Oldest & Largest Vegan Trade Fair VeggieWorld Lands in Hong Kong – March 16-17 2019 At PMQ

Across the globe, people are embracing plant-forward diets. Significantly “25- to 34-year-old Americans say they are vegans or vegetarian,” as per the Economist. More locally, over a quarter of Hong Kongers now practicing ‘flexitarianism,’ and over two thirds willing to give it a go according to research by plant-based advocacy foundation Green Monday. As the veganization of food has taken hold in 2019, vegan trade fair VeggieWorld is hoisting its flag in Asia with an inaugural Hong Kong show debuting the weekend of March 16-17 at PMQ in Central with Green Queen as a proud Media Partner.

Green Queen Readers can enjoy 10% OFF TICKETS with special promo code GQVWPLANTS10 here.

The largest and oldest vegan trade fair from Europe, the exhibit fuses a plant-based lifestyle into one encompassing venue, promoting everything from F&B, raw food, meat alternatives to cruelty-free fashion and cosmetics. Recognizing the value of sustainable, vegan-friendly brands early on, organizer Wellfairs joined forces with leading food awareness NGO, ProVeg International, to create an event that would inspire and everyone to live meat-free and to connect existing organizations and companies to to solution-oriented, high-impact practices.

In its eight-year tenure, VeggieWorld has exploded to 19 cities in ten countries. “Nobody predicted this rapid development,” said Hendrik Schellkes, Managing Director of VeggieWorld, of the plant-based movement. “Veganism has evolved from a niche phenomenon to a global trend and adopted by the middle class in many countries. This market trend is reflected at our trade fair. We help introduce many new products to the food market, including retail, hospitality and consumers. This is the success of VeggieWorld.”

Living a life free of animal products – popular with the Millennial and Generation Z crowd who are keenly aware of the health and eco benefits – the trade fair seems to have struck a chord with the masses: providing consensus that evokes healthfulness but spares renunciation of anything; an open embrace on the variety of vegetables, not an admonition to stop eating meat; gentle encouragement to follow a plant-based lifestyle, not the strict adherence of a “hardcore vegan diet.”

Vegans are a big and active community in Germany, where the popular trade show is from. In a country renowned for bratwurst, Weisswurst, and Brühwurst, the green scene in Berlin has consistently marked it as one of the top vegan-friendly cities in the world. With over 600 vegan and vegetarian restaurants, cafes and shops, the populous city of about three million people also boasts a big eco-conscious lifestyle that includes ethically produced fashion, sustainably produced fabrics, urban gardens, green tech, clean energy and zero waste efforts.

As our fair city continues to lead the plant-based revolution in Asia, the arrival of the VeggieWorld fair seems like a natural progression. VeggieWorld Hong Kong organizer Adeline Chan is ready for change: “I am excited to see Hong Kong stepping up to become the ultimate vegan-friendly city in Asia.”

Open to buyers and consumers, the exhibition will host a weekend chock full of informative panels and programs. Workshops, lectures and live cooking demonstrations from innovative speaks, food tech entrepreneurs and thought leaders in the space. Green Queen Sonalie Figueiras will present a talk about the economics of the industry titled ‘Veganomics: The Business Case For Plant-Based’ as well as moderate ‘The Future is Female: Women Leaders in Plant-Based Movement’ panel; both will take place on Saturday March 16th.

Other speakers include Annabelle Baker of Lush Asia, David Yeung of Green Monday, Bobsy Gaia of Mana!, and award-winning ‘Let Us Be Heroes’ filmmaker Rebecca Cappelli. VeggieWorld Keynote speaker, former Australian Royal Navy military sniper turned anti-poaching activist and founder of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation, Damien Mander, will be on deck March 17th at 3:15PM to speak on his fascinating journey from war fighter to wildlife conservationist and the founding of the first women-only shooters squad, Akashinga, in Africa.

VeggieWorld Hong Kong’s organization team is anticipating over 4,000 visitors for their first edition, all of which will get to taste their way through a vegan marketplace featuring over 50 international and local vendors with new to Hong Kong. Highlights include Happy Cashew Vegan Cheese from Germany, Woos Fruits Dans Les Nuages from France, Ginlac South Korea, Oatly from Sweden, Kleinstesoepfabriek (Smallestsoupfactory) from Holland and many more.

VeggieWorld Hong Kong 2019 will be held at PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong, on Sat 16 March 2019 from 10AM-8PM & Sun 17 March 2019 from 10AM-6PM.

Green Queen Readers can enjoy 10% OFF TICKETS with special promo code GQVWPLANTS10 here.

For more information, see here. Children up to the age of 14 are free. Make sure to follow their Instagram for the latest updates on all things VeggieWorld Hong Kong.

All images courtesy of VeggieWorld.