Veganuary 2025

How Plant-Based Eating Is Revolutionizing Gastronomy and Consumer Culture
Alexandra Gorsche © Conny Leitgeb Photography
14. December 2024 | 
Alexandra Gorsche
14. December 2024
|
Alexandra Gorsche

As Veganuary 2025 begins, the spotlight once again falls on plant-based eating. But what makes this month so special? From innovative campaigns to creative restaurant concepts and unforgettable gourmet experiences, we explore why Veganuary is more than just a trend and what it means for restaurateurs and consumers alike.

Veganuary: A Month That’s Changing the World

First launched in 2014, Veganuary encourages people worldwide to try a vegan diet for one month. What started as a niche movement has grown into a global campaign, raising awareness about animal welfare, climate protection, and sustainable living. In 2024 alone, over 850,000 participants joined Veganuary, with numbers expected to rise further.

However, Veganuary is no longer just a personal challenge. Businesses, restaurants, and influencers are embracing this month as a platform to launch innovative products and ideas.

Fresh Approaches: From Butter to Fashion

  • Eleplant: Plant-Based Butter Meets Fashion Statements
    The plant-based butter alternative Eleplant demonstrates the wide-reaching influence of Veganuary. To mark Veganuary 2025, the brand launched a limited-edition T-shirt collection in collaboration with Le Shop Vegan and influencer Maria Clara Groppler. These vegan T-shirts send a bold message, targeting a young audience passionate about sustainable products.What makes this campaign stand out is its combination of food and fashion. As Christopher Hollmann of Veganuary Germany puts it: “In addition to diet, fashion is another powerful tool for advocating for the climate and environment.”

Delight Without Sacrifice: Creative Concepts in Gastronomy

  • “Schwein”: Humor Meets Culinary Excellence in Vienna
    The new restaurant “Schwein” in Vienna proves that plant-based cuisine is anything but dull. With inventive dishes and a playful sense of humor, the team showcases how vegan and vegetarian dishes can be both refined and delicious. The concept is lighthearted, avoiding preachiness while appealing to both curious diners and committed vegans.
  • Bonvivant: Vegan Haute Cuisine
    For those seeking plant-based cuisine at its finest, the New Year’s Eve menu by Nikodemus Berger at "Bonvivant" Berlin is a must. Featuring a six-course menu with ingredients like green strawberries, vadouvan, truffles, and charcoal, the Michelin-starred chef crafts a dining experience that even skeptics will savor. These culinary highlights illustrate how vegan cuisine has secured its place in fine dining.

The Economic Significance of Veganuary

More and more businesses are recognizing the economic potential of Veganuary. According to a Veganuary study, sales of vegan products increased by 15% in the early months of 2024. Brands like Eleplant and restaurants like “Schwein” cater to a growing demographic that values sustainability, ethics, and innovation. Major supermarket chains are also expanding their plant-based offerings to meet consumer demand.

Our conclusion for the future

Veganuary demonstrates the immense potential of plant-based eating—not just for consumers, but also for restaurateurs. The growing demand for innovative, sustainable products and dishes opens up new business opportunities. As a restaurateur, this month offers a chance to not only follow trends but also set them. With creativity, commitment, and a willingness to innovate, you can captivate your guests while contributing to a sustainable future. Veganuary is more than a trend - it’s a movement with the power to change the world.

A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît!
Copyright for the featured images used:
Cover photo by Eleplant

Service & employees

Four-day week and CoBots

The hospitality industry is facing a variety of challenges and changes, particularly with regard to staff and service. One key issue is focus training: more and more employees are being prepared internally for specific tasks, as the traditional training of specialist staff is on the decline. Experienced staff are increasingly taking on the role of trainers and managers for semi-skilled colleagues. This is supported by the use of CoBots, i.e. robots that take on auxiliary work such as clearing up or simple kitchen tasks without replacing human labor.

International. Market & Innovation

Expansive and innovative: the trends in global gastronomy

The international food service market is becoming increasingly dynamic with innovative concepts and new players. International and European chains in particular are gaining in importance and expanding worldwide, such as Dishroom and Sexy Fish Miami. One example of this is Pret a Manger, which is also increasingly establishing itself in various countries, as are L’Osteria and Sticks’n’Sushi. Ikea is also breaking new ground with its own restaurant concept, as demonstrated by the opening of an independent restaurant in Hammersmith, London. This illustrates the increasing bundling of chains and the transfer of successful restaurant concepts to new markets.

Culinary Perfection

Guide MICHELIN Austria 2025 Crowns the Best Restaurants and Hotels

For the first time since 2009, the Guide MICHELIN has evaluated the entire Austrian gastronomy scene, bringing it back into the international spotlight. While in recent years only the cities of Vienna and Salzburg were included, 2025 marks a new era where the entire country shines in culinary brilliance. This comprehensive reevaluation not only honors the exceptional diversity and quality of Austrian cuisine but also reestablishes the Alpine Republic as an indispensable global gourmet destination. A truly extraordinary year that underscores the significance of gastronomy as a cultural and tourism treasure.

quick & dirty
Eleplant has presented a limited edition T-shirt collection. Photo provided
Veganuary 2025

As Veganuary 2025 begins, the spotlight once again falls on plant-based eating. But what makes this month so special? From innovative campaigns to creative restaurant concepts and unforgettable gourmet experiences, we explore why Veganuary is more than just a trend and what it means for restaurateurs and consumers alike.