Vegan festival VeggieWorld promotes plant-based lifestyle in meat-loving Hong Kong
City’s residents, who are among world’s biggest meat consumers, can find out all about veganism at inaugural fair held at PMQ
Despite Hongkongers having been outed as the world’s most meat-hungry citizens by a University of Hong Kong study last year, there are encouraging signs that the city is starting to pay more attention to vegetables: a quarter of its inhabitants now regard themselves as “flexitarian”, eating less or no meat at least one day a week, according to a recent survey by market research firm Ipsos.
Next weekend, Hong Kong will get its first taste of vegan lifestyle fair VeggieWorld.
“We felt that if the fair worked in Europe it had to work in Asia,” says Hendrik Schellkes, chief executive of VeggieWorld. “In Hong Kong, there have been so many vegan restaurants and shops and bistros and cafes opening – producers are changing their processes towards cruelty-free and animal-free products.”
Founded in Germany eight years ago, the fair is now held in 19 cities across 10 countries, Hong Kong and Hangzhou, in China’s Zhejiang province, being the only editions outside Europe.
The two-day fair will feature more than 50 local and international brands, including Hong Kong’s vegan bakery Mayse and fair-trade confectioner Conspiracy Chocolate, as well as Germany’s dairy-free Happy Cheeze, Swedish oat milk manufacturer Oatly and the Korea Vegetarian and Vegan Association. Beyond the dining table, VeggieWorld will also spotlight vegan cosmetics and fashion brands as well as businesses that specialise in ethical tourism.