The market for plant-based meat and dairy alternatives – soy milk, coconut ice cream, cashew cheese, almond yogurt and black-bean burgers – is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the food industry. Sales of plant-based alternatives in the U.S. have reached $13 billion a year and are up 20 percent over 2017.

Whether it’s at the grocery store or a local restaurant, more and more people expect options that don’t include animal products when they’re choosing food for themselves and their families. And with good reason. Animal agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gases and consumes enormous amounts of land and water.

But animal products aren’t just found in the food industry. Personal products like cosmetics, hair and skin care, and soap often incorporate animal-derived ingredients that you might never think of – bone marrow from chickens, or chemicals extracted from cow tissue, fish scales, and even shark livers. Personal care products are often tested on animals, too.

Vegan options are becoming more widely available and affordable as consumers learn more and demand better, and retailers and manufacturers are responding. While the shift away from animal products is regarded as a challenge by some agriculture lobbyists, the smart companies recognize it as an opportunity. Vegan brands are being acquired by cosmetics conglomerates, established non-vegan manufacturers are offering vegan lines of soap and shampoo, and animal-free brands are becoming more visible.

Experts predict the market for animal-free personal care and cosmetics to grow by 6 percent by 2023, thanks to changing demographics, better informed consumers, and new global markets. (India, which has a legacy of vegetarianism and veganism, is expected to contribute significantly to the growth of animal-free products in the next decade.) And a vegan public relations agency will be an essential tool for animal-friendly businesses during all this growth.

If your company is part of this movement to make a cleaner, healthier, kinder world, Orange Orchard PR is on your side. Our team of experienced PR professionals can help you raise awareness of your brand and differentiate your company from the rest of the pack with traditional and digital public relations campaigns, media coverage, and targeted ad campaigns.

At Orange Orchard, we’re committed to being better stewards of our planet and showing compassion to all animals. So are you, and you’ve got a good story – let us help you tell it.