ProVeg International

ProVeg International is a nongovernmental organisation focused on changing food systems by making plant-rich foods and alternative proteins more accessible, appealing, affordable and widely available. Rather than operating as a conventional food manufacturer or retailer, it works across advocacy, public education, research, school food, business support, product certification and international climate policy. Its stated long-term vision is a food system that benefits people, animals and the planet. The organisation was established in 2017 through the cooperation of organisations in Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom. Its German predecessor, Vegetarierbund Deutschland, commonly known as VEBU, had much older roots, including associations that trace their history to the nineteenth century. Other national branches developed from established vegetarian and vegan organisations: ProVeg Nederland emerged from Viva Las Vega's, the Czech branch followed the incorporation of the Czech Vegan Society, the South African operation originated as Vegalicious, and the Belgian branch has roots in EVA, or Ethisch Vegetarisch Alternatief. ProVeg subsequently expanded its network to include China, Spain, the United States and other countries, with ten national offices described in reference material. Its programmes address several parts of the food system. In schools, Plant Powered Pupils uses interactive cooking and educational activities to help children understand the environmental, health and animal-welfare implications of food choices. School Plates in the United Kingdom promotes healthier primary-school menus, while Climate-Efficient School Kitchens provides training for public-school catering staff on lower-carbon, affordable and nutritious meals. In professional and scientific communities, ProVeg organises VegMed, a medical congress concerned with plant-based nutrition, and the New Food Conference, which covers plant-based and cultivated-food development. ProVeg also supports innovation in the alternative-protein sector. The ProVeg Incubator, launched in 2018, assists startups working on vegan, plant-based and cellular-agriculture products through mentoring, networking and business development. The organisation has stated that the incubator supported more than 30 startups from 15 countries by 2020 and 50 startups by 2021. Through the EU-funded Smart Protein project, ProVeg participated in research into consumer acceptance and commercially viable foods using underutilised plant and other alternative-protein resources. In Germany, it is associated with the licensing of the V-Label, a certification mark used for vegetarian and vegan products internationally. Policy advocacy is another central activity. ProVeg has campaigned against restrictions on names such as vegetarian burger and plant-based dairy alternatives, arguing that such rules could make products harder for consumers to identify and impede the transition to more sustainable diets. It has also criticised EU promotional campaigns for animal products and participated in international climate discussions. The organisation obtained permanent-observer status under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and has participated in COP events, including hosting a food-systems pavilion at COP27 with partner organisations. ProVeg has received recognition for its school-food work, including a United Nations Momentum for Change Award in 2018 for Climate-Efficient School Kitchens and Plant-Powered Pupils. Its governance has also attracted scrutiny. Following concerns about workplace culture and alleged sexist behaviour raised in connection with charity evaluation, the organisation introduced additional diversity, inclusion and anti-discrimination measures and expanded its executive structure. Jasmijn de Boo became Global CEO in 2022, while Sebastian Joy took the title Founding President. ProVeg remains an active international advocacy organisation rather than a listed co…

