The China Vegan Society’s first year in review
How did the China Vegan Society spend its first year? What are we working on next? Here’s a timeline of the past year’s highlights and a preview of our upcoming projects!
April 2021
Concluded logo design competition and revealed official China Vegan Society logo
On Earth Day in April 2021, the China Vegan Society launched a logo design competition. We received dozens of excellent submissions which we evaluated for aesthetic appeal and expression of the organization’s core concepts. In the end, the "茻" logo submitted by designer Selin won the highest number of jury votes and was selected as the China Vegan Society's official logo.
Designer concept: The "茻" character is represented in stylized graphic form, with the four 屮 ("grass" or "sprout") radicals representing practice of veganism in all areas of life while the circle represents a complete spectrum.
April 2021
Held an online information seminar with partners and community members
At the end of April 2021, during the lead-up to CVS's official launch ceremony and conference, the CVS team prepared three online information seminars for partners and supporters in the vegan community to learn about the organization and ask questions directly.
Why did we choose the ancient Chinese character "茻" for our name?
What does "茻" mean and why do we use it to represent our mission of vegan advocacy?
What exactly is the China Vegan Society?
What are the highlights and planned activities for the CVS launch ceremony and conference in Yunnan in May 2021?
Meet CVS organizers "face-to-face"
See recordings of the three seminars in WeChat:
May 2021
The China Vegan Society Holds Official Launch Ceremony and Vegan Conference in Dali, Yunnan
On May 22, 2021, over 100 vegan advocates and practitioners from around China arrived at the Butterfly Manor conference center in Dali, Yunnan to attend the China Vegan Society's launch ceremony and conference. The conference kicked off with an earthquake drill - an emergency measure in response to the minor earthquake that had struck the region the night before. But even an earthquake wasn't enough to shake the spirits of this highly engaged group of attendees. Although international guests couldn't attend in-person due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, dozens of vegan advocates from around the world participated virtually through conference calls and recorded speeches.
100,000+ viewers watched the May 22 official launch ceremony livestream
100+ participants attended in-person
20+ prominent vegan advocates from around the world participated virtually
Globally renowned wildlife scientist Dr. Jane Goodall, Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix, philosopher Dr. Peter Singer, and leaders of The Vegan Society in the UK, Australia and New Zealand sent their congratulations to the China Vegan Society and shared their hopes for change
Ms. Chu Xueqin, Campaign Manager, World Animal Protection China, shared about animal welfare
Ms. Zhang Yuanyuan, co-founder of Action Asia China, shared about ecological sustainability and health
Many other influential experts and advocates tuned in from around the world to share their congratulations with the China Vegan Society, including How Not to Die author Dr. Michael Greger, Veganuary CEO Rhea Reberg, The Humane League Japan Regional Manager Maho Uehara-Cavalier, and Open Philanthropy Farm Animal Welfare Program Officer Lewis Bollard
June 2021
Participated in the 2021 Belt and Road Global Plant-Based Industry Conference and the ChinaFit Fitness, Organic Health & Nutrition Conference
In June 2021, CVS was honored to participate in the second Belt and Road Global Plant-Based Industry Conference in Shanghai and the ChinaFit Fitness, Organic Health & Nutrition Conference in Beijing. At the conferences, the China Vegan Society shared about its mission to advance China's vegan movement by uniting, inspiring, and empowering China’s vegan advocates and entrepreneurs.
CVS attends Global Plant-Based Industry Conference (WeChat Article)
CVS attends ChinaFit Beijing (WeChat article)
August 2021
Launched Vegan Influence entrepreneur interview series
In August 2021, the China Vegan Society began surveying and interviewing vegan entrepreneurs from China's vegan advocacy and business communities. The series invited founders to share their diverse stories and experiences with launching a vegan business or advocacy project in China, including how they translated their ideas into actions and dealt with challenges along the way. We hope the series can inspire China's next generation of vegan leaders and entrepreneurs and give international audiences insight into China's vibrant vegan movement.
August/September 2021
Launched China VegFest sponsor and vendor recruitment
For our very first China VegFest, we welcomed restaurants, food brands, artists, media platforms, and non-profits to share an exciting variety of ethical and sustainable food, art, and culture with the community. We recruited dozens of vendors and co-creators to sell art, host workshops, livestream on-site interviews, lead outdoor group fitness classes, set up secondhand swap tables, advocate for animals in need, perform live music, and, of course, to serve some delicious vegan food!
October 2021
China's first VegFest brings "Plantiful" living to Beijing!
At 11:00 on October 15, 2021, at Beijing Kerry Centre at the heart of Beijing's Central Business District, the China Vegan Society officially opened the doors to its first edition of China VegFest, a three-day extravaganza of vegan, eco-friendly, and cruelty-free food, fitness, shopping, entertainment, workshops, and games. The festival's mission is to invite the whole community to experience how fun, easy, and "plantiful" a vegan lifestyle can be.
