Record Number of People Worldwide Participating in Veganuary 2023

New Delhi: Veganuary, the global organisation encouraging people to try vegan in January and beyond, has again broken all previous records and welcomed more participants than ever before. 706,695 people officially signed up from nearly every country in the world. Only Vatican City and North Korea (where the internet is banned) are missing from the official list of participants for 2023. India broke its last year’s record with more than 90,000 sign-ups this year.

The campaign’s social media presence also continues to grow around the world with #Veganuary now having more than 1.9 million posts on Instagram and over 300 million people engaging with Veganuary’s international social media channels in January 2023. The movement’s popularity in India has been driven partly through the 10 Indian Ambassadors and supporters from the fields of movies, professional sports, fitness, mountaineering and professional chefs.

Corporate participation has also seen a surge in 2023, with the number of Indian businesses taking part in Veganuary doubling from the previous year. Major national brands, retailers, and restaurants, including BigBasket, Nature’s Basket, Swiggy Instamart, Baskin Robbins, Wingreens World, and many more joined Veganuary by introducing new products, promotions, and special menu items, while creating specialized marketing campaigns for plant-based products.

Mohit Khattar, CEO, Graviss Foods Pvt Ltd. Said "Baskin Robbins has always aimed to give its consumers the very best in indulgence. For its Vegan consumers, this includes the option to enjoy plant based and dairy free (vegan) versions of popular Baskin Robbins flavours! Veganism is becoming popular day by day and Baskin Robbins is excited to celebrate with its vegan consumers through participation in Veganuary.”

Amrut Mehta, Director of Little Italy said “I am proud to partner with Veganuary this year, as I believe this platform will inspire people to try vegan to protect the planet and improve human health. Indians are finally ready for veganism, and technological advancements have eased the introduction of new products. At Little Italy, being a vegetarian brand the next step for us was to have a vegan menu and now that it's finally being well-accepted in India that’s great news for everyone. Making the pizza feel cheesier with vegan cheese or making pasta creamier using a plant-based alternative was a challenge. However, we saw the fruits of labour when even our non-vegan customers began adopting and loving the vegan menu.”

To enable people to take part in the campaign in ways that suit their lifestyle in an ever-changing world, Veganuary launched two new platforms for public participation this year – a 31-day YouTube series providing helpful tips and advice, and the weekly Veganuary Podcast featuring celebrity chefs, actors, and vegan influencers. 

Reflecting on the success of the 2023 campaign, Veganuary’s India head Prashanth Vishwanath says: “Indians are clearly convinced about the multiple advantages of a vegan diet, and have given it a shot in record numbers. Veganuary understands the science of behaviour change, and its fun, engaging approach has helped people explore plant-based foods. We have been successful in creating a favourable ecosystem for anyone trying vegan by partnering with businesses, workplaces, and influencers to raise awareness and make vegan foods more accessible” 

First launched in the UK in January 2014, Veganuary has been increasing its global reach for several years; opening offices in the US, Germany and Chile in 2019; Argentina and Brazil in 2020; and India in 2021. Official Veganuary campaigns also take place in Italy, France, Switzerland, South Africa, Australia, Singapore, and Mexico in collaboration with local organizations. Veganuary’s five-year strategy envisions the campaign expanding into ten more countries by 2027.