Veganuary 2023

Taylor

Jan 2

Every year, January becomes Veganuary! You can find out more about the Veganuary challenge here.

For me, Veganuary is a very exciting time. In the past few years I have seen the Veganuary movement explode every January. What originally started as a few new vegan products being offered in stores, is now entire lines of products - from party food, to burgers, to chocolates and candy. Each year for Veganuary it seems many companies try and go above and beyond their competitors to win the vegan consumers.

Now strictly speaking, you cannot have conscious consumerism under capitalism. And I have seen many arguments online that many of the companies who produce vegan products during Veganuary are only doing so to gain more money. They have no interest in the movement as a whole nor do many of them actually keep the products on sale during the rest of the year.

BUT...I don't mind that. I accepted long ago that companies are only after profit. I would also like to think that their sales do massively drop after January when they no longer offer the vegan options, which in turn will make many companies rethink their marketing and start keeping their vegan products on sale year round. This would mean that vegan products increase and demand will also increase.

There are of course a wide variety of what is being offered. Some places, like Wagamama's, create wonderful and creative menu items that are delicious and innovative. Other places, like most of the chocolate companies, simply add salted caramel to some vegan chocolate and wish for praise. 5 years ago that would be good enough but in 2023...no no no. I am wanting something exciting and new from companies. Salted caramel is not new, nor exciting, nor even that nice. So...WOW ME 2023!

Unfortunately I have not seen much marketing so far for the new vegan products that are going to be offered during Veganuary, but I am constantly keeping an eye out for new options.