Vegan products certified by the NGO Vegetarianos Hoy have reached historic figures, highlighting the growth of the vegan movement in Latin America. According to the organization, over 2000 products have been registered with the V-Label and the Vegan Seal across seven LATAM countries.
The Santiago de Chile-based foundation announced the positive news within the framework of the region’s most important fairs of the F&B sector: the Food Tech in Mexico and Espacio Food & Service in Chile.
“The Foundation has registered sustained growth over the past 5 years in its vegan certification program and we are pleased today to announce this new milestone of more than 2,000 certified products in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Panama, and Costa Rica,” announced Ignacia Uribe, GD and CEO of Vegetarianos Hoy.
According to Uribe, the number of certified products in 2023 is expected to exceed last year’s figures. The certification program added 455 new products in 2022 and has already added 438 products this year so far.
The vegan-certified products include plant-based meat and dairy products, wines, beers, sauces, energy bars, chocolates, and desserts. While food products are the most prevalent items, other V-Labels were given to textiles, household cleaning, personal care, and pet food products.
600 vegan wines
Surprisingly, according to Vegetarianos Hoy, out of the 118 licensed companies in Chile, 36 are wineries, with more than 600 wines certified by the foundation. “They have seen the V-Label seal as an ally to support their quality and commitment to consumers,” says Uribe.
Lastly, the foundation highlights that Nestlé Chile stands out among the companies certifying products with V-Labels. In 2020, Nestlé certified 19 products and now hovers around 50 products total, including desserts, eggs, sauces, broths, ice cream, beverages, cookies, energy bars, and baby food.
“Nestlé Chile’s case proves that large food companies are increasingly entering the vegan market,” says Vegetarianos Hoy.
That said, there are also many 100% plant-based companies and startups obtaining certifications to demonstrate dedication to promoting ethical and responsible consumption, states the NGO.
“Joining the V-Label certification allows us to ratify the commitment we have with the improvement of our winemaking processes and the minimum intervention in the production of our wines, of the highest quality and prestige in Chile and abroad,” says Andrea Cárdenas of Viñedos Familia Chadwick, Chile.
Products certified vegan by Vegetarianos Hoy are exported to LATAM and more than 30 countries, including the USA, China, Spain, Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada.
