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Universities Reducing Animal Products in Dining Halls Earn Recognition From the HSUS

January 13, 2025

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has released its “College and University Protein Sustainability Scorecard,” evaluating how higher education institutions are working to improve sustainability in their dining services. The report grades schools on efforts to expand plant-based meal offerings and reduce animal product usage as part of their self-operated dining programs. Grades range from A+ to F, based on criteria such as measurable goals, staff training, and transparency in sustainability practices. The scorecard is part of a broader effort to highlight the role universities play in mitigating climate change, improving public health, and reducing the environmental footprint of food production. According to the United Nations, one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are tied to food production, with animal agriculture being a …

Organisations and brands:

HSUS

Humane Society

Society

Chickenless Nuggets Are Unexpected Success in American Schools, Cafeterias Struggle to Keep Up with Soaring Demand

November 22, 2024November 22, 2024

Durham Public Schools (DPS) in North Carolina have observed an unexpected surge in student demand for plant-based chicken nuggets introduced to its lunch program earlier this year. The soy protein-based nuggets, supplied by Dr. Praeger’s, have become a monthly staple, with approximately 1,500 servings—equivalent to 6,000 individual nuggets—distributed across the district. The popularity of these vegan nuggets was spotlighted during a recent joint meeting of the Durham County Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education, published by 9th Street Journal. James Keaten, DPS’s director of school nutrition, shared that demand has outpaced initial expectations. “We never in our wildest dreams could imagine the number of kids that were going to take those vegan nuggets,” said Keaten, adding that maintaining adequate stock has been challenging …

Organisations and brands:

Dr. Praeger's

child of color, school cafeteria, food security, social justice, impossible foods, Colin Kaepernick, Know Your Rights Camp

©New Africa-stock.adobe.com

Health

New USDA Rules Expand Vegan Options in School Meals

September 4, 2024

USDA’s new school meal standards will give greater access to nutritious foods for vegetarian and vegan children and those with dietary restrictions. This is an important step, as research indicates that school meals are American schoolchildren’s most important food source. The new rules, which took effect on July 1, 2024, were released by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They aim to improve the nutritional quality of school meals and other USDA Child Nutrition Programs. Beans, peas, and lentils Under the new rules, schools can combine grains, meats, and meat alternatives as meal components. Beans, peas, and lentils can replace meat at lunch, and cafeterias can offer dishes such as black bean burgers stir-fried with tofu, falafel …

Organisations and brands:

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Food Service

Rebellyous Foods Partners with Chicago Schools to Serve Plant-Based Chicken for National Nutrition Month

March 27, 2024

Chicago Public Schools (CPS), one of the United States’ largest school districts, has partnered with Rebellyous Foods to serve plant-based chicken and waffles in approximately 100 of its schools. This initiative, which started in March to coincide with National Nutrition Month, utilizes Rebellyous Foods’ plant-based chicken products to expand the nutritional and sustainable options available to students. Illinois has implemented initiatives that support the adoption of plant-based menu options in schools. In 2022, the state announced a bill (House Bill 4089), which mandated that all the state’s school districts would need to provide plant-based meals on request that met federal nutrition guidelines. The state has also been at the forefront of alternative protein development, with UPSIDE Foods announcing that it would build its first commercial …

Organisations and brands:

Rebellyous Foods

Image courtesy of ProVeg International

Food Service

Serving Plant-Based Success on School Plates: Interview with ProVeg UK’s School Plates Programme

January 30, 2024

“We started in 2018 with one local authority partner in the UK. Six years on we’re working with a quarter of all the local authorities in the UK. That’s about 6,300 schools, over a million meals a day that we’re influencing, and over 12 million meals that we’ve swapped from meat-based to plant-based. So it seems to be working,” says Colette Fox, Head of Programme at ProVeg UK’s School Plates programme. The School Plates programme, run by the UK branch of international food awareness NGO, ProVeg International, has had some striking success. Harnessing the power of behavioural nudges (and, of course, delicious plant-based food), the team is making a big impact in school canteens across the United Kingdom. The scheme is continuing to grow, with …

Organisations and brands:

ProVeg International

Society

Florida School District Introduces Impossible Burgers and Meat-Free Nuggets in Plant-Based Menu Update

