About three years ago, I transitioned from meat eater, to vegetarian, to vegan, and back to vegetarian again. In just that short amount of time I’ve noticed a huge surge in “meatless marketing”.
It used to be that people thought vegetarians were long-haired, granola eating, Birkenstock wearing, hippies but in reality, vegetarians and vegans come from all walks of life and are both highly educated and aware about animal rights and environmental issues. Pam Anderson made her debut for PETA a number of years ago sporting a lettuce bikini and that’s when things really started to change.
Most vegetarians are passionate about their vegetarian lifestyle and the brands that cater to their needs. The market for this consumer is currently 18 million strong in the United States and vegetarian food is currently a $2.8 billion industry. The emergence of numerous faux meats and pre-packaged items have made becoming vegetarian so much easier (and tastier). Vegetarians like myself are plugged in and now access to information is suddenly everywhere; from where to get vegan shoes and make-up, to the use of soy-based ink, to award winning vegetarian products. It used to be that information was limited to magazines like Veg News and Vegetarian Times but now new vegetarians like myself are also getting their information from nutritionists on Facebook, fellow vegetarians on Instagram who post recipes and restaurant owners proudly showcase their vegetarian menus.
I follow at least 4 people on Twitter who create amazing content about what’s emerging on the medical front and the benefits of a healthy vegetarian diet over that of a meat and dairy based diet. Vegetarians however are not stopping there. They are also further expanding on social media through YouTube videos posted by organizations like this one created by Mercy for Animals.
All of this marketing seems to be working. In the local grocery store, there’s now an entire frozen food case dedicated to all vegetarian products and in my local Target, there is also a refrigerator section of all plant-based foods, almond milk, soy-based ice cream, vegan mayonnaise, etc.
Consumers are also now readily able to access veg documentaries through Amazon video, and Netflix. Certainly Cowspiracy, Forks over Knives, Fed Up, and Fat Sick and Nearly Dead for all the impetus for the juicing craze.
And lastly, I’ve noticed a surge in the number of local veg based events and meet ups. Just in the last year I have attended 5 community-based veg events in Oakland, Long Beach, Pasadena, San Diego, and most recently in Orange County. The turnout amongst longtime vegetarians and those who were veg curious was significant.
It is undeniable how consumer access to numerous forms of media has driven and entire meat free market. GO VEG!
Elysha
REFERENCES:
http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/the-meatless-market-403185/all
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