The duo collaborated to make the dish, swapping pork from pigs for pork from plants (OmniPork). The result is an indulgent dish that doesnt harm animals or the planet.

The unprecedented collaboration marks two local brands in Hong Kong introducing an authentic Hong Kong-styled dish, which has been received with great reception from customers, representing another milestone of our group, OmniFoods founder David Yeung said in a statement. We share the mission to promote sustainability, to spearhead a revolutionary change in the market We are eager to launch more collaborations with OmniFoods products, indulging customers with plant-based delicacies while tackling environmental crises together.

Find the new vegan dish at more than 160 locations of Caf de Coral across Hong Kong.

The Urbani family produced meat products for 50 years until CEO Claudio Urbani realized that feeding a growing world population with animal products was not sustainable. In 2018, Urbani Foods was formed and it now makes vegan jerky using a half century of meat industry expertise. The vegan jerky has been available at various retailers since and expanded into Walmart locations across Canada.

This week, Urbani Foods expanded distribution of its plant-based Noble Jerky to serve the steadily growing vegan population of Chinawhere there are more vegans than the entire population of Australia. Urbani Foods vegan jerky is now available at 36 Sams Club locations.

Our desire to make plant-based protein snacks accessible to everyone reflects this new expansionand it is hardly our last one, Urbani Foods Co-Founder Jordan Urbani said in a statement. Nobles core mission is to help our local and global communities live better and healthier livestoday, we extend a special thank you to Sams Club China, together we will make vegan accessible and effortless to everyone in the country.

And for the last bit of vegan news this week, weve got something meaty. The two newest C-suite members of Beyond Meatone of the main companies driving the plant-based revolutionare Doug Ramsey and Bernie Adcock. Who are Doug and Bernie, you ask? They used to work for a little company named Tyson for 30 years apiece. Both executives bring decades of knowledge to Beyond Meat and will help it scale globally.

Also, it turns out that Ramsey was President of Tysons McDonalds business and its no coincidence that Beyond Meat is currently working with the fast-food giant to develop plant-based menu items under its McPlant platform. Were lovin it!

For more about the latest vegan news, read:Matt + Nat Makes Vegan Leather Handbags From Apple Waste Vegan Ice Cream Pioneer Nadamoo! Secures $10 Million Investment Impossible Cheeseburgers Are Grubhubs Top Order of 2021

Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.

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Gelatin-Free Starburst Is Coming Your Way and More Vegan Food News of the Week - VegNews

Vegan cheese giant Daiya Foods just announced that it will redesign its plant-based cheese recipe to better the taste, texture, and nutritional value of its signature product. The plant-based cheese brand plans to distribute a reformulated recipe of its vegan cheese, now including oats and chickpeas meant to maximize the creaminess and taste of the companys cheese blocks. The company intends to maximize its products versatility before the holidays, hoping that the new and improved cheese block can be easily used in a variety of recipes.

As more and more people continue exploring plant-based foods, were more committed than ever to developing crave-worthy, plant-based versions of their favorite foods that deliver on the delicious taste, texture, and flavor they expect, Daiyas Vice President of Marketing Dan Hua said in a statement. Our new Daiya Blocks are available just in time for the holidays, giving new and current fans dairy-free options that deliver exceptional taste and texture and which can be easily incorporated into favorite recipes to satisfy comfort food cravings.

The newly released Daiya cheese blocks will range in flavor, includingMedium Cheddar, Jalapeno Havarti, Smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack flavors that will all begin including the oat and chickpea ingredients. The company revealed that it chose the two new ingredients to avoid allergens in its recipes, maintaining its soy, gluten, and nut-free status.

Founded in 2008, Daiya has established itself as a central figure in the vegan dairy industry. The Canadian company entered the North American market as a pioneer for vegan cheese products, promising a plant-based cheese that would replicate dairys melting capabilities. The brand expanded to include several flavors available in spread, shreds, sliced, and block formats.