January 26, 2024

Manatee County School District in Florida has recently introduced plant-based lunch options in several of its schools. As reported by Your Observer, this initiative encompasses two high schools and three middle schools, where students now have access to plant-based items such as Impossible Burgers and plant-based chicken nuggets. The schools involved in this rollout include Mona Jain Middle, R. Dan Nolan, Buffalo Creek middle schools, as well as Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, and Parrish Community High Schools as part of the district’s goal to stay current with food trends and address the growing interest in plant-based diets among students. Skye Grundy, a registered dietitian and supervisor of student nutrition for the School District of Manatee County, emphasized the importance of meeting student demands and staying …

Organisations and brands:

Impossible Foods

Leading plant-based milk brands urge Swedish government to push for change in EU School Scheme Review

Milk- and Dairy Alternatives

Oatly, Alpro, DUG, Planti, and More Urge Swedish Government to Push for Plant-Based Milk in EU School Scheme Review

December 1, 2023December 1, 2023

Oatly, Alpro (Danone), DUG (Veg of Lund), Planti, Oddlygood, and Sproud, under the umbrella of Plant-based Sweden (Växtbaserat Sverige), have sent a letter to the Swedish government urging it to advocate for the inclusion of plant-based milk in the upcoming review of the EU School Scheme. Currently, the EU School Scheme aids over 20 million European children by providing them with milk, fruit, and vegetables. However, it does not encompass milk alternatives, even though numerous children are unable or unwilling to consume dairy due to medical, ethical, taste, or environmental concerns. Last year, ProVeg and The Vegan Society collected tens of thousands of signatures calling for the EU to add plant-based milk to the scheme. The Green REV Institute also issued an open letter calling for plant milk in schools, arguing that …

Organisations and brands:

Politics & Law

LA Student Wins Legal Battle for Plant-Based Options, Soy Milk Now Available on Request

November 21, 2023

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) recently concluded a legal settlement with Marielle Williamson, a 2023 graduate of Eagle Rock High School, in collaboration with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The lawsuit, which ruled in favor of Williamson, involved the promotion of plant-based milk within the educational system, pushing back on dairy as the default beverage option. The lawsuit began when Williamson was prohibited from distributing literature critiquing cow’s milk in her school, citing its impact on human health, animal welfare, and the environment. This incident prompted a broader conversation about the role of dairy products in American schools and the current federal laws regarding its compulsory inclusion in the National School Lunch Program. Filed in a federal court in Los Angeles, the …

Charity & Campaigns

850+ Academics, Politicians, and Public Figures Demand Vegan Catering in UK Universities

September 5, 2023

The Plant-Based Universities campaign has sent an open letter to university vice-chancellors, catering managers, and student union presidents across the UK, calling for a transition to 100% plant-based catering in UK universities. The open letter, supported by over 850 academics, politicians, and public figures, including Chris Packham, Etienne Stott MBE, and George Monbiot, marks one of the largest instances of academic endorsement for a plant-based food system. Urgency of change Michelle Farnham of the Plant-Based Universities campaign emphasized the urgency of the call, saying, “This open letter should be a clear message to universities across the UK and beyond that the time for bold and decisive change is now.” Chris Packham, a well-known broadcaster and environmentalist, expressed his support, stating, “The student campaigners of Plant-Based …

Organisations and brands:

Plant-Based Universities

Food Service

Chartwells K12 Reports Huge Popularity for Plant-Foward Meals in US Schools

August 11, 2023

US school food service provider Chartwells K12 has revealed the top ten most popular meals among K-12 students in the last academic year, with several plant-forward options making the list. In first place is the Homemade Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese, part of the Veg Out program launched by Chartwells last year. The program features more than 120 vegetarian and vegan meals, and was launched after a survey found that 1 in 3 students rated meat-free options as extremely or very important when choosing school lunches. Additionally, 37% said they would eat school lunches more often if there were better vegetarian and vegan options. In fourth place is the Spicy Basil Tofu Stir Fry, which ranked highly in Chartwells’ Student Choice program (where students sample …

Organisations and brands:

Chartwells K12

Food Service

Rebellyous Foods Expands Into School Cafeterias as Students and Providers Choose Plant-Based Chicken Over Chicken Nuggets