ProVeg International developed from the modern European vegetarian and vegan movement and was formally established in 2017 by organisations in Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom. Its German predecessor, Vegetarierbund Deutschland, or VEBU, had itself emerged from a long succession of vegetarian associations, including organisations with nineteenth-century origins. The international structure allowed national groups to coordinate advocacy, education and food-industry initiatives while retaining country-specific programmes. The network expanded through the incorporation or affiliation of existing organisations. In the Netherlands, Viva Las Vega's became ProVeg Nederland in 2017. ProVeg China began operating in 2018, and ProVeg South Africa was taken over from Vegalicious in the same year. Spain established a branch in 2017, while the Czech operation followed the incorporation of the Czech Vegan Society in 2021. The Belgian branch, incorporated in 2022, had roots in EVA, an organisation founded in 2000. The United States has operated as part of the network since 2019. Together, these offices gave ProVeg an international footprint spanning Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. From the beginning, ProVeg combined public campaigning with practical food-system development. Its school initiatives sought to influence food habits early: Plant Powered Pupils, launched in 2016 before the international organisation was formed, uses cooking workshops and educational materials to explain the consequences of food choices. In the United Kingdom, School Plates was introduced in 2018 to encourage healthier primary-school menus. The Climate-Efficient School Kitchens project, developed with the Institute for Future Studies and Technology Assessment, trained catering workers and chefs to produce affordable, nutritious and lower-carbon meals using more plant-based ingredients and energy-efficient methods. The organisation also built a platform for professional and scientific exchange. VegMed became an international medical congress on plant-based nutrition for doctors, students, researchers and related professionals. The 2019 edition in London was described as the sixth congress and the first held outside Germany. ProVeg launched the New Food Conference in Berlin in 2019, creating an event focused on plant-based and cultivated-food innovation. It also co-organises Vegan Summerfest in Berlin with Berlin Vegan and the Albert Schweitzer Foundation; the 2019 festival included approximately 100 information and sales stands. Business development became a further pillar through the ProVeg Incubator, established in October 2018. The incubator supports startups working on vegan, plant-based and cellular-agriculture technologies with mentoring and connections to investors, researchers and industry. Its mentoring network has included Mark Post and Ryan Bethencourt. ProVeg reported that the incubator had supported more than 30 startups from 15 countries by 2020 and 50 by 2021. The organisation also became involved in the V-Label, an international certification system for vegetarian and vegan products, and in Smart Protein, an EU-funded research programme involving more than 30 partners. Between 2020 and 2024, Smart Protein examined consumer acceptance and the development of foods using underutilised protein sources. Policy advocacy has concentrated particularly on the regulation and visibility of plant-based foods. In 2019 and 2020, ProVeg opposed European proposals that would have limited terms such as vegetarian burger, vegan cheese and almond milk. It submitted advocacy materials, worked with civil-society and commercial partners, and promoted petitions. Amendment 165 was rejected by the European Parliament in October 2020, while Amendment 171 was withdrawn in May 2021. ProVeg also criticised EU promotional campaigns for animal products and argued that public policy should support healthier and more sustainable diets. Climate and international institutions became increasingly important to the organisation. ProVeg representatives attended COP24 in 2018, later obtained permanent-observer status under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and participated in subsequent COP meetings. At COP27, it organised a food-systems-change pavilion with partner organisations. The organisation was also recognised by the United Nations in 2018 for its school-food programmes and has held memberships or accreditations connected with UN climate and environmental bodies. ProVeg's development has not been without internal scrutiny. Animal Charity Evaluators stopped listing the organisation in 2019 after concerns about alleged sexist behaviour raised by staff. ProVeg responded with measures including additional diversity, inclusion and anti-discrimination training and changes to its executive structure. The organisation's leadership was subsequently presented with Jasmijn de Boo as Global CEO from 2022 and Sebastian Joy as Founding President. ProVeg continues to operate as an international nonprofit focused on advocacy, education, research, certification and support for the transition to plant-rich and alternative-protein food systems.

1. 2022Leadership titles are reorganised

   Jasmijn de Boo became Global CEO and Sebastian Joy became Founding President.

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2. 2020Smart Protein research phase begins

   ProVeg began consumer and market research within the EU-funded Smart Protein project.

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3. 2019First New Food Conference

   ProVeg held the inaugural Berlin conference on plant-based and cultivated food innovation.

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4. 2018ProVeg Incubator is created

   The incubator began supporting startups developing plant-based and cellular-agriculture products.

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5. 2018United Nations Momentum for Change recognition

   Plant Powered Pupils and Climate-Efficient School Kitchens received UN recognition.

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6. 2017ProVeg International is established

   National organisations in Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom formed the international ProVeg network.

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7. 2016Plant Powered Pupils begins

   ProVeg launched an educational and cooking programme designed to help children understand the effects of food choices.

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International food-system-change NGO promoting plant-rich diets, alternative proteins, sustainable school meals and a reduction in dependence on animal-derived foods.

• ProVeg IncubatorStartup accelerator2018

  An international support programme for startups developing vegan, plant-based and cellular-agriculture products. It provides mentoring, business guidance, networking and sector connections rather than selling food directly. The programme is intended to help emerging companies move from technical or early commercial development toward scalable alternative-protein businesses.

• V-LabelFood certification

  An international certification mark used to identify vegetarian and vegan products. ProVeg is responsible for licensing the label in Germany and supports the broader certification ecosystem. The mark helps consumers and retailers distinguish products according to defined vegetarian or vegan criteria.

• Smart ProteinResearch and development programme2019

  An EU-funded, multi-partner project focused on developing commercially viable foods from underutilised protein sources. ProVeg contributes market and consumer research, including work on trust, acceptance and product priorities for innovative plant-based foods.

• Plant Powered PupilsSchool education2016

  An educational programme using interactive workshops and cooking activities to teach children and adolescents about the health, environmental and animal-welfare consequences of food choices.

• School PlatesSchool food programme2018

  A United Kingdom programme intended to improve the health and sustainability of primary-school menus. It works with schools and food-service stakeholders to encourage more nutritious meals and greater use of plant-based options.

• VegMedMedical congress

  An international congress for physicians, healthcare professionals, researchers and students examining plant-based nutrition and related medical evidence. It serves as a forum for scientific discussion and professional education.