Daiya maintains its position as one of the key companies fueling the plant-based cheese market. A report from Grand View Research found that the global vegan cheese market is projected to have a 12.4 percent growth rate from 2021 to 2028, rising to reach $5.64 billion. The report also indicates that Daiya is a key player for the global vegan cheese market alongside several others including Follow Your Heart, Treeline Cheese, Miyokos Creamery, and more.

Daiyas international presence is continuing to expand at an accelerated rate. Over the last year, the company has partnered with several national chains including Jamba Juice, Fatburger, and Johnny Rockets to feature its vegan cheese on plant-based menu items. The company intends to continue this expansion into retail and foodservice sectors as it improves its recipe to better replicate conventional animal-based cheese products.

The company redesigned its recipe once before in 2019 when it released its Cutting Board label. The innovative product push boasted an enhanced flavor and a more accurate texture. Since then, the company has been working to better its plant-based cheese as more competitors enter the vegan cheese market.

When Daiya entered the plant-based cheese business, North American retailers and foodservice providers barely offered plant-based cheeses. Now, the entire market is saturated by new plant-based cheeses from innovative companies such as Miyokos or Violife and even older dairy brands including BabyBel and Laughing Cow.

Beyond reformulating its recipes, Daiya also recently launched a new foodservice website to meet the rising demand for plant-based options. The website will help Daiya increase its visibility to foodservice providers in colleges, restaurants, healthcare facilities, hospitality venues, and more. The website allows these companies to purchase bulk items at discounted prices. The new site will help Daiya increase its nationwide distribution and overall accessibility for plant-based consumers.

"We recognize the growing opportunity for professional chefs and foodservice operators to grow their businesses by incorporating more plant-based options into their menus, so we're excited to make our delicious, dairy-free products available to groups large and small across multiple channels," Daiya Chief Sales Officer Mike Cooke said.

"Requests for bulk sizes of our award-winning Daiya Slices and Cutting Board Collection Shreds, for instance, have increased twofold over the past 2-3 years. As we continue to address the evolving preferences of today's consumer, our goal is to make our high quality, sustainable, plant-based solutions more accessiblewherever the craving strikes."

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Daiya Reformulates to Make Vegan Cheese with Oats and Chickpeas - The Beet

The Veganuary campaign, a non-profit encouraging the public to go vegan for January and beyond, has seen millions of participants from almost every country in the world since its inception in 2014 it is a global movement that significantly impacts vegan business: more than 600 brands, restaurants, and supermarkets promoted the campaign 2021, launching more than 825 new vegan products!

Aside from the charitys incredible influence on plant-based business, the results from its six-month follow-up survey of Veganuary 2021 participants revealed a permanent reduction in meat consumption for a large majority, with 68% also reporting health benefits including more energy, better skin and improved mood.

Veganuary is an absolute inspiration and a force to be reckoned with, and we were delighted to catch up with Chief Executive Ria Rehberg.

Whats your background and what did you do before Veganuary?My background is in animal protection and before joining Veganuary I was Co-Executive Director of Animal Equality Germany, the German branch of an international animal protection non-profit, for several years. My academic background is in intercultural communications, so I was very excited to have been chosen by the founders of Veganuary to come on board early in 2019 to lead on Veganuarys international expansion and grow our diverse team all across the globe.

What are you most proud of / what is Veganuarys biggest achievement or milestone in your opinion?The Veganuary campaign and challenge have played a significant role in making veganism more mainstream and creating an environment in which major food companies are investing millions into their Veganuary themed promotions of vegan products and switching to more sustainable animal-free options. Our positive, non-judgmental approach led to the involvement of all of Britains major supermarkets this last January highlighting their vegan options and launching new vegan products to the market and even advocating the reasons to try a vegan diet, such as caring for animals, staying healthy and eating sustainably.

Our positive, non-judgmental approach led to the involvement of all of Britains major supermarkets this last January

To me, this was a major milestone and a clear sign that the huge benefits a more plant-based diet can have on the planet, animals and people alike is now finally a well-known fact that is openly embraced by businesses throughout the food sector.

We all need to do our part to tackle the climate crisis, and Im glad to see that Big Food is making it easier and easier for consumers to make the switch and eat delicious vegan foods without having to compromise on taste or affordability any more.

