LA Times Features Rise of Veganism

On Saturday, the Los Angeles Times ran a feature story highlighting vegan companies that proved ethical eating is more prevalent—and prosperous—than ever. Quoted in the piece is Follow Your Heart founder Bob Goldberg, who stated veganism is experiencing “a real renaissance,” adding that “there are almost limitless possibilities” for vegans. As evidence of Golberg’s statement, the newspaper highlighted Beyond Meat’s protein-rich Beast Burger, Miyoko’s Kitchen’s fig-wrapped and ash-dusted vegan cheeses, and LA’s newest vegan storefront, Vegan Scene. Additionally, the Times spoke with Cathy Strange, the global cheese buyer at Whole Foods, who confessed that she has personally served Kite Hill’s vegan cheeses alongside its dairy-based counterparts and that nobody could tell them apart. Also quoted in the story is Matthew Kenney, owner of Los Angeles vegan restaurant Plant Food and Wine, who said that “as an intelligent, evolved society, I think it’s inevitable that we will move toward a plant-based lifestyle.” The piece also included a statement from Tim Fanning, grocery coordinator for Whole Food’s Southern Pacific region, who revealed that the shelf space dedicated to vegan products, excluding produce, at the market has doubled in the last decade.