VegFest took over three sections of the Kerry Center to create a vegan oasis in Beijing. On opening day, thousands of visitors of all ages and backgrounds from across China crowded into the festival to sample vegan food, shop for sustainable clothes and artwork, learn how to make healthy vegan food, complete a scavenger hunt challenge, energize their bodies with yoga and dance classes, and more. During the three days of the festival, we welcomed over 50 market vendors, over 10,000 visitors, 10 workshop hosts, and five sponsors.
We received positive feedback from vendors, participants, site managers, and workshop partners. Attendees' comments indicated that we achieved our goal: to break down stereotypes about veganism and show people how enjoyable and achievable the vegan lifestyle really is.
November 2021
China Vegan Society calls for support in passing the Anti Cruelty to Animals Act
During the 2022 Legislative Proposal Collection, the China Vegan Society launched a call to support the enactment of the Anti Cruelty to Animals Act. The China Vegan Society hopes this law can benefit animals and society as a whole by promoting respect and love.
December 2021
Vegan Q&A series launched
China's vegan industry is still in early development, and the general public is still learning about this topic, but people are beginning to grow curious about veganism, sustainability, and other related topics. We launched the Vegan Q&A series to share basic knowledge and health tips with vegans and the vegan-curious across China.
December 2021
China Vegan Society’s WeChat official account hits 100-post milestone
By December 2021, the China Vegan Society had published 113 original WeChat articles, including the Vegan Q&A, Vegan Events, and Vegan Influence series, as well as articles and updates about VegFest 2021, Chinese New Year 2022, and other China vegan Society programs and campaigns. Articles covered topics such as vegan living and nutrition, vegan entrepreneurship and leadership, vegan culture and industry trends in China and abroad, vegan events, vegan certification, animal advocacy, and more.
January 2022
CVS launches Vegan Chinese New Year Dinner campaign
For the most important dinner of the year, the China Vegan Society launched an online campaign to flood Chinese social media with mouth-watering vegan holiday dishes! This WeChat-based campaign engaged home cooks, chefs, vegan brands, and vegan social media influencers to participate and spread the vegan message during this food-fueled festival.
18 vegan restaurants and food influencers contributed vegan Chinese New Year recipes to share with participants
8 brands sponsored vegan and cruelty-free products for prize winners' gift bags
50+ vegan food lovers participated in the vegan food photo sharing challenge
1200+ people shared and interacted with campaign media
February 2022
CVS releases community vegan cookbook for Lantern Festival
For the first Vegan Chinese New Year Dinner campaign, the China Vegan Society received 18 mouth-watering vegan recipes from well-known chefs and food influencers across the country. Each contributor named their dish and shared the story and inspiration behind it, and a vegan nutritionist also provided a nutritional analysis for some of the dishes. According to the campaign rules, all of the recipes are simple and easy to make, suitable for both novices and experts to make at home.
The China Vegan Society's Year of the Tiger Community Cookbook features a collection of diverse and creative New Year's dish recipes, showcases China's outstanding vegan practitioners and brands, and provides the tools to enjoy a healthier, greener, and kinder diet in the year of the tiger.
February 2022
Vegan Events weekly nationwide vegan event roundup series launched
Although China's vegan movement is large and diverse, with countless online and offline events taking place every week, the vegan community at large still doesn't have a central hub where people can see all of these events in one place. In February, 2022, China Vegan Society launched a weekly nationwide event roundup article series. Every week, we gather vegan and vegan-friendly events launched by individuals, clubs, nonprofits, and brands and share them for free on our WeChat official account. With this program, we hope to:
empower and encourage the people and organizations who launch vegan and vegan-friendly events
help vegans across China to find more vegan-friendly events to join
increase the attendance of vegan and vegan-friendly events
increase the exposure of vegan food and ideas to people outside of the vegan community
build friendly alliances with non-vegan individuals and organizations
February 2022
Hosted the first China Vegan Advocates Online Networking Meetup
In February, 2022, the China Vegan Society hosted the first in a series of online networking meetups for vegan advocates in China. As the feature guest speaker, CVS founder Mr. Jian Yi shared his experience and insights from years of vegan advocacy and research in China and the US with over 20 influential vegan community leaders, content creators, and entrepreneurs from across the country. After introducing themselves and listening to Jian Yi's experience, attendees engaged in an in-depth discussion on how to expand the influence of the vegan movement in China.
February 2022
Concluded research into China's perception of vegan food standards
In late February, the China Vegan Society published an online survey to gain insight into the needs of vegan food enterprises, institutions, restaurants, farms and other suppliers for the vegan food standard certification system, from R&D to production, packaging, storage and sales. The survey results revealed common problems and concerns regarding the criteria, transparency, reliability, and convenience of a vegan food standard in China.
See WeChat articles below:
What do you think of vegan product certifications? (Chinese only)
March 2022
The China Vegan Society's Grant Program goes live and receives first applications
In March 2022, the China Vegan Society officially opened its grant program to applications. This program offers funding to qualified vegan advocacy projects in China that aim to increase public awareness, acceptance, and practice of vegan and sustainable lifestyles. In addition to financial resources, the program also supports grantees by providing consultation, mentorship, tools, information, and publicity wherever possible. The program aims to:
Incubate vegan advocacy projects by helping individuals and teams explore truly innovative and sustainable paths.