We all need to do our part to tackle the climate crisis

In how many countries will Veganuary run in 2022?Veganuary runs active campaigns in the UK, Germany, India, the US, Chile, Argentina and Brazil and cooperates with wonderful partner organisations in Italy, Switzerland, France, Singapore, South Africa and Australia who run Veganuary campaigns in their respective countries. That said, we usually have people participating in our one-month challenge from all around the globe last year people from over 200 countries and territories signed up with us to try vegan for a month!

What are the most exciting events highlights for you coming up this year?Im incredibly excited to say that worldwide we have the support of over 100 celebrities this year with several new faces including Joanna Lumley, Venus Williams, Jane Goodall, Benjamin Zephaniah and Deborah Meaden supporting the campaign for the first time which will hopefully help us reach a large audience and encourage millions of people to give vegan a go this year. We also have exciting projects in the pipeline the highlight being our new Cinema Ad, which will be published shortly after Christmas!

Celebrities supporting Veganuary in 2022; how do their contributions benefit the campaign? Can you give some examples of what they have done for the campaignVenus Williams, Jane Goodall, Sadie Frost, Bella Ramsey and Bryan Adams have donated their favourite vegan recipes to Veganuarys 2022 cookbook which all participants receive completely for free which will hopefully encourage a lot of people to try the challenge and support them with delicious recipes along the way!

Chris Packham, who did Veganuary in 2019, is encouraging everyone who cares about climate change to take part this January as he fronts the charitys new campaign video. Hes joined by Hollyoaks star Eva OHara, Emmerdales James Moore, TV presenter Jasmine Harman and Benjamin Zephaniah with heartfelt messages of encouragement in our launch video. And national treasure, actor and activist Joanna Lumley encourages Veganuary participants by stating: Im in awe of every single person taking part for the climate, our rivers and oceans, forests and wild places, animals and people. Youre all angels.

Every single celebrity or influencer backing the campaign, posting about it on social media or supporting us in getting our message out into mainstream media is playing a significant part in helping us make veganism more visible and were incredibly grateful for their important support.

Which big retailers will be partners in 2022? While we cannot yet publicize anything too concrete yet, we are very happy to say that most of Britains major retailers will participate in Veganuary in one way or the other and there are a lot of exciting new launches in the pipeline!

What are your personal highlights of vegan business launches in the past for Veganuary?What a question! There were way too many to have favourites, but I was certainly very pleased to see that just a week after launching, Leons new Vegan Sweet Carolina BBQ Burger swept up the title of its bestselling burger last year and Prets new Meatless Meatball Hot Wrap was the first new product to become a top five bestseller in launch week in Prets history.

We also see a lot of international brands and chains participate in several of our main countries now, so that Ive been able to enjoy Subways plant-based T.L.C. Sub in the UK and their vegan Teriyaki Chicken Sub in Germany for Veganuary last year!

What are the plans for the future what is the mission as a whole and do you have any personal or organisation-wide objectives for the next years?Our mission is to inspire and support people to try vegan, drive corporate change, and create a global mass movement championing compassionate food choices with the aim of ending animal farming, protecting the planet, and improving human health and that is what we will keep working towards! Next year we will work on strengthening our existing flagship countries as well as expanding our presence in Asia, where we are seeing huge potential for a rise in plant-based eating.

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Veganuary: "The Veganuary Campaign Has Played a Significant Role in Making Veganism More Mainstream" - vegconomist - the vegan business...

The sounds of the zydeco band didnt so much drift from the corner of the North Hollywood strip mall as stampede out of it. The good times began to roll at Krimseys Cajun Kitchen in early 2017, with live music, raucous annual Mardi Gras parties, po boys, beads, jambalaya, craft nights, hush puppies, fried okra and other Looziana fare, all of it vegan. But three years later, those good times came to an end.

Chef-owner Krimsey Lilleth (ne Ramsey) closed her namesake spot, canceled a planned second location in Silver Lake, and eventually left Los Angeles due to the pandemic. These days, the Baton Rouge native is more likely to forage for mushrooms in the Snoqualmie Valley than serve anyone a pot of chicory coffee, but you dont need to track her down in the hills of Washington state to learn the secrets of her plant-based restaurant. Shes written them all down for you.

