The plant-based industry has been going through a reset. After years of rapid growth, research suggests the vegan market is rebalancing—a normal phase for any young industry.
But if there were still any doubts about the future of the vegan movement, new research from Chef’s Pencil may help put them to rest. The food magazine recently released a study on the world’s most popular destinations for vegans, and many countries and cities are seeing notable growth.
According to the survey, Germany is the most popular country in the world for vegans, followed by the UK and Austria, based on Google Trends data from 2025. The rankings analyzed search interest in terms like vegan restaurants, vegan recipes, and vegan food. The publication says these are indicators of how culturally and commercially relevant plant-based eating has become.
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“Together, Germany and the UK illustrate something important: high vegan search interest often correlates with strong retail availability and mainstream product penetration—not just niche lifestyle adoption,” notes the study. It explains that both countries are the biggest markets in Europe for plant-based alternatives.
That said, while Austria shows high vegan search interest, the report notes this doesn’t necessarily translate to widespread mainstream availability. In fact, Chef’s Pencil speculates that tourism may be influencing the results.
From Budapest to Portland: Global cities driving vegan growth
One of the most interesting findings was a shift in some Central European countries, such as Hungary. A thriving vegan scene in Budapest helped the country climb 11 places, from 29th in 2016 to 11th in 2025.
The US slipped one spot over the same period, going from ninth to 10th. Canada dropped from fifth to eighth, while Australia fell from number one to number five.
“The United States and Canada recorded more moderate declines, suggesting a relative stabilization rather than a sharp loss of interest,” explained Chef’s Pencil.
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The US performed better in the rankings of the most popular cities for vegans in 2025. Portland placed third, behind Bristol, UK, and Leipzig, Germany. The result aligns with Portland’s long-standing reputation as one of the most vegan-friendly cities in the US.
In a 2025 WalletHub survey, the Oregon city was named the most vegan- and vegetarian-friendly city in the country. Los Angeles ranked second, while Austin, TX placed third.
“Many Portland residents embrace the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, with residents ordering this type of cuisine 148 percent more often than the US average,” explained WalletHub. “Portland also has the ninth-highest percentage of people who consume vegetables daily.”
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The bottom line? Even amid a market reset, search data suggests plant-based eating remains culturally and commercially relevant worldwide.
Check out the most popular cities and countries for vegans below.
The 10 most popular countries for vegans in 2025:
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Germany
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Austria
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Switzerland
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Australia
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New Zealand
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Israel
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Canada
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Netherlands
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United States
The 10 most popular cities for vegans in 2025:
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Bristol, UK
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Leipzig, Germany
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Portland, US
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Hamburg, Germany
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Cologne, Germany
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Berlin, Germany
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Edinburgh, UK
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Seattle, US
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Hanover, Germany
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Amsterdam, Netherlands
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
