I had my first piece of vegan cheesecake last week, and oddly enough, it was during a trip to Kansas City for the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit.

You read that correctly, but just to clarify, it wasnt while attending the actual event. Nor was it fully intentional.

The summit is one of my favorite events because it brings together people from a wide variety of sectors, including broiler, turkey, egg, pork, beef, dairy, lamb and goat. And at this event, they all learn to advocate for each other. Plus, you wont likely eat any funky food. The main course will always involve some sort of flavorful animal protein.

It was a several-hour drive, so I pretty much did my daily routine, took care of a few things outside of work, and hopped in my truck to head to Kansas City without first changing clothes.

While I normally arrive in time for the welcome reception, that wasnt the case this year. I checked in, then plopped down in the hotel room for a while. When I decided to get some supper, I figured pretty well everyone I knew had already eaten, so I went to check out restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.

I saw a place called True Food Kitchen. I didnt know exactly what True Food meant, even though I had a hunch. But I thought what the heck.

Like I said, I didnt change out of my casual clothes. So when I went in, I was wearing boots, faded jeans, a belt with a rodeo buckle, a cowboy hat and a t-shirt that showed support of an obviously small town high school sports team. As you can suspect, I was the only person dressed like that in there.

But nobody stared, and the staff was courteous. I ordered a grass-fed beef burger, a side of potatoes and a blackberry lemonade. I dont feel like the beef I eat has to have that label, but a burger did sound good. And it was.

The waitress came back by to ask me if I needed anything else. With no menu in front of me, I asked what they had for dessert. She rattled off several choices, including (something-something) cheesecake. I didnt catch what the something-something was, but cheesecake sounded good, so I told her Id have the cheesecake.

She brought it out, and the flavor wasnt bad, but the texture was odd and the crust was difficult to get a fork through. Not the best cheesecake, but nothing I would send back. The waitress swung by and asked my how my vegan cheesecake was.

My response: Thats vegan cheesecake? I didnt know you could make cheesecake without cattle.

She just laughed. I acknowledged that it wasnt too bad.

But I wondered: Did she see how I was dressed and deliberately mumble when she said the something-something that preceded cheesecake, or is it just that too many years of driving tractors, playing loud music and using power tools have taken a toll on my hearing?

The next morning, before entering the convention room where the summit sessions were held, I saw Steve Olson, one of the summit speakers who Ive known for several years and consider a friend. We talked about a few things, and I shared my story about the vegan cheesecake and the irony of it all.

Then when Olsons session started, he had us hold several discussion at our tables. And the cheesecake topic came up during our table discussion. One woman at my table represented the dairy industry. She said she didnt oppose people using non-dairy milk products and wanted consumers to have a choice. But she did note that she would not eat vegan cheesecake herself.

Another person at the table who represented the beef industry wondered if maybe people at these restaurants talk up vegan items because thats what they think the consumers want. She was probably right in some instances, but I told her how I was dressed and that that may not have been the case in my particular situation.

But my takeaway from the whole experience is this: I could have made my comment about not knowing you could make cheesecake without cattle in a snarky or condescending tone of voice, but I did so in a tone of surprise or curiosity. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I handled the situation properly. This waitress saw someone who clearly wasnt pro-vegan, but was willing to give such a product a try to supplement a meal of animal protein. She cordially thanked me for dining there, and I cordially thanked her for waiting on me.

Multiple companies who produce both plant-based and animal-based protein foods have said their entries into the plant-based sector werent about replacing animal proteins with plant-based proteins, but rather complement or supplement each other.

And when a restaurant that wants to appeal to vegetarians or vegans sees someone eating both types of protein, that could be what it takes to make sure that at least some animal proteins remain on the menu.

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Vegan cheesecake ahead of the animal agriculture event - WATTAgNet Industry News & Trends

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Last week, 82-year-old actor James Cromwell (Uncle Ewan on Succession) glued his hand to a Starbucks counter in NYC. That its something Ewans grandson Greg would do by accident on the show is only coincidental: It was the environmentalist Cromwells way of protesting the coffee chains upcharge for plant-based milks.

While most people probably arent concerned about what the human star of Babe: Pig in the City sticks himself to, Cromwells glue-in highlights a reality for vegans and those with dairy allergies: Things tend to cost a lot more.