In late November, Lilleth released The Cajun Vegan Cookbook, with more than 130 recipes for sauces, stews, salads, sandwiches, sips, sweets and entres, all pulled from her Louisiana upbringing but made meat- and dairy-free. Vegetables, she says, take to spice and hearty seasoning, and when it comes to the bayous own blend of African, French and Spanish cuisines, the spice flows.

I think with a lot of cooking thats based in some sort of old tradition or culture, we always have some sort of spice base or flavor profile that isnt meat-based. Its what you put on the meat or marinate the meat in, and thats super true for Cajun food, she said. When people think about Cajun food, a lot of times the holy trinity comes up: celery, [bell] pepper and onion. Thats in almost every single classic or Cajun-Creole dish and Cajun spice. I think its a great foundation for whatever you want to do with it.

Lilleth is already writing another plant-based cookbook, one focused on whole foods and simple preparation.

(Jess Joy)

She uses her own Cajun spice blend of white pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and cracked black pepper to bring heat to the Cajun ranch dressing (one of Lilleths most-requested recipes) and to main dishes like the blackened tempeh, and uses the holy trinity to add depth to the nori-tinged touffe and to the green gumbo packed with chard, mustard greens, collards, kale and turnip greens.

Everyone whos gone vegan can point to a deciding moment or era, she says. For some, its a kind of a slow build; for Lilleth, now 34, it was like a switch. At the age of 20, after stumbling upon a YouTube video on the mistreatment of animals in factory farms, her brain looped on the topic; 24 hours later she was heavy into researching and decided to make the change. Now, she says its a little more selfish: She simply likes the way eating vegan makes her feel, and she feels less guilt about her dining choices.

She immediately realized there were no all-plant-based Cajun restaurants nearby, even in Baton Rouge, which meant the petroleum engineer would need to pick up some cooking skill. Her home meals started humbly: Some nights, it meant microwaving a russet potato and topping it with frozen broccoli. Eventually, she began to incorporate familiar spices and draw from Creole inspiration to lay the foundation for what would become Krimseys years later, nearly 2,000 miles away.

I used to joke about opening a Cajun vegan restaurant, and it really was a joke at that time because we were like, No one would eat there, she said. I didnt envision it being anywhere in Louisiana, but of course it worked in L.A. I think it could even work in Louisiana right now. If I had stayed in the game, I think this would be a great time to open a Cajun vegan spot there.

A few years later she would get her chance to open that restaurant in L.A., but not before leaving her career in fossil fuels, divorcing her husband and heading west for a new start in 2015. She found it in food.

I came to L.A. thinking I would probably like to do something in the vegan scene but had no idea it would be food-specific, Lilleth said. I dont know what I imagined but I didnt imagine owning my own restaurant.

To Lilleth, Krimseys Cajun Kitchen felt like building community. She closed the restaurant in summer of 2020.

(Krimsey Lilleth)

She began with a cookbook, writing and developing 50 vegan Cajun recipes; her sister designed it, and they self-published the spiral-bound collection, a sort of precursor to what would be served at Krimseys, though she didnt realize it at the time. Lilleth began packaging her own dry mixes corn breads, jambalayas, brownies and selling them at farmers markets. That evolved into selling hot food at farmers markets, pop-ups and festivals, and amid the constant assembly and teardown of her food stall before and after these events, she realized it could be a restaurant of its own, a home base.

She opened Krimseys Cajun Kitchen in February 2017 for what she believed was an underserved vegan community. She already had a customer base built through pop-ups, but in the first few months, Lilleth was worried about reaching new audiences. Then animal-advocacy nonprofit Mercy for Animals featured the restaurant in a video on social media, and Krimseys exploded almost overnight. Lilleth had to hire more people and, eventually, move from one space in the strip mall to the larger corner spot.

