🌿 Communities of Color are Pioneers in Veganism 🥕
Plant-based cuisine and veganism are not new to communities of color (Indian, Middle Eastern, and African); they simply haven't used the term "vegan" or "plant based".
In the US 🇺🇸 , Black communities have a long history of embracing plant-centered diets. Black food systems are rooted in the fiber-rich diets of their African ancestors.
This heritage has endured through enslavement, Jim Crow, the Great Migration, and the Civil Rights and Black Liberation Movements. Dietary surveys from the 1960s show that before the rapid expansion of fast-food franchises in the 1970s, African Americans in cities were twice as likely to meet dietary recommendations for fruits, vegetables, and fiber compared to the overall U.S. population.
By the 1970s, African American neighborhoods in major cities had shifted from having no fast-food chains to being inundated with them. Subsidized fast-food companies targeted these communities with cheap, low-nutrition food and unrelenting advertising 🍔 🌭 🍟 .
Today Black Women are leading the plant-based movement - Slutty Vegan (Pinky Cole), New Breed Meats (@Samantha Edwards), Southern Roots Vegan Bakery (Cara Pitts) are just a few of the extraordinary entrepreneurs at the helm of a mouth watering revolution. And it’s not just about great food—it’s about reclaiming a heritage of plant-centered diets that go back generations.
Meanwhile, across the globe in Africa 🌍 , plant-based innovations are taking strong hold. VeggieVictory and its founder Hakeem A. Jimo stand out as a pioneering force. As Nigeria’s 🇳🇬 first vegan restaurant and plant-based food tech business, VeggieVictory is reshaping societal views on meat consumption, proving that plant-based foods can meet both nutritional and cultural needs.
Nigeria isn’t the only African nation experiencing a shift. South Africa hosts a
ProVeg Incubator office, and The Plant Powered Show (Good Life Show Africa) in Cape Town has quickly become one of the most successful food and lifestyle events on the South African exhibition calendar. As the continent evolves, so too will its plant-based narrative, offering unique contributions to the global conversation on food, sustainability, and cultural identity. To read more check out Corporate Knights website, grab copy of the Plant Powered Issue, or click the link in comments.
Food Tank Oldways Preservation Trust Jason Clay The Good Food Institute Agnieszka de Sousa Kristen Barnett Lavina Gully Marina Schmidt 🍎🍏 Morgan Gillespy Adele Jones Lauren Baker Amath Pathe SENE Mumbi Gichuri Thule Lenneiye Conny Wyder Rohini Mohanlal Pallavi Sharma Tom Cadogan Theresa Paopao