Party Party: Vegan Diamond Jubilee 75 Years of Veganism

The whole world has been caught up in a whirlwind of veganism with delicious vegan food literally on every street corner, even seemingly "Carry on vegans, nothing to see here" traditional Dingly Dongly ice cream vans. In fact the other day I asked for the vegan option (jokingly) and he asked "Which one?"

2019 is year of the vegan, a Diamond Jubilee Vegan year. It's 75 years since the word vegan was first officially used and The Vegan Society was founded. If that doesn't call for a party, or should I say parties  - all over the world, then I really don't know what you are all waiting for.

75 years since Vegan was born - Diamond Jubilee 2019

For the first time since I can remember National Vegetarian Week just completely managed to pass me by unnoticed this year. There just doesn't seem much point anymore. Just going vegetarian doesn't stop animal cruelty, doesn't sort climate change and doesn't hugely impact on health if you just swap meat with cheese. No wonder the Vegetarian Society Approved quality assurance and labelling scheme now offers a vegan version.

Although my vegan sandwich, finalist in the British Sandwich Awards , wasn't the overall winner, Marks & Spencers, Greggs the bakers and Crussh all won awards for their new vegan products. and many others got a mention. I feel my job there is done, I can't think of anywhere there is no vegan sandwich option now, even our local gym. Nearly everywhere has at least a fallafel/hummus/chick pea offer and most have something more exciting leaving all the Pret vegan hallabaloo as all very last year.

A Star is Bun, Vegan Christmas Dinner Star Bun - Finalist

Anyway, get organising, have a party, organise an event, vote for your favourite new vegan things, let's celebrate 75 years of veganism, especially the last few years

Heather Does Barnet

Heather Mills Vegan Food for Kids

Bless her, Heather Mills is back on the road feeding kids in New York her Vegan Bites. TheDaily Mail mostly want to talk about her changing hairstyles - is that interesting? are their readers really that moronic?

For the Daily Mail readers that are interested in improving health and saving the environment the facts and plug for Heather's vegan food for kids and restaurant are there between the lines so we are left feeling marginally grateful, rather uncomfortably grateful considering it's the Daily Mail.

We wait with bated breath for the "Vegan psychopath from Detroit eats pork pies made from babies' ears" follow up story that usually ensues.

Heather Mills buys ‘ethical’ Redwood Wholefoods

Vegan Heather buys ‘ethical’ food firm to rival Linda McCartney’s | News

There I was dismissing this rumour as poetic licence and mere exagerated use of the "Royal we". I didn't doubt that Heather Mills had invested, she has her dollars in many ethical pies, but I just couldn't see Kieth and Rod retiring so early on.



So public apology Heather! I stand corrected. You are the proud owner of the manufacturer of the best meat, fish and dairy free analogues in the world.

I wonder how long before we get a V-Bites in London? There's a lovely 300 year old pub around the corner from us in Croydon that needs saving and would make a LOVELY v-bites and Holistic Health centre and Arts centre.

This story even got into the Sun today - in their true inimitable libellous style.

"The animal rights campaigner - dubbed Mucca for her porn past - said: "Buying the company is a dream come true." - Redwood's Rod Garland said: "Heather shares our values."

I think that's the second time the Sun has used the word Vegan!

See also V- Bites Press Release

And review of V-Bites in Daily Telegraph

NB: Redwoods directors say they aren't retiring just yet and say that they have 'complementary skills' - That must be PR - I don't think Redwoods have ever had so much Free publicity as since they invited Heather to ho..., erm leap into bed with them.

Heather Mills Restaurant-V-Bites

Fish's off... Heather Mills gets high and mighty as her vegan café replaces seafood diner | Mail Online Says the Sunday Mail

In Heather Mills' own inimitable style she climbed up a ladder onto the roof of her new vegan restaurant to address the gathered crowd at the opening of her new vegetarian restaurant V-Bites. The Ultimate Vegan Cafe Heather Mills has everything on the menu from vegan Mr Whippy Ice Cream and vegan chicken nuggets to a full Vegan Sunday Roast and full monty traditional all day cooked breakfast.



Heather Mills' Vegan Cafe opened on July the 4th and does have an air of a cafe from Las vegas an all American neon Michael Jackson glitz and glamour sign from the outside but inside it's all typical traditional Englishness complete with delightful tea cakes and cup cakes that will delight the ladies who lunch on the south coast of England in Brighton and Hove.