For three years guests passed under the hanging wooden sign that yelled, BONJOUR, VEGANS! for a taste of plant-based bayou specialties. Musicians set up on a small stage area in a corner for live-music nights. Pride specials, Mardi Gras parties, fundraisers and other events kept the crowds coming back for more too. It was, she says, all about building community.

Lilleth was about to begin construction on the new location in Silver Lake when COVID hit. She asked her team to wait a week to see how the pandemic would play out but quickly realized the restaurant industry might never be the same. Already wavering in her role as a restaurateur she was feeling the fatigue of running the day-to-day operations she pulled out of both leases.

In Lilleths green gumbo, Cajun cuisines holy trinity forms the base of the verdant stew to build flavor.

(Krimsey Lilleth)

As remembrances poured in over social media, so did an offer: A publishing company wanted to know if Lilleth might consider writing a cookbook. For several months, Lilleth revisited her Krimseys recipes in Los Angeles, but also in a rented home in Utah with a large test kitchen to focus on writing and photographing the dishes, sometimes for 12 or 14 hours a day.

Every recipe that I went back and perfected for the cookbook or made suitable for the reader, there was always some memory associated with it or a story, she said. Each one along the way was like closing a chapter, one recipe at a time.

Krimseys, she says, might never come back. If it does, or if she takes up selling food again in any form, it might be in the Snoqualmie Valley to serve a smaller and tighter community, which Lilleth admits shes been missing. For now, shes already begun working on another cookbook one more focused on whole foods, packed with legumes and greens and grains, the way she tends to cook at home and rewriting Henry David Thoreaus Walden for the modern era. Shes foraging and hiking, but shes not forgetting Krimseys. Shes hoping that The Cajun Vegan Cookbook will keep those good times rolling.

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The pandemic closed Krimsey's Cajun Kitchen, but its recipes live on in 'The Cajun Vegan Cookbook' - Los Angeles Times

McDonalds may expand its meatless McPlant burger to more locations across the United States sooner than previously expected, according to several analysts. On November 3, the fast-food chain added the McPlant burgerits first meatless burger which it developed in partnership with vegan brand Beyond Meatto the menu for a limited time at eight test locations McDonalds locations in Irving, TX; Carrollton, TX; Cedar Falls, IA; Jennings, LA; Lake Charles, LA; Manhattan Beach, CA; and El Segundo, CA.

The meatless burgers feature a plant-based patty made from peas, potatoes, and rice that comes topped with tomato, lettuce, pickles, onions, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and a slice of American cheese. Both the mayonnaise and cheese are not vegan and the burgers patty is cooked on a shared surface with animal products. This particular test will help us understand how offering a burger with a plant-based patty impacts the kitchens in our restaurants, McDonalds stated in November. [The McPlant] has the iconic taste of a McDonalds burger, because it is one.

After a little more than one month on the menu, Wall Street analysts have speculated that a national launch may happen sooner than expected, due primarily to the McPlant hitting its sales targets of 70 burgers per day at each of the eight test locations. Analyst Michael Lavery, from investment banking company Piper Sandler, believes that a national rollout of the McPlant to McDonalds more than 13,600 US restaurants can occur as early as the end of the first quarter of 2022. Analyst Peter Saleh, of global finances firm BTIG, is a bit more conservative with his prediction, stating that he expects the meatless burger to hit an additional 700 test locations by February or March 2022 before it rolls out nationwide sometime in 2023.

VegNews has reached out to Beyond Meat and McDonalds for more details about the national launch of the McPlant across the US.

In 2019, McDonalds tested the meatless P.L.T. (which stood for Plant, Lettuce, and Tomato) burger made with Beyond Meats Beyond Burger patty at 28 locations in Ontario, Canada. The test resulted in a three-year development deal between the vegan brand and fast-food giant to create the McPlant platform that will result in a global roll-out of region-specific plant-based items. While the partnership has thus far resulted in the launch of the McPlant burger, additional itemsfrom plant-based chicken to breakfast optionsare also in the works.

The McPlant burger made its debut earlier this year in several European countries, including in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Austria. Last month, a fully vegan version of the McPlantfeaturing vegan mayonnaise and cheese and cooked on a separate grilllanded at 250 locations across the United Kingdom with a full national rollout expected next year. In the UK and Ireland, McDonalds aims to become a category leader in the plant-based space to help it become a net-zero business in the region by 2040 and globally by 2050.

