Profit warning for brands reliant on beef, cheese and milk.sales as Google trends quite clearly shows a massive upward climb in searches for vegan and vegan diets. This phenomena is happening all over the world and started in 2011. The steepest climbs on Google Trends are in the UK, Germany, Israel and in Romania. In Romania the trend goes a step further than just veganism and is trending for the search term Raw Vegan.
Of course a search on google doesn't intent but it proves popularity and interest and there are other marker's too. A manufacturer of meat free alternatives has reported 30% increase in sales since the begining of the year. A manufacturer of vegan chocolate has reported "never ever being so busy and is getting orders from all over the world"
Meanwhile the UK Vegan Society report double the number of pledges on their online vegan pledge campaign and a Vegan Pledge event in London has doubled the numbers this year from their event last year.
We met a young Hugh Grant doppleganger the other night who had just sold his multimillion pound vegan shoe company to start again with a new brand. His strategy is to produce shoes at the same quality and coolness as the high street shoesellers but make them 100% vegan, and better value and this time with all his own money rather than relying so heavily on investers
Meanwhile vegan cupcake sellers are springing up like starbucks and cost. Ocado are trying to plug the gap in the market for dairy free and eggfree vegan cake but it seems unstoppable. Even Disney sells vegan cakes now.
Certainly one to watch.