• 2020Defeat Amendment 165

  European Union

  ProVeg opposed a proposed European Parliament restriction on using meat-related terms for plant-based products. It used public advocacy, coalition work and a petition to argue that terms such as vegetarian burger were understandable to consumers.

  Outcome. The European Parliament rejected Amendment 165 on 23 October 2020.

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• 2020Stop Amendment 171

  European Union

  ProVeg campaigned against proposed restrictions on labels for plant-based dairy alternatives, including expressions referring to milk, cheese and yoghurt-style products.

  Outcome. The proposed amendment was withdrawn in May 2021.

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• 2020Challenge EU animal-product advertising

  European Union

  ProVeg criticised EU-funded promotional campaigns for animal products and called for public support to be redirected toward healthier and more sustainable food systems.

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• 2019Vegan Summerfest

  Germany

  ProVeg co-organises the annual three-day vegan food and information festival at Berlin's Alexanderplatz with Berlin Vegan and the Albert Schweitzer Foundation.

  Outcome. The 2019 edition included approximately 100 information and sales stands.

  Source

• 2020Campaign against Amendment 165Other

  A European Parliament proposal would have restricted meat-related terms for plant-based alternatives.

  What changed. ProVeg petitioned the public, worked with partner organisations and advocated against the proposal.

  Aftermath. The proposal was rejected by the European Parliament in October 2020.

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• 2020Campaign against Amendment 171Other

  A second proposal would have restricted terminology for plant-based dairy alternatives.

  What changed. ProVeg ran a public campaign and petition opposing the proposed labelling restrictions.

  Aftermath. The proposed amendment was withdrawn in May 2021.

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• 2019Join the Smart Protein projectStrategy

  The alternative-protein sector needed evidence on consumer acceptance and commercially viable ingredients and products.

  What changed. ProVeg joined the EU-funded, multi-partner Smart Protein project and undertook market and consumer research.

  Aftermath. Research continued through 2024, including studies of trust and preferences for innovative plant-based foods.

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• 2019Expand international climate engagementStrategy

  Food-system emissions and sustainable diets became more prominent in international climate policy discussions.

  What changed. ProVeg pursued permanent-observer status under the UN climate framework and participated in COP events.

  Aftermath. The organisation later organised a food-systems-change pavilion at COP27.

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• 2018Establish the ProVeg IncubatorStrategy

  ProVeg sought to accelerate the development of companies working on plant-based and cellular-agriculture foods.

  What changed. It created an international incubator offering mentoring, business support and sector connections to alternative-protein startups.

  Aftermath. The incubator reported supporting more than 30 startups by 2020 and 50 by 2021.

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• 2019Workplace-culture concerns and charity-evaluation scrutinyControversy

  Animal Charity Evaluators stopped listing ProVeg International after concerns about alleged sexist behaviour were raised by staff. ProVeg subsequently introduced additional diversity, inclusion and anti-discrimination training and changed its executive structure.

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• 2022Jasmijn de Boo becomes Global CEO

  Jasmijn de Boo assumed the Global CEO role, while Sebastian Joy became Founding President.

  Leadership change
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• 2021European Parliament withdraws Amendment 171

  Following campaigning by ProVeg and other groups, the proposed restrictions on names for plant-based dairy alternatives were withdrawn.

  RegulationCampaign
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• 2020ProVeg campaigns against EU restrictions on plant-based food names

  ProVeg opposed proposed European Parliament restrictions on terms used for plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, gathering petition signatures and working with allied organisations.

  CampaignRegulation
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• 2020European Parliament rejects Amendment 165

  The Parliament voted down a proposal that would have restricted the use of meat-related terms for plant-based alternatives.

  RegulationCampaign
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• 2020ProVeg publishes European plant-based consumer research

  A survey of more than 6,000 consumers in nine European countries examined product priorities and attitudes among plant-based eaters and reducers.

  Other
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• 2020ProVeg publishes Food & Pandemics Report

  The report linked intensive animal agriculture and other structural factors to zoonotic disease risks and argued for fundamental food-system reform.

  Other
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• 2019ProVeg obtains permanent observer access to UN climate conferences

  After attending COP24 in 2018, ProVeg gained permanent-observer status under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, enabling continued participation in COP events.

  Regulation
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• 2019ProVeg launches the New Food Conference

  The first New Food Conference took place in Berlin and focused on developments in plant-based and cultivated food.

  CampaignProduct launch
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• 2018ProVeg receives United Nations Momentum for Change recognition

  The organisation's Plant-Powered Pupils and Climate-Efficient School Kitchens programmes received United Nations Momentum for Change recognition.

  Other
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• 2017ProVeg International is founded through cooperation among national organisations

  Organisations in Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom formed ProVeg International as an international platform for food-system change.

  Other
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1. ProVeg International