Veganuary: Passing Fad or Pressing Sign That Hospitality Needs to Change? – vegconomist

Nigel Draper is the Founder and Managing Director of Sorsco, experts in logistics and procurement for the hospitality sector.

Nigel Draper’s unique perspective as the Founder of Sorsco brings a pragmatic and strategic approach to the challenges and opportunities presented by Veganuary in the hospitality sector. “Is veganism just for the month after Christmas? Or should we be making permanent changes?” he asks.

Veganuary: passing fad or pressing sign that hospitality needs to change?

By Nigel Draper

The first of January often means sacrifice, be it mince pies, fast food, or the joys of lounging guilt-free on the sofa. But for some, the lifestyle changes welcomed in by New Year’s are more significant, with 700,000[1] of us vowing to give up meat, cheese, and other animal products in ‘Veganuary’ last year.

Launched in 2014, the aim of Veganuary is simple: to immerse people in a plant-based diet whilst teaching them that taste and nutrition are more than still possible. For 31 days, there’s no milk, steak, chicken, or honey – and at the end of the ‘challenge’, people are free to return to their ‘normal’ diet or embrace the vegan lifestyle as they desire.

Of course, this all means that everything from bean burgers to Buddha bowls dominates menus at the start of the year. In fact, 1610 new plant-based products were introduced globally last Veganuary alone, according to official event providers. But what does this mean long-term for hospitality? Is veganism just for the month after Christmas? Or should we be making permanent changes?

UK-based digital media outlet, Plant Based News, estimates that 30% of people participating in Veganuary remain plant-based for life. What’s more, the Guardian reports that 85% of participants reduce their consumption of animal products to a considerable extent. This means that the already thriving vegan community is consistently expanding.

According to global fintech company, Finder, which specialises in worldwide data research, there are now approximately 2.5 million vegans in the UK alone – that’s 4.7% of the population. Add to this the 3.1 million vegetarians and 8.6 million people who follow a meat-free diet and you get a considerable demographic that hospitality simply cannot ignore.

The green motive

Back in the 90s, people saw vegetarians as tree-hugging activists. Nowadays, however, ethical diets have gone mainstream, with people from all budgets and demographics going plant-based, according to Deloitte’s 2023 Global State of the Consumer Tracker report.

It’s very much a case of every little helps, with everything from full-on veganism to Meat-Free Mondays making a difference to our planet.

Far from limited to an empathy for animals, much of the veganism we see today is driven by concern for our carbon footprint. Indeed, a new study that analysed the real diets of 55,000 UK people found that plant-based diets lead to 75% fewer carbon emissions, water pollution and land use vs. meat-rich plates. In a world where corporate social responsibility and ESG (environmental and social governance) are of the essence, hotels, cafés and other key players in the hospitality industry must be ready to respond, with a 2022 Harris-Poll/Google Cloud survey confirming that you have to give consumers what they want, given that 82% will only engage with brands that align with their key values and concerns.

Changes must therefore be made, not just to food and menu choices but also in the way hospitality companies communicate their efforts to become more ethical.

Making ethical choices

Switching mince for mushrooms and substituting eggs with scrambled tofu is all well and good, but slapping a couple of veggie options on your menu is no longer enough. Customers have come to expect all their favourite foods, drinks, and dishes to be available – provided that they come in a pro-animal, planet-friendly format. This includes both people who don’t like meat and prefer non-meat-like options, and former meat and cheese lovers not quite ready to give up on their favourite meals and snacks. As such, hospitality players must do their utmost to source all kinds of high-quality vegan products – from fresh produce all the way through to niche branded choices, if they are to maintain ethically minded custom.

Having said that, it’s not just a case of sourcing any plant-based goods. Ethical companies must also ensure they are engaging with responsible suppliers, avoiding any unnecessary long-distance distribution for carbon emissions, and refusing to engage with industries that pose any other kind of environmental threat.

Take almond milk, for instance. Whilst the farming of the nut itself isn’t problematic, when carried out on an extensive, industrial scale, it can force bees to overwork and become exposed to too many pesticides. The resulting impact is something that no plant-based customer could ever endorse. By taking the time to examine your suppliers’ processes, however, you can still supply the same delicious goods, safe in the knowledge that you’re not harming flora, fauna, or the wider planet.

Remember to look at what your customer base is demanding, be it local or organic. Then, it’s time to establish a comprehensive overview, not just of your food but of all the processes along your chain of supply. This insight can help with everything from promoting sustainable farming practices to minimising food waste during the manufacturing stage – all things you can brag about to attract new green-minded clients to your business.

Finally, restaurants and other establishments that invest in staff training tend to win more loyalty and favour. Both servers and cooks could benefit from learning about cross-contamination – and it never hurts to add innovative new techniques and dishes to an already vegan-friendly base.

Responsible action

In 2024, we have to ensure that we’re catering to all kinds of people – and this includes those with milk allergies or lactose intolerance, as well as those who have given up meat and dairy as a matter of personal or planetary choice. As such, catering to vegetarians and vegans is not just a matter of keeping and generating business but an indisputable health and safety imperative – one that will only be bolstered by bold, eco-friendly decisions designed to accept plant-based diets as an irrefutable part of modern catering and hospitality life.

[1] According to the official number of sign-ups on the Veganuary website.