Why Veganism could be a big trend in 2021

Veganism as a trend is growing globally and not just in India. With people becoming more aware and more compassionate, they are beginning to care about what they are eating and the source. This is why we can clearly see a boom in veganism and vegan brands. It’s only going to grow more. Though, there are no set target for such kind of products, it’s for anyone who’s willing to open their minds and try something new and conscious.

Running on Trend

“One of the hypotheses that we initially had that India has the largest vegetarian population in the world with almost 30% of the population being vegetarian. All Indian households will always have lots of vegetables, salads, lentils on their plates which is why a lot of vegan companies are looking at bringing plant-based protein to India. These are not new but there are a lot of things which Indian customers are already very used to. Plant-based protein is huge market in India,” shared Shraddha Bhansali, COO, EVO Foods that is on a mission to bring the plant-based revolution to India.

Also Read: Vegan Food Trend to Hit Restaurants in 2020

A recent research by SEMrush shared that globally there has been a sharp uptick in searches for services that deliver vegan food to people’s homes. Also, searches for keywords like “vegan delivery”, “vegetarian delivery”, “order vegan food”, and “order vegetarian food” increased by 128%, 233%, 51%, and 27% respectively from January to May 2020.

“People are becoming more aware and more compassionate. They are beginning to care about what they are supporting with their money. This is why we can clearly see a boom in veganism and vegan brands. It’s only going to grow more,” said Susmitha Subbaraju, Co-Owner, Carrots that is India’s first vegan restaurant.

Targeting the right people

“I think the target for plant-based food products is not vegan people but that are flexitarian and are looking to include more plant-based diet. A large population of India is protein deficient so we look up to them and people who want to substitute their diet and want a better egg, higher quality, more ethical, that has no cholesterol,” added Bhansali who is a passionate foodie and vegan who also owns and operates a vegetarian restaurant and bar in Mumbai called Candy & Green.

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The study indicates that there are a significant number of people globally committed to vegetarianism. As many parts of the world have been in lockdown, an increasing number of vegetarians around the globe have been ordering vegetarian food from outside. The study suggests that searches for vegan/vegetarian deliveries have slightly decreased" in India.

“There are no specific target customers. Vegan products are for anyone who’s willing to open their minds and try something new and conscious,” added Susmitha who believed that the pandemic hit the food industry very badly. But the good thing that’s come out of it is that people are making healthier choices while eating. So food businesses that care about the health of their guests will thrive on the other side of this pandemic.