Big business creates big change
Our vision is a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet. This vision is something we are very passionate about, but we know this is a huge undertaking that we cannot achieve by ourselves. In order to create significant change in the food system we work with international decision-making bodies, governments, NGOs, food producers, retailers, investors, the media, the general public, and a range of other stakeholders. One of our guiding principles is to “Influence the Influencer”, and as our focus is on transforming the food system, it is vital that we work with those people and organisations that are most able (and open to) influencing the food industry in line with our mission. While there are many such stakeholders, such as the Government and Media that have significant influence over the food industry, we cannot simply look at influence, we also need to look at which of these stakeholders are likely to actively partner with us and adopt policies or undertake projects that will advance our cause. After assessing the influence of each stakeholder group, and the likelihood that they would be willing to partner with us, or simply adopt changes that we advocate for, we believe that it is vital that we work with some of the largest multinational food producers, including companies in the meat, egg, and dairy industries. These companies have an immense influence on the global and local food system, and they are generally open to working on healthier, more sustainable and ethical food choices. Although we recognize that many of these organisations produce products that are not plant-based, and many have other issues that make them far from perfect, our focus is on creating change and moving towards a better world – not judging people or companies or expecting perfect products. We love working with progressive plant-based and vegan companies, and we will never stop working with them. We simply acknowledge the fact that we will achieve our vision significantly faster if we also work with the companies that we believe can improve and become an ally in the movement towards more plant-based diets. There is a lot of nuance in this discussion, and covering all facets in one blog post would be difficult. Luckily a lot has already been written on the topic. Please see below some of the related topics with links to resources.Working with the meat, egg and dairy industry
- Veganuary: Unilever, McDonalds & KFC are not the Enemy
- Seven Possible Responses of Meat and Dairy Companies to Vegan Growth
- Vegans Support McDonalds Vegan Burger
- Vegans Shouldn’t Boycott Daiya Cheese
- Beyond Meat and Tyson: Sleeping with the Enemy?
Big Business and Meat, Egg or Dairy companies positively influence the food system
- South African Meat Producer Joins the Plant-based Movement
- RCL in joint venture to scale plant-based food market in Africa
- Nestlé To Invest US$3.5B In 5-Year Climate Plan Powered By Regenerative Agriculture & Plant-Based Innovation
- Nestlé Commits To Global Plant-Based Innovation As Vegan Food Becomes Mainstream
- Unilever Sets €1 Billion Plant-Based Meat & Dairy Alternatives Annual Sales Target
- Oatly: Change isn’t Easy