August 9, 2023August 9, 2023

As the new school year approaches, plant-based chicken company Rebellyous Foods expands its reach, with more schools choosing its products. According to the Seattle company, this traction is part of a growing school movement in the USA to provide more plant-based options. But the huge popularity of its nuggets is also part of the reason: as Kristie Middleton, VP, Business Development at Rebellyous Foods tells vegconomist, students have stated a preference for the plant-based option. At the Annual National Conference of the School Nutrition Association, students said they enjoyed Rebellyous Foods’ nuggets more than conventional chicken nuggets. Additionally, school food providers gave the company resounding feedback: “It tastes like chicken.” “Just a few weeks ago, the team attended the Annual National Conference of the School …

Organisations and brands:

Rebellyous Foods

Image: Brakes on Facebook

Food Service

Leading UK Food Wholesaler Brakes Encourages Plant-Forward Meals in Educational Settings

June 26, 2023

Brakes, the UK’s leading food wholesale supplier, has launched an initiative encouraging education caterers to serve plant-forward meals. The company is offering a set of resources to help school, college, and university caterers understand the benefits and opportunities of including more plant-based ingredients in their dishes. This includes recipe and menu suggestions, along with nutritional information and cost-saving tips. Brakes said that removing animal products entirely can be challenging for caterers, especially as some students struggle with unfamiliar foods. However, taking a plant-forward approach provides significant sustainability benefits and cost savings without entirely eliminating animal ingredients. While Brakes’ plant-forward resources for educators emphasise whole foods like beans and vegetables, the wholesaler also offers meat alternatives such as those made by Moving Mountains and THIS. “Virtuous …

Organisations and brands:

Brakes

Politics & Law

Plant-Based Milk in School Rejected: European Parliament Fails Children and the Planet

May 10, 2023

Members of the European Parliament have voted not to offer plant-based milks in schools, with the majority failing to include the drinks in their initiative reports on the EU School Scheme. The move has been described as a “missed opportunity” by ProVeg International, as it excludes children who cannot or do not want to drink cows’ milk. The organisation noted that some milk alternatives, such as soy and pea, are equally nutritious to dairy with a much lower environmental impact. “Very disappointed” ProVeg said the School Scheme was falling short of its potential to offer environmentally friendly products to children across Europe. Including plant milks would also be in line with the Food Systems Framework initiative, which aims to make European diets more sustainable. However, …

Organisations and brands:

European Parliament

Society

Think Tank Urges EU School Scheme to Fund Plant Milks for Schoolchildren

March 2, 2023

As the European Parliament’s AGRI Committee reviews the EU School Scheme, think tank The Green REV Institute has issued an open letter calling for plant milks to be included. Currently, the scheme provides €150 million per year for the promotion of fruits and vegetables, plus €100 million for animal milk. The objective is to encourage children to adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle. However, The Green REV Institute argues that dairy products are harmful to the environment and should not be promoted, claiming that this contradicts the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy. The think tank says plant-based milks should be funded instead, with dairy milk eventually phased out altogether. “Glaring inequality” The results of a public consultation into the EU School …

Organisations and brands:

The Green REV Institute

rebellyous foods plant based chicken range

Investments & Finance

Rebellyous Foods Raises $9.5M for Plant-Based Chicken’s “Next-Gen Meat Machine”

August 9, 2023February 6, 2023

Rebellyous Foods, the Seattle startup working to make plant-based chicken affordable, has announced a $9.5 million equity round to build its novel production technology. Founded in late 2017 by former aerospace engineer Christie Lagally, Rebellyous focuses on making plant-based meat better, faster, and cheaper through tech-backed solutions. “Next-gen meat machine” “During a tough economic slump, we are thrilled by this testament to investors’ belief in Rebellyous and price parity as a solution to sustained growth of plant-based meat in the marketplace,” said Lagally, who is also the company’s CEO. Rebellyous will use the significant investment to deploy its breakthrough equipment and build its Mock 2 — “next-gen meat machine”— capable of producing 10K lbs per hour, with one production line controlled by one person to bring …

Organisations and brands:

