With vegan meat replacements and cultured meat on the rise, global consultancy AT Kearney estimates that 35% of all meat will be cultured and 25% will be vegan replacements by 2040. With the vast amount of land, crops, and animals needed to fulfill meat demand, cultured meat and vegan replacements offer an environmental and economic incentive for the livestock industry to switch to these alternatives.
The average quarter pound hamburger requires the following to make:
6.7 lbs. of feed
52.8 gallons of water
74.5 sq ft of land
1036 BTUs, the same amount of energy it takes to fully charge a cell phone battery 36 times.
Consumers are shifting in vast numbers to flexitarian, vegetarian, and vegan lifestyles. Nearly 40% of Americans are adding more vegan options into their diet according to consumer behavior analysts at Nielson. Euromonitor estimates 42% of the world’s population is flexitarian. Flexitarians are people who actively restrict animal products from their lifestyle without eliminating all of them.
In 2018, the global vegan food market was estimated to be worth 12.69 billion dollars. In 2023, the global vegan food market valuation increased to reach over 27 billion. Adding more vegan and vegetarian menu items is a fantastic way to appeal to this growing market. Earn Certified Green Restaurant® status from the Green Restaurant Association to appeal to sustainability-driven consumers in a transparent and verified manner. Certification proves to consumers that your restaurant is actively improving its environmental footprint. Certified Green Restaurants® can also earn Vegan and Vegetarian Green Badges. With Earth Day approaching in April, now is a wonderful opportunity to earn Certified Green Restaurant® status to appeal to this market.