On Feb. 17, Starbucks will unveil its second non-dairy milk option: coconut milk. For years, they have offered organic soymilk in their beverages, but the addition of coconut to the vegan options is significant for a few reasons. For one thing, it means people are demanding vegan options as alternatives to meat and dairy and mainstream venues are listening.
The coconut milk option was suggested to the My Starbucks Idea site in 2010 and has since become one of the most popular ideas presented to Starbucks. The company’s response was: ‘We hear you loud and clear.’
Vegan Options Spread Across the Country
Starbucks is not the only company responding to the growing demand for vegan options. Last year, fellow coffee giant Dunkin Donuts added almond milk, and fast-food chains are jumping on the bandwagon now, too. The market will supply if there is a demand, and there most certainly is one. Veganism has been on the rise over the past few years, while America’s meat consumption is decreasing.
Not surprisingly, these trends have led to a boom in the sale of meatless alternatives, whose annual profits went from $513 million to $553 million in two years. Popular faux-meat producers Gardein are finding themselves gaining ground, encroaching from the frozen food aisle to popular chain-restaurants like Johnny Rockets and Yard House. Chili’s, with over 1,500 locations, is also in talks to follow suit. Chipotle’s first addition to their menu in over twenty years was- you guessed it- a vegan option: the Tofu Sofritas, a meal worthy of uniting both vegans and omnivores.
IKEA, the Swedish furniture giant with global reach and a popular in-store restaurant, is already appeasing their meat-less clientele. In 2014, they announced plans to sell ‘veggie balls,’ but after PETA took the lead and garnered thousands of signatures, IKEA agreed to make them entirely animal-free. The vegan meatballs launch in April.
All of these examples show just how much the demand for vegan products are becoming, but also prove to businesses how profitable vegan options can be for them to pursue. White Castle, who introduced Dr. Praeger’s sliders in January of this year, was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming popularity. They are quickly working on an alternative bun recipe since their current buns are not vegan friendly.
If the rapid growth of vegan options wasn’t enough to suggest that veganism is lucrative, this might convince you. One of the world’s richest men, Bill Gates, thinks vegan meats are “the future of food” and financially backed the popular vegan company Beyond Meat, which creates incredibly realistic faux-meat and faux-egg products.
Keep Pushing for Change
While some vegans might argue that the commodification of veganism detracts from the ethical motivations many of us share, it is a good thing for the animals either way. The more mainstream veganism becomes, the better. With more accessible and convenient vegan options, people are more likely to make cruelty-free choices (even if compassion isn’t their main motivator).
Seasoned vegans know that you can already order a meal at just about any restaurant. But if the menu boasts a delicious looking plant-based option, it is only going to reinforce the concept that a vegan lifestyle is totally do-able, especially in the minds of those new to or considering a vegan diet. In the end, more animals will be spared and more lives will be changed. So keep on raising your voice: ask local restaurants and giant chains to offer more vegan options, and support the ones that already do. Before we know it, restaurant that do not have a decent vegan option will be a thing of the past!
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