Agronomics

Rebellyous Foods

Safeway

Studies & Numbers

Report Says State-Run Institutions Should Be Required to Serve Plant-Based Meat

January 23, 2023

A report by Systemiq and the University of Exeter, UK, has called on governments to require institutions like schools, hospitals, and prisons to serve plant-based meat. According to the report, increased availability of plant-based foods at institutions would make the public more familiar with alt proteins, while also helping the sector scale up and reduce costs. The proposed move was identified as a “super leverage point” — in other words, a seemingly small action with a disproportionately high environmental impact. Researcher Tim Lenton told New Scientist that if 20% of meat sold globally was replaced with plant-based alternatives, as much as eight million square kilometres of land could be freed up and used for rewilding and reforestation. The reduced land use would lead to a …

Organisations and brands:

Systemiq

the University of Exeter

Politics & Law

Taiwan: More Than 100 Election Candidates Pledge to Support Meat-Free School Days

January 6, 2023January 6, 2023

Taiwan’s Meat-Free Monday organization announces it recently succeeded in inviting over 100 political candidates to sign its Veg-Friendly pledge, which asked candidates to support Meat-Free Days at Taiwanese schools. Following the election results, a total of 48 veg-friendly candidates have been elected. According to Meat Free Monday Taiwan, it launched the “I’m willing to be a veg-friendly candidate” pledge as a last-minute special campaign just prior to the Nov. 26th election for local mayors and councilors. The pledge invites candidates to support and promote better access to healthy plant-based meals across the country’s schools. Swift response Organizers say that, despite the tight schedule, the response was swift, and more than 100 candidates signed the pledge in just 5 days. Chang Yu-chuan, organizer of “Meat-Free Monday Taiwan” …

Society

Impossible Foods Coming to More US Schools As Middletown, CT Adds Burgers to Menu

September 11, 2023December 21, 2022

Impossible Foods announces Middletown Public Schools, a Connecticut district comprising 4,800 students, will soon add plant-based Impossible Burgers across its school menus. The move comes after the district tested the burger with students at Middletown High School, 75% of whom reportedly gave the burger positive feedback, reports NBC Connecticut. According to Randall Mel, Middletown Public Schools’ food services manager, the district now hopes to expand it across all of its schools over the next few months. “Most of the students actually said if it wasn’t labeled as the ‘Impossible Burger,’ they wouldn’t have known that it was meatless!” Mel commented. “Most of them said they would be willing to eat it multiple times per week.” Made for lunches Middletown Public Schools also offers Meatless Monday …

Organisations and brands:

Impossible Foods

Society

Chartwells K12 Launches ‘Veg Out’ Plant-Forward Lunch Menus Across US Schools

September 11, 2023November 2, 2022

Dining service provider Chartwells K12 announces its newest culinary concept, “Veg Out”, is launching at US schools across the nation this fall, including school districts in Texas, Indiana and Washington state. The new program features over 100 new vegan and vegetarian lunch options. According to Chartwells, a subsidiary of Compass Group North America, 1 in 3 school-aged students rated vegan or vegetarian options as “extremely” or “very important” when choosing school lunch, while 37% said they would eat school lunches more often if there were better vegetarian and vegan choices. Armed with this knowledge, Chartwells partnered with the Culinary Institute of America’s Healthy Kids Collaborative, as well as other industry leaders, to create over 120 vegan and vegetarian options including: Watermelon Poke Bowl Tuscan Bean …

Society

Impossible Foods Unveils New Kid-Sized Patties and Whole-Grain Nuggets for School Lunches

September 11, 2023July 12, 2022

Impossible Foods announces it is increasing its investment into school lunches by launching a pre-cooked Impossible Burger patty for kids. In addition, the brand will preview new whole-grain chicken nuggets at the School Nutrition Association Annual Conference taking place this week in Orlando, Florida. More plant proteins Designed specifically for K-12 cafeterias, the new pre-cooked burgers come in kid-friendly patty sizes and offer a complete balanced nutrition profile, including a Child Nutrition (CN) label from the US Department of Agriculture. According to Impossible, the fully-cooked patties make it easier for schools to serve since they only require re-heating, as opposed to preparing from raw ingredients. In addition, Impossible plans to introduce new whole grain Impossible Chicken Nuggets during the second half of the 2022-2023 school …

Organisations and brands:

Impossible Foods

The vegconomist-newsletterinformation for decision-makers

The vegconomist-newsletter
information for decision-makers