Raise public awareness, promote behavior change, and inspire more people to advocate and practice a vegan lifestyle.
First grantee: Starch Boy, vegan advocacy video creator
Billy Zheng (aka "Starch Boy") launched a streetside video project in which he invites passers-by on the street to discuss veganism with him on camera. The project aims to encourage the public to recognize the consequences of their personal consumption habits and guide them to try a plant-based diet. Billy edits his interviews into engaging short videos and publishes them on various platforms to maximize exposure and promote veganism to diverse audiences.
March 2022
Special feature for International Women's Day: interviews with 5 women from different generations and backgrounds on vegan diets
Women make up a large proportion of China's vegan and vegetarian population. On International Women's Day, the China Vegan Society invited five female vegans of different ages and backgrounds to share their views on veganism and tips for vegan living.
March/April 2022
China Vegan Society co-hosts online discussion forum and call for opinions for the "China Vegan Food Standard, General Edition" and other group standards for vegan products
On March 31, 2022, the Standards Committee of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation and the China Vegan Society Project Committee co-hosted a seminar with 15 food industry experts to discuss the standards and criteria of the China Vegan Food Standard. Representatives from several corporations that helped to develop the standards participated in the seminar, which was broadcasted live on Chinese livestreaming platforms.
See discussion recording in WeChat
May 2022
Official standards released for China Vegan Food Certification
On April 29, 2022, the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) Standards Committee officially announced the release of the China Vegan Food Certification standards (T/CGDF 00030-2022). The standards were developed in collaboration with the China Vegan Society, the CBCGDF Biological and Scientific Ethics Committee, and the Beijing Soybean Products Association.
As China's first domestic vegan food standard, the Vegan Food Certification aims to engage China's food industry in the effort to achieve the goals of the Healthy China 2030 plan and implement official recommendations and action plans on strengthening biodiversity protection and achieving peak carbon before 2030.
Coming Soon
What do we have planned for the rest of 2022?
July/August 2022
Vegan Events WeChat Mini-Program: a vegan community hub to bring us all together
The Vegan Events WeChat mini-program is China's first digital platform to focus on publishing, managing, and promoting vegan and vegan-friendly activities and events. (A WeChat mini-program is a lightweight application that can be opened and operated via WeChat, without the need to design or download a native mobile app.)
CVS’s mini-program will provide users with a one-stop solution for individuals across the country to find and sign up for vegan and vegan-friendly events, and for organizations and individuals to post, promote, and manage registration for their vegan and vegan-friendly events.
We hope that the mini-program will:
help vegans find more vegan and vegan-friendly events to attend
help vegan and vegan-friendly event organizers to promote their events
clarify the definition of veganism for all users through clearly-marked event categories, input fields, and user agreements
provide a user-friendly third-party registration management solution for event hosts without their own app or mini program
promote the integration and diversification of China’s vegan communities by bringing them out of their cultural and regional siloes and into public view
May/August 2022
Vegan Certification: Gather information on vegan activities and build a diverse and integrated vegan community
The China Vegan Certification aims to support and promote the principle of causing no harm to animals. The certification will be based on the China Vegan Food Standard announced on May 10, 2022, which was developed by CVS and partners through reference to international industry standards as well as consultations with Chinese consumers and food manufacturers. The certification will only be awarded to products whose ingredients and manufacturing processes do not involve the use of any animal product, by-product or derivative. After launching the certification process, CVS will provide certification services for enterprises and organizations engaged in any part of the vegan food production process, from growing and sourcing ingredients to research and development, processing, packaging, warehousing, transportation, sales, service, consumption, and waste disposal.
We hope that the China Vegan Certification will:
help consumers to identify and support vegan products
increase public understanding of what makes a product "vegan"
help certified enterprises and organizations to take an active role in promoting vegan and cruelty-free foods and products and gain recognition from consumers who value these shared goals.
June/July 2022
The Vegan Roundtable: a place for Chinese vegan advocates to gather and share
The Vegan Roundtable is a series of online forums or interviews that invites vegan advocates and industry experts to share their stories, insights, and experiences to inspire and educate their peers. In this open dialogue space, we encourage advocates with the common goal of promoting a greener, healthier, kinder future to share experiences and discuss solutions and become more capable changemakers together.
September/October 2022
MANG Conference: A platform for diverse vegan voices to co-create a smart and resilient vegan movement
The China Vegan Society launched the MANG Summit as a service to empower the vegan advocacy community in China. The Summit will invite 30+ experienced and influential vegan innovators, advocates, experts, and social figures from across China and around the globe to share best practices in vegan advocacy via keynotes, roundtables, lectures, workshops, and more. By connecting, communicating, and learning with their peers, attendees will discover new possibilities for vegan advocacy in China and gain valuable skills and inspiration to build a kinder and more sustainable world.