Vegan, 30 years and counting

Veganuary might have come to an end, but a vegan diet isn’t just for a month. So we’re posting this interview with Suma member Lisa on her rationale for becoming (and staying) vegan, and how the world - and the market - has changed for vegan diets in the 30 years since she became vegan.??

Lisa can be found doing everything at Suma from sales and welcoming new customers to cooking in the canteen and picking orders in the warehouse.

?What was it like when you started your vegan diet?

?“I made the move to veganism on New Years Eve, aged 23. Having been veggie since I was 14, I didn’t feel it went far enough and I wanted to eliminate all animal products from my life. Veganuary obviously wasn’t a thing back then and I didn’t meet another vegan for years. For me, it’s political; it’s about people and the planet. I didn’t want us to have world starvation on our hands. It’s about making sure everyone is fed, looked after and treated equally.

“In the early days, I ate lots of TVP! That and sosmix. We still sell lots of sosmix today. It’s a great product and really versatile; it doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge, making it ideal for festival caterers, for example.

What’s changed for vegans today?

?“These days, veganism is mainstream. People choose veganism for so many different reasons and there’s a lot of crossover. It’s a lot more than just reading ingredients now and it’s not just about about animals. Some are choosing to reduce meat and fish consumption, such as meat-free Mondays, or eating vegan Monday to Friday and reverting to being an omnivore at the weekend.

If people do their homework and go into it knowing every corner of it, I believe they’re more likely to stay vegan. Staying vegan is always about giving and not ego based. Those who appreciate that will stay the course and others will drop off the bandwagon.

“There are so many foods available now that make it easy for people to transition these days. I used to carry soya milk around with me for tea and had to drink black coffee. Oat milks that don’t milk curdle in coffee, that was a game changer! A lot of the cheeses have really come on. Meat alternatives are so good now and plentiful, and that makes switching easy.

A lot of people swing back round to what I call pure foods after a while, once they’ve tried the meat-free burgers. Then they emerge into a vegan Narnia and there are so many more interesting foods to choose from and different ways to cook. While I generally choose to cook from scratch, there’s a lot to be said for quality vegan convenience food. I like to take our vegan meals in a can on camping holidays; they are so easy, affordable and portable.

?What’s it like at Suma?

“Working at Suma is amazing as a vegan. I think over 5k of our 7K products are vegan, many accidentally, like lentils. We have our wonderful canteen serving up wholesome vegan and veggie meals, a totally meat-free environment, and a wide array of dairy-free milks in the fridge. I am always visiting the buyers to see what’s new and sample products! Plus I never have to worry about GM sneaking in as we don’t have that here.

“I choose to make my money ethically by working at Suma and I try to spend my money as ethically as possible too. As with the rise in greenwashing, the same can be true for big brand veganism.

I try and support independent businesses so they can continue to make a positive change in the world. These are our customers and I really appreciate everything they do to make varied dietary choices accessible, sharing advice, product knowledge and offering support. You just don’t get that service in the supermarket. I always recommend people pop into their local independent store to shop and ask for help. These people are the experts after all. They’ve been doing it for a long time.“

Is there a demand for vegan products?

“Our new customer team has been monitoring the uplift in new vegan shops and food businesses over the last 4 years. Even non-vegan businesses see the need (and value) in making vegan options available. We’ve also seen an increase in customers wanting to create vegan ranges in their shops.”

Get in touch with Suma if you want advice on vegan best sellers, trends and ranges.

• If you're an existing Suma customer get in touch in your usual way
• If you're new to Suma you can contact us here: www.suma.coop/contact-us/new-customer-registration