• Publish Date: Posted over 5 years ago
• Author:by Antonia Dainton

The V Effect

​I’m guessing you’ve heard of the word Vegan, well just in case the dictionary says it’s a person who does not eat or use any animal products, obviously that includes meat and dairy but things like honey, wool, leather are also a no go.​According to The Independent, the number of Vegans in the UK has risen to 3.5 million from 540,000 in 2 years. Once a movement shunned by the many, it's become a mainstream life choice with big names such as Marks and Spencer and Tesco increasing their vegan options. A huge 185% increase in products launched in the last couple of years.​So with all these new vegan choices on offer, who is making the food?​Pretty much everyone by the sound of it. Huge global brands like Unilever have introduced vegan ice cream lines and Diageo have made all formats of Guinness vegan.Quorn, Hain Daniels (Linda McCartney’s range) and Cauldron Foods all with manufacturing sites in the UK have reported an increase in their vegan ranges in the last year.​There’s even websites for products haven’t been intentionally made to be vegan aka accidentally vegan, that includes Oreos which Mondelez say it’s the best selling cookie brand of the 21st century...not surprising when everyone can eat it!​Consumer demand for vegan choices doesn’t look to be slowing down and those companies who have already thrown their hat in the ring seem to be reaping the benefits.​But it doesn’t stop there; even the meat companies are trying to provide alternatives.​Not to be left behind, two of the biggest meat companies in the world Tyson Foods and Cargill have just invested in the ‘clean meat’ startup this year, although ‘clean meat’ isn’t vegan it indicates we are heading towards quite a different way of eating and surely a different way of manufacturing.​If you’re looking to get on board with some of these food manufacturers and reap the benefits yourself, get in contact with the Consumer Goods Sector at Core Talent or with myself Antonia Dainton, looking after our Maintenance Engineering Division on 0161 832 1378.