In 2016, when Beyond Meat Founder and CEO Ethan Brown initially launched the Beyond Burger, the entrepreneur already had his sights set on McDonalds. Ive set a goal for the company and for myself, and it is very personal to me, Brown told Fortune that year. By the time my kids are 16they are 11 and 12 todaythey should be able to walk into a McDonalds or Burger King and be able to buy a Beyond Burger. Browns children have now hit that age and his goal of them ordering a Beyond Burger at McDonalds anywhere in the country might soon become a reality.

We are proud to enter into this strategic global agreement with McDonalds, an exciting milestone for Beyond Meat, and look forward to serving McDonalds as they bring expanded choice to menus globally, Brown told VegNews in November. We will combine the power of Beyond Meats rapid and relentless approach to innovation with the strength of McDonalds global brand to introduce craveable, new plant-based menu items that consumers will love.

Earlier this month, Beyond Meat brought on board two new executives, Bernie Adcock and Doug Ramsey, each with decades of experience working for meat giant Tyson. Ramseywho previously oversaw Tysons McDonalds businessis now Beyond Meats COO and will help the company navigate its expansion plans with McDonalds.

For more about plant-based at McDonalds, read:

How To Eat Vegan At McDonaldsBefore The McPlant258 McDonalds Serve the McPlant Plus Everything Else You Need to Know McDonalds UK Announces Goal to Become Leader in Vegan Fast Food

Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.

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The McPlant Test Is Going Well. Will McDonald's Expand the Meatless Burger to All 13600 US Locations? - VegNews

As one of the fastest-growing social movements in history, more Americans than ever plan to eat vegan in 2022. YouGov recently conducted a survey that concluded 32% of Americans are planning to eat more vegan foods next year! Veganuarythe global movement that encourages and aids people in going vegan each Januaryhas just launched its 2022 campaign and is up to the task of helping that 32% make a successful transition.

The survey conducted by YouGov found that 31% of Americans are interested in eating a fully vegan diet but have several reservations, including affordability, perceived inability to stick with it, and a desire to find meal plans and recipes to help the transition.

The survey also indicated that 30% of Americans have admitted that their perceptions of a vegan diet have changed for the better over the last two yearssince Veganuary originally launched in the US.

Veganuary launched in the UK in 2014 and has since amassed more than 1 million pledges of people committing to going vegan for the month of January. In 2020, 400,000 people signed up for the pledge, followed by 582,000 people in 2021. Veganuary just initiated its 2022 campaign and is expecting more people than ever to sign up for the 31-day pledge.

When registering for the Veganuary pledge, youre provided with support designed to help mitigate the previously mentioned reservations, helping to ease the vegan transition and create a longer lasting dietary change. You will be given a free celebrity e-cookbook filled with plant-based recipes by vegan celebrities, such as Evanna Lynch, Mayim Bialik, and Chris Smalling. Youll also receive an Official Veganuary Starter kit as well as daily recipes, meal plans, tips on eating out, nutrition trackers, and daily support via an email series that lasts for the entire month. Additionally, Veganuary has partnered with a variety of restaurants, brands, and retailers to provide special offers and discounts throughout the month to participants.

Visit Veganuary.com for more information or to sign the pledge!

Cayla is an event planner, copywriter, catering manager, and vegan foodie. If shes not working, shes probably catching one of her favorite composers in concert, riding her bike to the movies, watching a gorgeous sunset at the bluff in Long Beach, or convincing her girlfriend to go out to eat at another vegan restaurant again.

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More Americans Than Ever Plan to Eat Vegan in 2022 - VegOut Magazine

I enjoy the rather simplistic naming of the Thai curries: yellow, red and green. Straightforward names for complex dishes is a genius bit of marketing that has made their journey to westerners plates all the easier. Ive already written recipes for green and red in this column, which I think (in short) are defined by their corresponding chillies: the green is fresh, sweet and light; the red warmer and richer. The yellow, however, is not characterised by chilli at all, but instead by the coming together of a great lineup of aromatics that includes lemongrass, turmeric, ginger, makrut lime, cumin and coriander.