In January, Starbucks stores in the UK made all dairy alternatives free. But in the US, Starbucks locations typically charge an additional 70 cents for nondairy options. Thinking broadly about the cost of (essentially) blending oats and water versus the cost of raising a cow to maturity, the pricing may seem odd. And its not just Starbucks charging a premium, either.

Across the industry, the retail price of nondairy, plant-based milk is around twice the price of dairy milk, according to Mintec, which analyzes food commodity costs. So whats keeping those oat milk prices high? A few things:

But while those factors may help explain why plant-based milks are expensive, they dont fully spell out why dairy milk is so cheap. That has a lot to do with massive government subsidies that the US dairy industry receives each year. In 2015, Big Milk received $22.2 billion in direct and indirect subsidies. A 2018 Canadian study found that 73% of US dairy producers revenue came from government support.

Zoom out: While around 36% of Americans are lactose intolerant (a condition that predominantly affects people of color), the US is still living in its Got Milk? era. Given that the carbon footprint of cow milk is about 3x that of alternatives like oat milk, environmental advocates like Cromwell are hoping that removing cost burdens will lead to more people giving nondairy options a chance.MK

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'Succession' actor's protest highlights the vegan upcharge - Morning Brew

Founded by Disha Singh and Pradeep Krishnakumar, batchmates at IIM Ahmedabad, Zouk is a direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand for bags, wallets and accessories all made of PETA-certified vegan leather. Singh says the idea of Zouk was born when she visited Kutch for an IIMA course; she saw that her friends loved the local handicraft items but did not buy any as they felt they were not functional and durable. But why vegan leather? And what is vegan leather? Lounge spoke to Singh to find out:

What was the motivation behind launching a brand of vegan leather products in the Indian market? Is there enough awareness about veganism, or enough number of people rejecting leather?

We started Zouk as a vegan brand after seeing some horrifying videos of how animal-based leather is made. I decided that I dont want to put my name and my lifes work into this. We researched and found the right material which is cruelty-free and still is stylish and functional, to create the products we wanted.

Awareness was super low in the beginning. I distinctly remember one of our early Instagram posts, where a user commented saying how can bags be vegan. From there on, today, many of our customers are proud to be carrying a responsible product.

At the same time, there are many leather alternatives in India such as handcrafted cloth bags and other products. Where does vegan leather stand in this spectrum in terms of price, durability, aesthetics etc?

Vegan bags definitely have a standout charm when it comes to aesthetics compared to alternatives like cloth bags. At Zouk, we are able to deliver great look and feel plus ensure durability. In fact, we conduct lab tests to check for strength, across multiple parameters relevant to usage, to ensure this durability. Even today, we keep getting compliments from customers who bought their Zouk bag two years ago and are still carrying it along.

Can you explain what IS vegan leather? How is it made?

This is a very interesting one. We started by really understanding why animal-based leather is used in bags. As an engineer by background, I had this habit of breaking down things into simpler items. I understood that leather had two key properties. It had flexibility, so that it can be stitched in different shapes. It also had certain strength properties on the outside, which allowed for bags to withstand the wear and tear of daily usage.

Hence, we worked with select specialized vendors to chemically replicate this in a proprietary manner. So, our vegan leather has the same flexibility and exterior durability to ensure our bags last for a reasonable period of time. We keep researching and experimenting with superior forms of this vegan leather, thus improving our product further.

How is vegan leather to work with? What are some its features in comparison to leather and other materials usually used for these products, like say canvas?

Given we replicated the key properties of animal leather, it is very similar to work with. Another key feature of our Zouk products is the use of Indian prints on fabric. Given our products are handmade, we have worked with our artisans to come up with the right techniques to infuse our vegan leather and Indian prints.

What made you decide on making your brand a D2C one? How do you see the growth of D2C companies in India -- what are some of the advantages and challenges?

