The Vegan Society is delighted to announce our participation in next year’s Thrive Show, the UK’s largest ever plant-based food show.
The brainchild of Veganuary co-founders, the show aims to attract the country’s commercial big hitters – the likes of Tesco, Asda, Pret a Manger and Alpro – while showcasing the incredible variety of vegan foods available from independent companies.
Retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and caterers will all be represented, alongside clothing manufacturers, campaign groups and vegan publishers, making this an inclusive and extensive plant-based show.
TV presenter and former rugby player Nick Knowles and plant-based athlete Heather Mills have also confirmed their attendance so far.
George Gill, chief executive at The Vegan Society, said: “Veganism has proved to be a steadily-growing lifestyle trend reflecting people’s desire for long-term change in their eating habits, and it is showing no sign of slowing.
“Shows like Thrive are great for inspiring people to be vegan by reaching new audiences that traditional vegan outreach may not necessarily appeal to.
“The Vegan Society is delighted to be attending the show and we hope to help many people to become vegan as well as support them on their journey there.”
Veganuary, the campaign to encourage people to try vegan in January, has seen a twenty-fold increase in participation since its inception just four years ago, and research commissioned by The Vegan Society found there are three and a half as many vegans in Great Britain as there were ten years ago.
The number of vegan businesses is at an all-time high and there is a steady stream of cafés and restaurants that once served animal products but have now switched to an all-plant menu, while most high-street chains have introduced a vegan menu.
The launch of the Thrive Show, which is aimed at meat-reducers, flexitarians, vegetarians and vegans, has been timed to capitalise on this growth and to drive it forward over the next decade.
Matthew Glover, Thrive Show’s Managing Director, said: “This is an exciting time for plant-based eating in the UK and Thrive aims to take it directly into the mainstream.
“We will bring together the brightest, the quirkiest, the biggest and the best of what the UK has to offer – from the largest supermarkets that can’t increase their vegan lines fast enough to keep up with demand, to the smallest companies that offer extraordinary home-made delicacies.
“This is an inclusive show, and we look forward to welcoming anyone with an interest in eating more plant foods, for their health, for the planet, for the animals or just because.”
The Thrive Show will also feature a learning zone with areas dedicated to health and fitness, cookery, and food technology, while nutritionists and plant-based doctors will give talks in a ‘super theatre’.
There is a wealth of brain-power on offer but there is plenty of brawn, too, with a specially-created Muscle Beach where plant-based athletes from many disciplines will demonstrate how plant foods have enhanced their sporting performance.
The Thrive Show has attracted widespread support already from other pro-vegan campaign groups (including Animal Equality, Veganuary and Viva!), publishing and plant-based food manufacturers and distributors.
The Thrive Show will be at the Birmingham NEC on April 28th and 29th 2018.
