Vegan Food Brands that Sell Meat/Dairy

[shyvas]

It would seem that once a plant based food brand is successful, it automatically is taken over by a giant which sell meat and dairy. Alpro is one of the best pb brands on
the market and sadly Danone group (they also own Silk in the US) now own them.

Only the small artisan companies are 100 % plant based but in the actual economical climate, how long will they be able to survive?

''Our new research reveals that the UK's vegans are unwittingly supporting companies that are deeply involved in the meat and dairy industries.
As you gorge yourself on nut cheese and coconut yoghurt, your money could still be finding its way into the pockets of those who profit from animal exploitation''

Vegan food brands owned by meat or dairy companies | Ethical Consumer

Our research reveals that many vegan brands are owned by companies that are deeply involved in the meat and dairy industries. Purchasing vegan and dairy-free cheese, milks and yoghurt can therefore fund those who profit from animal exploitation, meaning that some consumers may want to avoid...

www.ethicalconsumer.org

 

[Lou]

Maybe this should bother me more than it does. The way I see it is it's a sad fact. After registering that I don't really give it a second thought.

To quote your the first line of your cited article, "Our new research reveals that the UK's vegans are unwittingly supporting companies that are deeply involved in the meat and dairy industry,"

I'm pretty sure that "unwittingly" is the wrong word. At least as it pertains to me. I've been aware of this before I was completely vegan. Anyone who has seen Food, Inc, or read a similar news article is well aware that 70% of our food comes from just ten big companies.

I'm also concerned about how the source can call this "our new research". This kind of information has been available to the public for at least a decade.

I'm also not convinced that this is, as the article states, an "ethical conundrum for vegans". Is this really any different than going to the supermarket to buy tofu? The grocery store sells meat and dairy, too. The money that I spend on tofu is helping support a grocery store that also profits from the sale of meat.

The reason these big companies buy little companies that make plant-based products is that plant-based products are profitable. In fact, it is the fastest-growing segment of the food industry. The demand for beef and milk was already decreasing before Covid-19 and the Big Ten saw acquiring plant-based companies as a good investment. Hold your head sideways and squint a bit and this sad fact can be seen as a success story.

However, this information can help a vegan make better food buying choices. For instance, in many grocery stores you can find locally produced tofu and plant milks. We don't have to buy Silk. And just on general principles I'll never buy a Tyson Plant-Based Nugget.

Ethical Consumer does have articles that suggest brands to buy that don't have ties to meat and diary. Unfortunately, you need a subscription to view them.