Heather Mills says "VBites will offer a balanced menu of unique meatless meats and vegan treats with a gastronomic feast of dishes inspired by every corner of the globe. VBites' talented chefs will be serving recipes, everything from Bangers and Mash to Chicken Style Nut Korma, mini pitta pockets with Beefy Wok Strips to amazing salads and yummy fruit smoothies, a Traditional English breakfast, Pad Thai served with rice noodles, Sag Paneer with vegan feta cheese, full Sunday roast with all the trimmings and a wide range of delicious sandwiches including a ‘ham’, cheese and tomato toastie and a classic BLT."

"To keep the kids happy, there is also a yummy children’s menu with a wide range of choices to satisfy even the fussiest of eaters. The little ones can choose from a varied selection including ‘Fishy Fingers’ or ‘Chiky Nuggets' served with chips and a choice of peas or baked beans (all of the chips served at VBites are oven baked) and Spaghetti Bolognaise.

For those with a sweet tooth, VBites will feed your desires with gorgeous chocolate muffins, tasty cakes and delectable desserts. The café’s ice-cream bar will serve fruit smoothies, plus a very special VBites version of the traditional Mr Whippy ice-cream…Mrs Swirly!"



VBites
Kingsway
Hove Lagoon
Hove
East Sussex
BN3 4SA
T: 01273 933757
W: www.vbites.com
Opening Hours: 09:30 – 23:30 7 days a week

Now Vegetarian Kids can eat crap food too!

The Vegetarian Society - Haribo Press Release 2009

Yipee, at last, finally vegetarian sweets! - well actually vegetarians/vegans have had sweets for years and companies such as Just Wholefoods have madeVegeBears and even won awards for their efforts.

The trouble is they are usually only sold in health food stores as Haribo have a strangle-hold on everywhere else.

So! great news that Haribo have veganised their sweets and we can now buy vegetarian confectionery EVERYWHERE.

But do we really want vegetarian kids to eat more sweets? It was a great get out clause for parents - "oh no, sorry darling you can't eat that crap because it's got little piggies testicles, toes and ears in it and probably a little bit of it's anus too"

Now they've taken out the nasty stuff what do we do? We can't LIE, it's not PC to say "No darling, my little vegan pumpkin, you can't eat that crap because you'll end up fat and ugly like the poor kids on the bus", we could I guess threaten them with the dentist but we've spent years nuturing a good relationship with the dentist and avoiding passing on hereditry irrational fear. What the **** do we do? Not sure "have a satsuma instead" is going to cut it. Do we be economical with the truth and keep the news from them? It's only going to take one naive well meaning mum to say "don't worry little odd child, they've changed the recipe you don't have to be an alien any more you can be like all the other spotty, grossly overweight and snotty children"

Then we'd be caught out and our children would never believe a word we said, ever again - oooh - like normal kids then.

It's taken Neville Finlay 3 years to get these Halal sweets to mass market I guess we should be greatful . Personally I wish he'd stuck to vegan Caviar!

Heather Mills to Open Seaside Cafe in Brighton

Heather Mills snaps up favourite seaside café for vegan venture

Lady Heather Mills-McCartney probably back to Heather Mills now she is divorced plans to open a vegetarian seaside cafe in Brighton - well the next town on - Hove.

Animal Rights campaigner and strict Vegan, Heather 41 has taken over the Big Fish café in Hove, East Sussex.

Heather Mills used to eat there with Paul McCartney and their daughter Beatrice before the couple's divorce. "They'd have veggie breakfasts and soya milk tea," says the previous owner of the big fish café Nick Short. "Heather said she'd like to buy the place if it came on the market."

The sale went through with Heather Mills on Friday for £140,000 – £115,000 less than the original pre recession price of £255,000 Heather had allegedly originally verbally agreed to pay for the business.

Heather apparently plans to renovate the property and turn it into 100% vegan cafe restaurant removing all meat fish and other animal products from the menu.

It's thought Heather Mills and her daughter Beatrice may pop into the Brighton Vegan Fayre in The Brighton Centre on Saturday 21st March to get ideas for her new menu. There will be a big emphasis on healthy food at The Brighton Vegan Food and something for everyone with a cowboy style fast food bar, Vegan pirate salads and smoothies and a gourmet Penthouse restaurant in the Skyline with impressive views out to sea. Surprises such as vegan fish and chips , vegan steak salad, Vegan Sausage and Mash as well as some delicious traditional style fresh vegetable, nut and bean dishes will open people's eyes to the full potential of a healthy, sustainable, ethical vegan lifestyle.

Best suggestions so far for the new name of Heather Mills Seaside Cafe in Brighton is to change it from 'Big Fish' to 'Big Wish' or 'Small Fry' - 'Windy Miller's' is our top tip.

Fair Trade Vs Vegan Productrs

Exhibit ethical products at Bristol Vegan Fayre 2008

Can products be truly Fair traded if they are not Vegan? Can products be truly Vegan if they are not produced in a fair trade way?

