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China’s shift to a more sustainable food system took a significant step forward with the introduction of the country’s first domestic vegan food certification program and the first ten recipients.
The China Vegan Society and the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation say the China Vegan Food Standard Certification seeks to standardize vegan claims within the Chinese market, increase transparency and consumer trust for vegan products, and aid in supporting consumers and food producers interested in animal-free options.
The certification is also the first vegan certification to include a subcategory for vegan foods that do not contain garlic, onions, leeks, chives, and asafetida, which up to half of Chinese vegans and vegetarians avoid for religious and health reasons.
China Vegan Food Standard Certified
During a recent online conference, nearly 20,000 viewers learned about the first recipients of the China Vegan Food Standard Certification.
Ten companies covering diverse food categories across the full food industry received the certification, including Veggie Ark, Green Monday, Ecobuyer, Deepure, Yeyo, Seleglu, GENBEN, Su Man Xiang, Liu Wei Zhi Ji, and Shu Jia Niang Food.
The certification program’s first recipients cover a range of plant-based food offerings, from organic farming and vegan restaurants to health foods, alternative protein products, and vegan OEM manufacturers.
Representatives from each organization introduced their brands and shared their perspectives on how the certification will advance veganism in China in the short term and establish vegan industry standards to lay a crucial foundation for future development.
Cultivating a sustainable food future for China
The certification program’s aim is to provide better-served consumers, more sustainable vegan product offerings, increased food biodiversity, the transition toward healthier food consumption and production patterns, and a better-regulated and more transparent vegan food industry.
CBCGDF Deputy Secretary General Ma Yong emphasized the historic importance of plant-based diets in China’s traditional culture and their crucial role in supporting China’s sustainable future growth.
The certification development committee included VegRadar, a vegan information service platform offering a fully WeChat-enabled restaurant locator app and multi-channel media platform, and Dao Foods, an impact-oriented incubator and investment firm that invests in plant-based and alternative protein companies based in mainland China.
In January, China took first place in the 2022 ProVeg Innovation Challenge APAC event. The country has also seen a number of alternative milestones this year including CellX announcing the first cultivated meat factory in China and Jimi Biotech unveiling the country’s first cultivated chicken. Haofood also debuted chicken made from peanuts in another industry first.
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