When I started ARAPINA in 2013 with the vegan ARAPINA cake, I could never have imagined the turn that veganism would take by 2020. We’ve seen the rise of a neo-veganism wave of consumerism and a generated demand around synthetic foods.
For me, surely veganism to an extent means - a return to purity and detoxification, and should be a cause that is greater than just food. I believe that veganism is a way of living by addressing 3 issues:
- Environmental concerns
- Health and general wellbeing matters
- Animal rights
And while veganism may have started with the above in mind, it has certainly moved on to neo-veganism with the rise of synthetic and laboratory generated, foods such as meat-free, meat alternatives* and vegan cheeses.
So what is the purpose of veganism nowadays?
What is the argument of vegan communities?
On the one hand, they are protesting and document the environmental changes, the poor conditions in animal farming and the dying fish in the ocean. Whilst they often consume highly processed foods*, assembled in industrial factories that pose even greater dangers to the above? Or are we so blind-folded by what we think veganism stands for, that we do not understand the implications of our food choices in 2020?
Neo-veganism is undoubtedly a growing concern of mine and a testimony that one step forward is not always taken in the right direction. A return to the roots of what veganism stands for is essential for one’s personal wellbeing and our planet’s sustainability.
Neo-veganism and the rise of synthetic foods offers only monetary benefits to the factory owners, it does not serve the purpose and goals of the vegan community on a worldwide level.
Michaela Pontiki