Whatever your views if you are a manufacturer with products that appeal to this massive new ethical consumer market then The Bristol Vegan Fayre should be an essential part of your marketing activities.

Market research, Feedback, ideas for NPD, raising product awareness, networking or just purely to sell product to a very appreciative and unique audience gathered by their thousands in one place.

Legal Definition of Vegan Considered by Govt

Govt response to petition

We have recieved a response from the UK Govt. on the subject of facillitating a Legal Definition of the word Vegan for labelling purposes.

The UK Govt. have agreed there is a framework within Technical Standards Directive 98/34/EC for introducing a national standard as there is with Organic but wish to wait to see how well the voluntary guidelines introduced by the FSA have been utilised. Meanwhile the overburdened Trading Standards officers have little legal backing when prosecuting manufacturers for including animal ingredients in products marked for vegetarian and vegan consumers.

Here is the UK Government response:


The Government are aware of consumers' concern over honest labelling, particularly in regard to the use of the terms 'vegetarian' and 'vegan'. After meeting with representatives of consumers, industry, enforcement, several religious groups and the Vegetarian and Vegan Societies and following a full public consultation, the Food Standards Agency published Guidance on the Use of the Terms 'Vegetarian' and 'Vegan' in Food Labelling in April 2006. The Guidance aims to assist manufacturers, retailers and caterers to use the terms in a consistent way, which in turn will make it easier for consumers to understand.

The guidance is best practice advice and it remains the decision of the manufacturer whether or not to make this declaration if their product fulfils the criteria in the guidance.

Any labelling of food or drink products as 'vegetarian' or 'vegan' is voluntary. However, consumers are protected by general legal provisions outlawing false or misleading labelling in UK legislation. The Food Safety Act 1990 (as amended), the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, and Article 16 of European Union Regulation 178/2002/EC must be complied with if such labelling is used.

It may be possible for the UK to introduce national measures regarding labelling with the terms 'vegetarian' or 'vegan', subject to the notification and acceptance procedures set out in the Technical Standards Directive 98/34/EC. However, we wish to see whether voluntary criteria as set out in the guidance published in 2006 are effective in improving labelling and increasing consumer confidence. The guidance will be subject to periodic review.

In answer to MiV / Foods for Life petition.

Vegan Labelling - Vegan Nutrition - New Product Development


"The Government has confirmed there is no legal definition of 'Vegan' or 'vegetarian' in the EU or UK. We call upon the Govt to draw up a framework using the model of 'Organic' and The Indian Government's experiences to create a legal definition for 'vegan' and 'vegetarian'."

Award Winning Vegan Chocolate

Press Release - Organic Award Winners-Plamil Health Food Wins Best Vegan Chocolate Awards Plamil Foods win yet another award for their organic Vegan Chocolate, this time from PeTA.

Plamil have launched a number of new products such as a vegan chocolate drops with seeds in a pot and a new carob bar.

All products are now made with 100% renewable energy.

Vegan Gluten Free Christmas Cake

Gluten free Christmas recipe is suitable for everyone - dairy & wheat free, vegan Christmas cakes, puddings, snacks & baking.

Zedz Foods Gluten Free Vegan Christmas Cake & Christmas Pudding.

Yvonne Bishop-Weston from Foods for Life Nutritionists, London says "Up to 1 in 3 people now believe they have some form of food intolerance. It's not just small family businesses such as Zedz that are fulfilling the rising demand for gluten free and free from foods"

Arla one of the biggest dairy producers in Europe report that 95% of Asians, 75% of Afro Caribbean and 1 in 7 of people in the UK are likely to be intolerant to dairy and have targeted the free from market with a new milk. "Sales of Dairy free foods have risen dramatically and you can get a range of dairy free milks from rice and hazlenut milk to quinoa and even hemp seed milk." says Yvonne.

For more information see Zedz Gluten Free Foods at www.zedzfoods.co.uk

Mars Bars - Now With Free Cow Sick!

BBC NEWS | Business | Mars starts using animal products in Mars bars

Some of the UK's best-selling chocolate bars, such as Mars bars and Twix, will no longer be suitable for vegetarians.

Also affecting brands such as Snickers and Maltesers, owner Masterfoods said it had started to use animal product rennet to make its chocolate products.

See Hemp Chocolate for sustainably made, ethical, healthy, sugar free chocolate.

See also Mc Mars Bar - Glasgow Vegetarian Restaurant launches Vegan Mars Bar Dessert - Mono / Stereo / The 78

See also Daily Mail - This is London - Food Production Daily - The Guardian