At Zouk, our first category of focus was bags. We were creating an India-inspired collection in a category dominated by Western-looking bags. So, we needed a channel that would allow us to share our story. Why proudly Indian, why the use of ikat, why vegan amongst others. The D2C channel really allowed us to do that. From scratch, we were able to reach 1.5L+ happy customers, who have supported us on this mission. We have over 150K followers on Instagram, who have followed our journey. All this has been possible, thanks to the power of social media that a D2C brand like ours could leverage. It has also allowed us to create a pan-India brand at a fraction of the cost of a traditional brand. If we would have taken an offline route, we would have been just a Mumbai-based boutique brand.

The key challenge ahead for D2C brands now would be to build large businesses that can IPO in the stock market. I am confident many brands are going to do that in the coming years.

Originally posted here:

Can vegan leather be a responsible alternative to cruelty? - Mint Lounge

Veg Capital announces an investment in vegan ready meal startup Jam n Vegan. The brand produces a range of culturally inspired dishes inspired by chef Kyle Parchments world travels and has already gained a following in the UK, racking up over 1000 positive reviews.

We have big visions for the future of Jam n Vegan and are thrilled to be joining this journey, Matthew Glover

The brands continually expanding range includes both traditional and unfamiliar dishes from around the world with a vegan twist, including Jackfruit Mutton with Rice and Peas, Drunken Laska Noodles (pictured below), Tuk Tuk Tikka, Thai Mango Curry, This is Not Butter Chicken, East African Bean Stew with Jollof Rice, and Caribbean Mac n Cheez with Jerk Crumb.

Veg Capital led the seed round with a 200,000 investment and will join the board to help Parchment to expand his team, starting with a marketing manager to further grow the brand and expand reach, and diversify routes to market to bring retail and food service distribution in addition to the current D2C home delivery service.

Says Veg Capital co-founder and MD Matthew Glover: Kyle has managed to capture a mood with his range; it is a true celebration of our world of wonderful and diverse cultures. And just as importantly, he is a master of flavour, working his magic to create dishes that are both unique and delicious.

Glover adds, At Veg Capital we have all been inspired by how Kyle has overcome the odds to build his company from his mums kitchen to where it is now. We have big visions for the future of Jam n Vegan and are thrilled to be joining this journey.

Kyle Parchment is excited about his brands new direction: I may not have been dealt the best cards in life, but I was brought up to have the deepest respect for culture, and I want to honour this with my food, and prove that with passion, dedication, and determination, the sky is the limit. Im so excited to welcome Veg Capital into the Jam Fam and am bursting with ideas to celebrate all the beautiful differences in the world through taste, sound, and vision.

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Veg Capital Invests in Young Chef's World Cuisine Inspired Vegan Ready Meals - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine - vegconomist - the vegan...

A world-first advert highlighting the environmental impact of animal agriculture was seen by hundreds of thousands of people over the weekend.

The Hell of a Steak commercial which comes from non-profit organization Vegan Friendly UK aired during the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel on Saturday night. Its set to appear on UK screens this week, and it will likely be shown in the US in the coming months.

The ad features a group of diners pondering what to order at a restaurant named Meat Out, with one of them enquiring about a dish called Hell of a Steak.

The waiter then tells him: Im glad you asked You wont believe what we go through just to bring it to your plate.

He then goes into detail about the environmental costs of raising just one cow, explaining that it takes a piece of land about the size of three football pitches, 800,000 gallons of water, and 18,000 pounds of feed.

Throughout his explanation, the diners are covered in water and hay, before a single cow enters the restaurant and approaches their table.

The waiter finishes by saying: Can you believe it? So many resources And dont get me started on the greenhouse gases.

The diner then tells the waiter: I dont want to know the price, to which the waiter ominously responds: Im sure you dont. Its a heavy price to pay.

Noga Bronsky, CEO of Vegan Friendly UK, told Plant Based News that the advert is a comical and high-level production that focuses on the harmful impacts of the meat industry on the environment and its connections to climate change.

Animal agriculture particularly cattle farming is catastrophic for the environment in a number of ways.

Farmed cows produce around a third of the worlds methane emissions when they burp and fart, which is one of the main greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. They are also a leading cause of deforestation and land and water use.

The advert follows in the footsteps of another highlighting the animal cruelty inherent in meat consumption, which was also released by Vegan Friendly earlier this year. It encouraged viewers to make the connection between the food they eat and the animals who suffered and died for it.