You can buy makrut lime leaves fresh or frozen; the dried ones, however, are, in my opinion, a bit useless. Ive recommended using a waxy potato in this over a starchy one, so it soaks up less of the sauce and leaves you with a better sauce-to-potato ratio, but use whatever you have at home. Youll need a blender to make this, incidentally.

Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Serves 4

1 large banana shallot (or 2 small ones), peeled and roughly chopped 1 whole garlic head (about 15 cloves), separated and peeled 2 sticks lemongrass, outer leaves removed, the rest bruised and chopped 4cm x 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 4 birds-eye chillies, chopped (remove and discard the pith and seeds if you prefer less heat) 4 makrut lime leaves 1 tsp ground turmeric tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp fine sea salt 2 x 400ml tins coconut milk 600g waxy potatoes (such as charlottes), quartered 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 400g green beans, tailed Steamed rice, to serve

First make the curry paste. Put all the ingredients apart from the coconut milk, potatoes, oil and beans in a blender, add four or five tablespoons of coconut milk, and blitz for a minute or so, until you have a nice, smooth paste. Put to one side.

Bring a pan of water to a boil, carefully lower in the potatoes and cook for 10-12 minutes, until a knife slips easily in and out. Drain and set aside while you start on the curry.

Put the oil in a wide saucepan for which you have a lid, set it over a medium heat and, once its hot, stir-fry the curry paste for five minutes, until it starts to darken slightly in colour and turn noticeably fragrant.

When the paste starts to look a little oily as the fat splits out of it thats a good sign, by the way, so dont be alarmed add the rest of the coconut milk and 200ml water, and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked potatoes and the green beans, bring everything back up to a simmer, cover and cook for five to six minutes longer, until the beans are cooked and the curry has reduced and thickened slightly. Serve with steamed plain rice.

Read the original:

Meera Sodhas vegan recipe for Thai yellow curry with green beans and potatoes - The Guardian

It's that time of year when Trader Joe'stransforms intoa festive wonderland, and shelves are stocked with cheerful seasonal items that you can only enjoy for a few months. Thanks to an increase in plant-based product releases in the last few years, there is a well-rounded selection of vegan items this time of year. Here are the 8 best vegan baked goods, hot drinks, and candiesthat you should add to your list this winter tocelebrate the holiday season in a totally plant-based way. For our favorite year-round products at TJ's, visit this handy guide.

If I were to recommend one item on this list as a must-try, it's this dairy-free gingerbread loaf.Moist, festive, and topped with crystallized sugar which gives it a very welcome crunch in contrast to the soft spicy bread, this is one of those 'bet you can't just have one slice' items, and I've capped off many a night devouring the entire thing. Toast a slice, smother it in some plant-based butter, and you have yourself a holiday treat that will hit with anyone.

Why not make even the mundane festive? TJ's Wintry Blend coffee amps up your morning cup of joe with spices like clove, cinnamon, and peppercorn. Get this fan-favorite soon because it will only be on shelves during the winter months, and sells out fast.

To add to TJ's roster of dairy-free delights, these Mint & Chip Bon Bons are completelyvegan and marry two of the best flavors for a wintry treat: Dark chocolate and mint. Find these in thefrozen aisle.

Trader Joe's is one of the few trusty places where you're able to find gelatin-free marshmallows. During the holiday season, they bulk up their offerings with these peppermint-flavored mini marshmallows which are the perfect topping on a steaming cup of cocoa.

TJ's is an expert at taking traditionally animal-based items and making them accidentally vegan, such as these gummies which trade gelatin for tapioca syrup and cornstarch and get their colors from natural sources like turmeric, spirulina, and vegetable extracts.

While we're spicing up your coffee, could we interest you in some Candy Cane Green Tea to get into the spirit of the season? Similar to peppermint tea, this holiday tea also boasts notes of vanilla and is a great decaffeinated option to accompany your vegan dessert.

