Dear [name of establishment owner or manager],
As a local resident in [local area] I wanted to get in touch to ask whether you might consider including more vegan options in your establishment. As you may be aware, the number of vegans is steadily growing, and alongside catering for this group, vegan options can have a wide range of benefits.
Increasing inclusivity
Vegan options are often suitable for many different people. This includes vegetarians, pescatarians and anyone else looking to reduce their consumption of animal products, as well as those with religious dietary requirements, such as people who follow Islamic, Jewish or Hindu faiths.
Championing environmentalism
Research by Nature Food shows that agriculture and land use are major sources of greenhouse gases and that global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based food. You can find more information on how a vegan diet can have a significant positive impact on the environment through Plate Up for the Planet.
Supporting healthy diets
In 2021, a major review into the impact of diet on health found that replacing meat and dairy with whole grains, beans, nuts and olive oil may significantly reduce cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. When people follow a vegan diet, they often eat more fruit and vegetables and enjoy meals higher in fibre and lower in saturated fat.
Enhancing profitability
Using plant-based ingredients can be cheaper than using animal products. Simple, affordable foods such as beans, chickpeas, tofu and lentils are great, protein-rich alternatives to animal products in curries, chillis and stir fries. Oats, chickpea water and chickpea flour work well in dessert recipes. Your business could save money by increasing the percentage of vegan options on your menu.
Should you be interested in further developing balanced vegan options, I recommend using the resources provided by The Vegan Society. If you’d like advice about creating nutritious and tasty dishes for your menu, please email campaigns[at]vegansociety[dot]com for further support.
It would be great to see more vegan options available for me and others like me, when I go out to eat locally.
Yours sincerely,
[Sender name]
1. Shah, S.K. 2023. Linkpost: Survey evidence on the number of vegans in the UK, EA Forum, https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/HuLCFBEbekZ6AE7LP/linkpost-survey-evidence-on-the-number-of-vegans-i... (accessed 20 March 2024)
2. Scarborough P, Clark M, Cobiac L, Papier K, Knuppel A, Lynch J, Harrington R, Key T and Springmann M. Vegans, Vegetarians, fish-eaters, and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts. Nature Food 2023; 3: 565–574, http://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-023-00795 (accessed 18 August 2023)
3. Xu, X., Sharma, P., Shu, S. et al. Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods. Nat Food 2021; 2: 724–732 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00358-x (accessed 4 April 2024)
4. Neuenschwander, M. Stadelmaier, J. et al. Substitution of animal-based with plant-based foods on cardiometabolic health and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMC Medicine 2023; 21(404): https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-03093-1 (accessed 4 April 2024)