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WATCH: Vegan Commercial Aired During Eurovision To Be Shown Around The World - Plant Based News

Move over Portland, Oregon theres a new vegan capital of the world. According to online cooking resource Chefs Pencil, Brighton and Hove has been named the new global vegan hotspot for the first time.

This marks the first time that Chefs Pencil has not named Portland or Bristol, UK as the vegan capital, and Brighton and Hove reportedly beat out other top contenders such as Seattle, Washington in the U.S. and Berlin in Germany.

Why Brighton and Hove? According to Plant Based News, this city has more than 240 vegan- and vegetarian-friendly restaurants, including popular spots for plant-based pizza and even sushi.

The data showed a recent drop in vegan-related searches after years of growth, but sales of plant-based foods have still been increasing. Chefs Pencil researchers believe this is due to growing interest in flexitarianism, an adaptable diet that reduces overall meat intake in favor of more plant-based foods without eliminating animal products entirely.

As flexitarianism becomes more mainstream, with 40% of European meat eaters planning to eat less meat, its no longer only vegans and vegetarians who are recognizing that every meal is an opportunity to eat more sustainably, said Carlotte Lucas, corporate engagement manager at the Good Food Institute Europe.

Chefs Pencil relies on data from Google Trends to determine vegan trends around the world, and searches showed the highest interest in veganism in Brighton and Hove. Researchers from Chefs Pencil also found that the UK was leading the world as the most popular country for vegans, followed by Germany, Austria, New Zealand and Australia. The U.S. landed in the eleventh spot on the list.

Its no surprise that the UK tops the charts, as many restaurants, even major fast food chains, are offering a growing amount of vegan items on their menus. Consumers can also find vegan options at every grocery store in the country.

The amount of choice these days is mouth-watering, said Derek Sarno, head of plant-based food innovation at the UKs largest supermarket chain, Tesco, as reported by Plant Based News. Almost every category within supermarkets now has plant-based options, making it easier than ever for those considering or switching to embracing more meat-free days of the week.

The rest is here:

Is This City the New 'Vegan Capital of the World'? - EcoWatch

This rich, vegan chocolate tart recipe has a unique, short olive oil crust as it usesolive oil instead of vegan butter, and it is divine.

Made with adelicious combination of salted peanuts and dark chocolate, this vegan chocolate tart is a beautiful centrepiece for a party.

Want more vegan recipes?Try 3 issuesof Vegan Food & Living magazine for just 3!

The combination of peanuts and chocolate is a blissful flavour pairing thats both rich and sweet, yet salty and nutty at the same time.

To make this vegan chocolate tart recipe even more spectacular, we have decorated it with seasonal fruit. Not only does this add to the delicious flavours of this vegan dessert, butit looks elegant and fit for a fancy vegan dinner party.

Berries work particularly with chocolate, but you could also use bananas instead to make a yummy salted chocolate, peanut and banana tart. If you use bananas, cut them when you serve the vegan tart to avoid them going brown.

All you dinner guests will love our vegan chocolate tart recipe, including non-vegans.

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Vegan Salted Chocolate Peanut Tart Recipe - Vegan Food and Living

Pregnancy cravings have soon-to-be moms hunting down some interesting foods. From pickles to ice cream to anything spicy, you never know what the baby is going to be hungry for! And actress Shay Mitchell (whos expecting her baby any day now) even shared her favorite pregnancy snacks.

Well, her assistant, Alexa Davis, was actually the one revealing the snacks in a recent TikTok on Mitchells account. Davis gave us a glimpse into her shopping basket, revealing some of Mitchells go-to snacks. And the best part? All three snacks are plant-based.

Plant-based foods arent just deliciousthey also come with a significantly smaller environmental footprint. In other words, plant-based foods are associated with fewer greenhouse gas emissions and a smaller water footprint. Plus, moving away from animal agriculture benefits plants, animals, and ecosystems.

And incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet doesnt just benefit the planet: It benefits your health, too. According to our previous research, plant-based foods help reduce the risk of heart disease and boost proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

Here are Shay Mitchells yummy plant-based pregnancy snacks, so you can add them to your grocery listwhether youre expecting or not.

