Everything’s Coming Up Plant-Based: 5 Recent Industry Wins
Written by: Annie Taranshansky
As the plant-based industry continues its evolution into what some have called the “next era” of innovation, our industry has celebrated significant wins in recent months – from bold plant-forward initiatives emerging in the U.S. political landscape to international buy-in from our globe’s largest retailers. When it rains, it pours – and policymakers, retailers, restaurants, and everyone in between are demonstrating support for consistent consumer demand for plant-based foods.
Plant-based is on an upward trajectory for all the right reasons: the positive health benefits, the lighter environmental footprint, and long-term benefits of a food system that prioritizes growing plant-based foods. We at PBFA believe it’s important to take notice of all the progress our industry has made just this year and cherish the immense collaboration behind it, so we compiled a list of five major recent plant-based wins. We invite you to take a moment to celebrate with us, and congratulate all the hard work put in by stakeholders at each level of the food system who are advocating everyday for a brighter food future.
1. Plant-Forward WIC Updates to Food Packages
On April 9th, 2024, the USDA announced a plant-forward update to the foods provided through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better known as WIC. The updates include the expansion of plant-based yogurts and cheeses, as well as higher flexibility for states to authorize additional plant-based foods as they meet program nutrient specifications. The first update to WIC guidelines since 2014, this is a significant win for plant-based. Nearly 7 million women, infants, and children – or 53 percent of all babies born in the United States – participate in WIC and rely on the program to meet their daily caloric intake.
PBFA applauds the updates to WIC packages, with our own Senior Director of Policy Marjorie Mulhall sharing, "We commend the USDA for expanding the plant-based options available for WIC participants, including plant-based yogurts and cheeses. These updates provide much-needed flexibility to WIC participants who seek out plant-based options for any number of reasons: health, environmental concerns, ethical reasons, and taste." Read further about the WIC updates here.
2. 55 Congressional Leaders Urge President Biden to Increase Plant-Based Options in Federal Facilities
On March 14th, 2024, 55 congressional leaders signed on to an open letter of support urging President Biden to increase plant-based options in all federal facilities. The letter was signed by representatives such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Julia Brownley, Ted Lieu, Barbara Lee, Rashida Tlaib, and more. Led by the office of Jamie Raskin (D-MD), the letter signifies the political power of plant-based foods on Capitol Hill, and cites compelling and extensive scientific evidence demonstrating the environmental and health benefits of plant-based foods. A bold sign of progress, the petition also acknowledged that federal facilities and institutions hold a significant privilege that enables them to set a positive example and lead the way as it pertains to our country’s climate and health goals.
“Our federal government spends billions of dollars on food procurement each year and can play an important role in empowering and providing consumers with healthy food offerings,” the letter reads. “Today, we write to encourage [the Biden] administration to work with federal agencies to make a plant-based option available everywhere our federal government serves a meal – from museums to national parks, and federal agency cafeterias to military bases.” PBFA is thrilled to see all 55 congressional offices for listening to the data and promoting policy that serves the long-term holistic interests of our national – and global – community. Looking ahead, we eagerly await proactive followthrough from this letter and, alongside its congressional supporters, urge the Biden Administration to respond in kind. Read more about the letter here.
3. L.A. County Moves County-Wide Food Procurement to Plant-Based by Default
In a landmark decision, Los Angeles County passed a law that requires all departmental food procurement to be plant-based by default. This legislation follows a myriad of plant-forward initiatives emerging from other cities around the country, but shines given the magnitude of L.A. County’s scale. L.A. County alone serves a population of nearly 10 million, making it the most populous county in America – or more densely populated than 40 individual U.S. states.
The new law requires all departmental food service providers in county facilities to procure plant-based options by default and, in collaboration with the L.A. County Department of Public Health, will follow a multi-pronged strategy to: 1) outline best practices and updates to the county’s nutritional standards, 2) detail recommendations for plant-based procurement, and 3) track and measure progress via the county’s emissions data. The decision was rooted in the evidenced economic, climate, and health benefits of plant-based foods. This is a significant win for the plant-based foods industry, and we at PBFA applaud L.A. County for producing well-rounded legislation that includes the checks and balances necessary to consistently deliver plant-based options by default in the long term. Read more about the new law here.
4. NYC Hospital System Celebrates Two Years of Plant-Based by Default: 1.2 Million Meals Served
This past March, NYC Health + Hospitals celebrated their two-year anniversary of serving plant-based meals as the default meal option in the New York City hospital system. The year’s totals rounded out at over 1.2 million plant-based meals served to patients since the initiative launched in 2022. A massive milestone, the health system’s own press release noted that the large volume of plant-based meals served since the initiative’s launch is a testament to its popularity and overall patient satisfaction with the plant-based by default dining program.
NYC Health + Hospitals partnered with Sodexo in this transition, a foodservice leader which announced plans in 2019 to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 34% by 2025. Sodexo’s CEO of Healthcare and Seniors for Sodexo U.S., Molly Matthews, shared that the culinary partnership with NYC’s hospital system was formed in part after discovering that 70% of Sodexo’s U.S. supply carbon footprint was related to animal-based food purchases. Beyond the environmental benefits and sustainable impact potential of “plant-based by default,” the plant-based entrees help patients maximize their health and healing, while also celebrating the cultural diversity of those who benefit from the hospital system. NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD, stated, “Many of the conditions that bring our patients to the hospital [...] can be improved with plant-based eating, so it only makes sense that as a hospital system, we serve plant-based meals to our patients… Our plant-based menu reflects our patients’ cultural diversity so they can experience familiar dishes to make their hospital stay more comfortable.”
5. World Bank Calls for a Shift Towards Plant-Based Food Production
In a new report, the World Bank boldly called for a reduction in animal-based food production and a shift towards a more plant-based, carbon-friendly method of agriculture. The report urged global economies to transform their food systems to be less carbon-intensive and more plant and planet-friendly as the fight for net zero by 2050 continues. The World Bank further suggested that world economies reflect the planetary cost of our food by raising animal-based meat prices, as an additional strategy to curb the overconsumption of high-emitting, animal-based foods. The boldness of this statement is significant: The World Bank is a leading global financial institution that openly recognizes the far-reaching sustainability potential of a food system that centers plants.
Price parity for plant-based foods would level an at-present uneven playing field, as animal-based foods are made artificially cheap by government subsidies. By investing in plant-based foods with robust and supportive government initiatives, we can realize the full potential of the plant-based sector and give consumers the ability to choose what they eat in accordance with their own unique dietary needs and values – whether motivated by sustainability, health, taste, or simply preference. We commend the World Bank for recognizing the positive impact of the plant-based foods industry, and we look forward to furthering and realizing these proposed initiatives through our advocacy work in the policy field.
As all these wins demonstrate, momentum for plant-based foods is growing in turn with consumer demand for more delicious options. Keep up to date with the latest industry news and stay on top of future exciting plant-based wins by signing up for the Digest’s monthly newsletter here.