Raised by a butcher’s father, Toni Vernelli loved to eat meat. She became vegan at 18 and after more than 30 years of animal welfare, she is now the communications manager for Veganuary, a 31-day pledge that encourages participants to go vegan in January.

The challenge gives people a chance to “dip their toes into the lifestyle,” Ms Vernelli claimed. Vegans refrain from consuming animal products such as meat, dairy or eggs and for some this means not wearing leather, fur or animal-tested products.

People love a challenge, Ms Vernelli stressed, giving examples of Dry January, the alcohol-free month challenge, or Stoptober, when people quit smoking in October. In the past, the promotion of a plant-based diet was based on awareness and encouraged a drastic and permanent switch to vegetarianism or veganism.

According to the activist, people don’t function that way and don’t change their habits effectively.

The initiative originated in the UK in 2014 when Veganuary co-founders Jane Land and Matthew Glover decided to launch a challenge to the promise of veganism. Today, Veganuary is a global movement that brings people together from all over the world. Canada ranks 18th among the top 20 countries with the most participants.

Rising Popularity

A 2018 Statista poll estimated that 0.85% of Canadians are vegan and 2.3% are vegetarian.

Typically, there are three main motives that drive people to sign up for Veganuary, Vernelli explained: animal welfare, health benefits, and environmental concerns.

Plant-based meat alternatives are expected to reach approximately US$148.9 million in Canada this year, more than US$40 million more than in 2019.

Earlier this year, the federal government invested $1.4 million in plant-based protein company Big Mountain Foods Ltd.

“Plant-based foods are growing in popularity, and Canadians are increasingly looking for more options to vary their diet,” Canadian Agriculture and Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said in a press release at the time.

When Toni Vercelli first became vegan 32 years ago, she knew that finding food alternatives would be difficult. That reality has changed, she pointed out, and many more people are now aspiring to veganism as they seek to reduce their consumption of meat and dairy products.

“Most people don’t like the idea of ​​eating animals… But changing a lifelong habit is hard,” she admitted.

Upon registration, Veganuary participants also have access to a private Facebook group containing other participants, and then receive daily recipes and nutrition tips via email to support their efforts.