If you love the syrupy sweetness of egg nog, why not trade in the traditional recipe for a dairy-free version made from oats? Equally as delicious, this plant-based beverage is great alongside cookies or can be used as a creamer in your morning cup of coffee.

What would the holidays be without a good punch? TJ's Winter Wassail Punch is a fan favorite for a reason. The brand describes the taste as a "sweetened blend of black currant, apple, and lemon juices, with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and orange peel." Add slices of citrus and rosemary fora beautifulgarnish, this punch is a great alcohol-free beverage option for guests, and can also be infused with whatever liquor you please, but we'd recommend a woodsy Bourbon.

TJ's well-loved copycat Oreo cookies get a holiday makeover with a candy cane flavor. If you love chocolate and peppermint, pick up a box of these vegan cookies and you'll discover that the dairy-free creamy filling is freckled with bits of candy cane pieces for extra cheer.

Read the original:

The 9 Best Vegan Holiday Products to Buy at Trader Joe's - The Beet

Vegan accessory brand Matt + Nat recently launched its first handbag collection featuring a new bio-based vegan leather made from the waste recovered from the fruit juice industry. After an abundance of research, sweat, and tears, its finally here The collection of all collections One that is like no other and will blow your mind, Matt + Nat President and CEO Manny Kohli posted on Instagram. Discover a collection that pushes all boundaries and takes an apple a day to a whole other level.

The vegan leather, called AppleSkin, is an innovative material patented by Italy-based company Frumat. Made in Italy from apples grown in Bolzano, a city in the countrys northern region, AppleSkin is produced by recovering the mushy pulpmade up of cellulose fibers from the skin and coreleftover from juicing apples on an industrial scale, which would otherwise be discarded.

Though the precise process of making AppleSkin is a trade secret, we do know that the cellulose is made into a powder and used to reduce the amount of virgin materials required to create the vegan leather. The resulting AppleSkin is approximately 20 to 30 percent apple. Fewer virgin materials means fewer natural resources are extracted from the planet, and lower emissions and energy consumption across the entire supply chain.

Matt + Nat partnered with Frumat to create its new Studio 901 collection which features handbags with an AppleSkin outer body andas with all Matt + Nat bagsinterior linings made from 100-percent recycled water bottles. The collection features 12 handbags, including a backpack, mini satchel, bucket bag, and tote bag in black, brown, and green hues and gold detailing such as chain shoulder straps and V closures.

In recent years, more and more fashion and furniture brands are upping their sustainability efforts by making products using textiles from upcycled or recycled plants and materials. While companies are using plant-based options using cactus, pineapple, and mushrooms, apple-based vegan leather is a versatile material that has been used in a number of industries.

Last year, Canadian furniture designer Gus* Modern featured couches and lounge chairs made with innovative vegan AppleSkin in its Fall 2020 collection. This new bio-based material saves apple peels and cores from going to landfills and is a harmonious addition to our other eco-friendly options [such as] Forest Stewardship Council-Certified wood and cushion fill made from recycled plastic bottles, Anthony Santino, Vice President of Sales at Gus* Design Group, said in a statement.

That same year, actress and vegan activist Pamela Anderson partnered with French fashion brand Ashoka Paris to release a line of handbags made from AppleSkin in a variety of colors and styles. The collection was conceived by Anderson and designer David Mateo over a period of 16 months, and each bag is embossed with a message that reads, Resiste! (Resist). Inside every beautiful person is an activist wanting to defend the planet.

Additionally, in 2019, German automobile company Volkswagen announced an electric SUV concept car featuring a 100-percent vegan leather interior made from apples. The full-size, zero-emission ID Roomzz, which was expected to be sold in China, was first unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show.

For more about sustainable fashion, read: Louis Vuittons First Sustainable Shoe Is Made With Vegan Corn LeatherVegan Mushroom Leather Handbag Hits the Runway For the First Time Old Navy Is Making Plant-Based Sandals From Sugarcane

Nicole Axworthy is the News Editor at VegNews and author of the cookbook DIY Vegan.

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Matt + Nat Makes Vegan Leather Handbags From Apple Waste for the First Time - VegNews