Organisation / Brand: Mercy For Animals

Charity & Campaigns

Mercy For Animals Urges Major Fast Food Chains to Add Vegan Menu Options in 2023

International nonprofit animal protection organization Mercy For Animals is urging major restaurant brands to add vegan menu options for 2023 in a new celebrity-backed campaign, “New Year. New Choices.” The campaign is focused on challenging Dairy Queen, Five Guys, Quiznos, and King Taco to add plant-based options in 2023. To mark the campaign launch, bottles of branded bubbly have been sent to top executives at these chains, with the instructions of opening the bottles only once they’re able to celebrate the introduction of a new, plant-based menu item and “#CheersToChoices.” Celebrities including actors Alexandra Paul, William McNamara, Cortney Palm, Aubrey K. Miller, Tonya Kay, Stephanie Gerard, and Amanda Grace Benitez; alt-pop music artist Chad Kowal; country singer Simone Reyes; model Natalie Gal; and chef Leslie …

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microbial protein Formo cheese gratin

© Formo

Studies & Numbers

Study Finds Open-Minded Consumer Attitudes to Animal-Free Dairy

Research published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition has examined consumer attitudes to animal-free dairy. Produced using precision fermentation of microorganisms, animal-free dairy contains proteins identical to those found in conventional dairy products. While fermentation has long been used to produce various animal-free ingredients, the technique is facing growing scrutiny due to its use in alt-protein products. The new research was carried out by Professor Garrett Broad of Rowan University, along with researchers from the charity Mercy for Animals and animal-free dairy company Formo. The researchers conducted interviews with focus groups of potential consumers from the US, Germany, the UK, and Singapore. These groups were presented with both positive and negative framings of animal-free dairy and asked to evaluate them. Results showed that consumers were …

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Rebellyous

©Rebellyous
Society

Salvador Brazil to Serve 10M Plant-Based School Meals in Agreement With Animal Charities

Salvador, the third-most populous city in Brazil, is to serve ten million plant-based school meals every year following an agreement between the local municipality, the Humane Society International, and Mercy for Animals. It is hoped that the move will improve child nutrition — many Brazilian municipal schoolchildren are from low-income families and do not have adequate access to fresh produce, potentially leading to poor health outcomes later in life. The program is also expected to reduce carbon emissions by 75,000 tons, save 400 million litres of water, and prevent the loss of 16,000 hectares of forest. The Brazilian National School Feeding Program has developed a range of meals that use vegetables, legumes, and whole grains instead of meat, tailoring these to student preferences in the …

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Topics:
Farmer Toolkit

Farmer Toolkit
Agriculture / Agribusiness

Miyoko’s Creamery, Mercy for Animals and Animal Outlook Launch Toolkit to Help Farmers Transition to Plants

Three of the largest organizations in farmed animal welfare have joined forces to launch The Farmer Toolkit – a first-of-its-kind online information hub to help US farmers transition away from industrial animal agriculture.  Mercy for Animals’ Transfarmation project partnered with Animal Outlook and Miyoko’s Creamery Dairy Farm Transition program to construct the Toolkit, which provides extensive guidance and support for farmers looking to shift from animal agriculture to plant-focused farming.  Among many benefits, The Farmer Toolkit provides: State-by-state resources Funding opportunities Marketing guidance for selling products Information on growing specialty crops Enterprise budgets Webinars Publicity Facilitating better farming Through its programs, Mercy for Animals’ Transfarmation has already assisted numerous animal farmers to successfully shift their farms to grow sustainable crops like hemp and mushrooms.  As …

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Formo

©Formo
Studies & Numbers

Report by Formo Finds Promising Consumer Attitudes to Animal-Free Dairy

New research by German precision fermentation company Formo, in collaboration with Mercy for Animals and Fordham University, has examined consumer attitudes to animal-free dairy products. Study participants were introduced to the concept of creating animal-free dairy proteins, such as whey and casein, by encoding microorganisms with milk-protein DNA. They were then asked for their response. Overall, consumers across multiple countries were enthusiastic and curious about the technology. Many readily saw the advantages, including improved animal welfare, more choice, and lower environmental impact. However, some participants were confused about precision fermentation and unsure how to categorise products made in this way. Naming Consumers were then asked to choose their favourite of five potential names for dairy products produced using precision fermentation. “Animal-free dairy” was by far …

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