Honestly, I go back and forth on this issue. On the one hand, I definitely see the benefits of a larger distribution network for vegan products. As the article points out, having more vegan products more widely available is a good thing. And vegans have to remember, as unpleasant and sad as it may be, that they aren't the targets of these companies, flesh-eaters are. Vegans are enjoying a happy byproduct of the mainstream's desire to eat fewer animal products, either for health or environmental reasons. It's possible that some of these people will get on the ethical reasons for veganism at some point. I myself started out as a vegetarian initially for health reasons, but I'm a curious person, so I learned a lot about the evils of animal agriculture and came to realize how cruel and awful it truly is.
On the other hand, the Daiya acquisition by the Japanese pharmaceutical company really bothered me, as I have some real issues with Big Pharma in general. I noticed soon after, that with the Daiya shreds, the taste became more bland, the texture was slightly different (not in a good way), and the packaging size became an ounce less, yet the price remained unchanged. So I stopped buying it, but I probably would have anyway because of my issues with the parent company. I worry that these big companies will alter the formulas of the vegan products by cutting corners and using inferior, cheaper ingredients in the interest of making even more money. But I have to remember that I'm not the desired consumer in this case.
If I based my shopping solely on whether a company was vegan-only, I'd have very few options for things. There just aren't enough places in my area for that to be practical. Also, I'm not a Rockefeller or a Royal, so I have to consider price a lot of the time. So, yes, I buy vegetables from local farmers, who ostensibly raise animals along with crops. I shop at grocery stores that have aisles of flesh that I detest. I buy vegan cheese owned by massive corporations that foster animal cruelty with flesh products and animal testing. I don't feel great about any of that, but I have to consider what is available and how I spend my money. I can send a message to these companies with my purchases by choosing cruelty-free products. Even some vegan products are made with undesirable impacts on the environment (palm oil), or are produced by companies that employ child labor. Everything we buy has some ethical issues to consider, and I try to avoid the most egregious ones in my mind. But that can be different for everyone. Some people loathe Walmart, others can't abide Nike. The list goes on. I'm not giving up on my dream of a vegan world, but I know I can do plenty to help the world get there. So that's what I try to focus on, my part.
As far as the vegan companies' selling out, I kind of get why someone wouldn't turn down $300 million, lol. Financial security is a nice feeling, I'm sure. That kind of money also can do a lot of good, if the previous vegan owners are so inclined.
www.joyfulvegan.com
