Why boycotting Oatly is a shortsighted idea.

When I saw news that Oatly had raised a $200 million equity investment led by Blackstone, my initial thoughts were "progress, awesome!" Not only that one of my favourite brands is now able to further a mission I'm fully on board with, but that capital is turning green. A company like Blackstone backing a business built on an ethos of sustainability could provide the catalyst for similar backers to follow suit. What a fantastic message this sends out to alternative protein & dairy start-ups working to solve one of the biggest problems facing humanity today: our reliance on animal bi-products to feed us.

Imagine then, my sheer disappointment when I take to Instagram and see a segment of the vegan community sharing quite the opposite message. A community that passionately shares this mission and, in theory, should be in support of changes like this. "Boycott Oatly" was shared by a host of prominent bloggers & platforms across social media. It has to be one of the most ridiculous, self-indulgent "movements" I have seen to date. It screams "look how righteous I am." The contradiction of such a position is obvious, in that the aforementioned vegans taking this position are prioritising self-righteousness over progress. Should we boycott Tesco because they also sell meat? Should we refuse to ride in taxis with leather seats? Are we now to refuse to employ staff in vegan businesses who may spend their money on things that don't meet our moral values? Is any money totally clean when traced back far enough?

The justification, distilled from multiple sources and posts, seems to be that Blackstone have previously invested in less desirable companies who's activities are the polar opposite to Oatly, deforestation being one of them. Donald Trump has been mentioned a few times too. Naturally I do not support these investments, but I would certainly rather this money be given to support Oatly. Shouldn't we celebrate this shift in interest?

Oatly's mission is clear. The way they have gone about promoting this mission over the last 5 years has contributed a huge amount of awareness to veganism in general. The "in your face but funny" billboard approach across London has got people talking. The huge "post milk generation" campaign was genius. This investment will allow for more of the same, whilst getting a product that encourages a shift in appetite away from dairy into the hands of more people.

The need for a shift to a more sustainable food system cannot wait. More investments of this nature are needed, putting capital in the hands of conscious brands that are focused on providing a solution for this problem & have the ability to deliver it. If we can continue to make this a desirable option for backers to direct capital here, it also means we're taking resources away from harmful activities. Some will argue that we're helping these backers "monetise veganism," but does it matter more that this change occurs or who stands to profit from it? As these brand owners grow, they will hopefully be in a position to back smaller brands themselves, and the shift in power continues.