V-Label, the world’s leading vegetarian and vegan trademark, reveals its 2023 Food Heroes, celebrating 20 individuals in education, activism, research, technology, politics and entrepreneurship, all working towards the common goal of transforming outdated food systems and changing narratives. Around the possibility of thriving without harming the planet.
The food heroes recognized at the 2023 Awards will be familiar to most of our readers and are as follows:
- Tobias Leenaert: Author / Co-Founder, Proveg
- David Young: Founder and CEO, Green Monday
- Ignacia Uribe: Founder, President and CEO, Vegan Today
- Olaoluwa Fashola: Founder and CEO, Casa Vegan
- Zoltan Toth-Sifra: Founder and CEO, Real Deal Milk
- Deniz Fiscioglu: Co-Founder and Co-CEO, BetaFSH and Oceanfruit
- Niccolò Galizzi: Head of Product Development, Revo Foods
- Priyanka Srinivas: Founder & CEO, The Live Green Co
- Ghanim Al-Sulaiti is Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Enbat Holdings
- Chef Babette Davis: Co-Founder of Stuff I Eat, Chef, Author, Motivational Speaker
- Prof. Eva Tornberg: Professor of Food Engineering and Head of Research and Development, Vegoflund AB
- Ofek Ron: Co-founder and CEO, Plantish
- Ahrum Pak: Co-founder and CEO, WNWN Food Lab
- Veronica Garcia-Artiaga: Co-Founder, CEO and CTO, Next
- Leah Garces CEO and President, Compassion for Animals
- Ed Winters aka Earthling Ed, vegan educator
- Mark Coloma: Food Activist: Co-founder and CEO, Heura Foods
- Anja Hajekamp: Member of the European Parliament and Party for Animals
- Vikas Garg: Founder and CEO, BILLION
- Dr. Tony Vernelli: Head of International Communications and Marketing, Veganuary
Tobias Leenaert, co-founder of Proveg International, and Dr. Tony Vernelli, Veganuary’s head of international communications and marketing, is recognized for driving change through positive inspiration and providing supportive tools and resources.
Heura’s Mark Coloma “transformed his anger into creating Heura as a vehicle for change.” Leah Garcés, CEO and President of Mercy for Animals, has partnered with some of the world’s biggest food companies on a mission to end factory farming, while Chef Babette spreads compassion and love through healthy food at her LA-based restaurant, Staff I Eat. As well as his motivational talks. Vikas Garg, founder of Abillion, is on a mission to help one billion people save the planet
Ed Winters – Hero for Animals
Ed Winters, known as Earthling Ed, a prolific vegan speaker, educator and activist says: “I’m trying to change the current paradigm that believes in using animals as food resources rather than recognizing them as sentient beings worthy of protection.” Winter Work has helped more than 30,000 people become vegan in the last 12 months alone.
“Modern heroes don’t wear capes: they’re making milk from potatoes and germs, chocolate without cocoa, and salmon and tuna without touching the fish scales,” says V-Label Marketing Project Manager Nicolette Concoli, DUG Milk Professor Eva Tornberg, Real Deal Milk Zoltan mentions Toth-Sifra and Ahrum Pak of WNWN Food Labs, who are at the forefront of revolutionizing the dairy and chocolate industries.
In alternative seafood, Plantish’s Ofek Ron and Revo Foods’ Niccolò Gallizzi are celebrated for their work on 3D-printed salmon, while Deniz Fiscioglu is using seaweed to make tuna via BetaF!sh and Oceanfruit.
Veronica GarcÃa-Arteaga is recognized for her work with Neggst, the startup that pioneered vegan eggs that crack and cook just like the real thing. Priyanka Srinivas combines the knowledge of plant ancestry with AI to replace animal, synthetic, and highly processed ingredients with plant-only alternatives, providing tastier, healthier, and more sustainable food solutions under her brand, The Live Green Co.
“If no one else will do it, do it yourself,” Anja Hajekamp, ​​a member of the Party of Animals who advocates for animals and sustainability in the European Parliament, has a life motto. Ignacia Uribe R. set out to promote plant-based eating and reduce farm animal suffering in Latin America through her NGO, Vegetarianos Hoy, while David Young founded Green World in Hong Kong to help people go plant-based in Asia and beyond. do
Olawuluwa Fashola founded the first vegan food brand in Nigeria, Casa Vegan, while Ghanim Al-Sulaiti opened the first vegan restaurant, Evergreen Organics, in Doha, Qatar, before establishing several other sustainable and vegan businesses in the region.
To read their full story, visit FoodHeroes20.com.