Yes, this first one is simplebut delicious! According to Davis, kiwis happen to be one of Mitchells pregnancy cravings. Perfect timing: Kiwifruit is in season throughout the spring.

And were in luck. Kiwifruit made the Environmental Working Groups (EWG) Clean Fifteen list this year. According to the EWGs analysis, the produce on that list contained the smallest amount of pesticides.

Next on Mitchells craving list are chicken nuggets, but not just any chicken nuggets: jackfruit chicken nuggets from Jack & Annies.

Jackfruit is a common plant-based meat alternative. It can replace chicken or pork, and its commonly found in BBQ jackfruit sandwiches, tacos, and even curry.

Its a versatile meat alternative, and it even comes with a small environmental footprint. According to our research, just 1 kilogram of jackfruit emits 0.9 kilograms of carbon dioxide. Thats about 48 times lower than the carbon footprint of cattle.

Last but not least, a fresh fruit bowl topped with Tajn seasoning is one of Mitchells ultimate pregnancy snacks.

To re-create this bowl (and satisfy your own cravings) youll need chopped watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, and mango. Put the chopped fruit in a bowl and top with Tajn, and youve got yourself a flavorful snack.

Plus, you can customize this fruit bowl to your likingand you can use fruits that are in season right now! A few spring fruits to add to your bowl are bananas, kiwifruit, pineapples, and strawberries. And some summer fruits to add are blueberries, cantaloupe, cucumbers, honeydew melon, and even tomatoes.

Hey there! Want to help us change the world every day through easy, achievable, eco-friendly tips and tricks? Sign up for the Brightly Spot and join our movement of over a million changemakers.

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Shay Mitchell Just Shared Her Top 3 Pregnancy Snacksand They're All Vegan - Brightly

This means that vegans can order most of their favorite pizzas from Papa Murphy's, with the slight modification of using vegan cheese instead of traditional cheddar or mozzarella. The chain will be using Violife cheese, according to Chew Boom. The non-dairy creamery has been an innovator in bringing dairy-free cheese to pizza chains, with restaurants such as Pizza Hut experimenting with their plant-based cheese in the past (via Violife).

A dairy-free cheese alternative has been long-awaited at Papa Murphy's, as the chain announced that it would partner with Violife back in October 2021. According to VegOut Mag, vegan cheese was tested at a select number of locations before it was launched nationwide. Vegans have become crafty in finding ways to make their own traditional Take 'N' Bake Pizzas dairy-free, with some adding their own plant-based cheese at home before baking (via Vegan & Raw Food Blog). However, after months of waiting, customers can now get dairy-free cheese on their Papa Murphy's pizza.

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Papa Murphy's Newest Menu Addition Is A Win For Vegans - Mashed

Creative director Candyce Fritsch enjoys utilizing her artistic abilities at 2nd Shift Brewing.

Feast 5 is a weekly column introducing you to some of the best chefs, bartenders, makers, farmers and more around the region. Have a recommendation for someone who should be featured? Email us ateditor@feastmagazine.com.

Candyce Fritsch, the new creative director of 2nd Shift Brewing, is bringing her artistic skills to the world of beer.

Fritsch has a degree in graphic design and worked in California for 20 years before coming to St. Louis. She is also a newcomer to the beer industry but has adapted quickly.

Everything I learned has kind of just been on the fly, she says.

As creative director, she manages the brewerys social media and designs the packaging and labels for beer.

Being a working artist is difficult; doing things that you like and being paid to do them, she says. So I just have that luxury of creating art that I like and that Im proud of.

Here, Fritsch dishes on the St. Louis food scene and shares her love of a despised candy.

Whats the best thing youve ordered at a local bar or restaurant recently? I went to Tree House for dinner and got the fundido dip. The server kind of urged me into getting it, and that is the most impressed Ive been by food in a while. Tree House is vegan, and the meat/cheese replica isn't always comparable to thereal thing, but it was beef, cheesy, and then they have chopped tomatoes and onions on it and just serve it with tortilla chips. Its like something you would get in a Crockpot at a Super Bowl party. Just like comfort.

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Feast 5: 2nd Shift Brewing's Candyce Fritsch talks vegan dip, olive oil and a love of black licorice - Feast Magazine