Deficient Vegans The Veganuary Effect (with Stu Giddens)
Jan 12, 2026
Stu Giddens, content strategist and presenter for Veganuary, explains how a simple January challenge became a global movement. He discusses Veganuary’s media reach, corporate partnerships, participant retention, and the resources that support people during and after the month. Stu also shares touring-without-meat stories and practical tips for staying plant-based on the road.
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Touring Made Finding Vegan Food A Comedic Struggle
- On tour Stu once found the festival vegan outlet sold out and the fish-and-chips seller refused to sell fries alone, so he bought fish to get fries and gave the fish away.
- He later had bandmates prank a B&B into serving him a twig plate, highlighting road challenges finding decent vegan options.
Veganuary Uses A Monthlong Trial To Scale Change
- Veganuary positions a month-long trial as a low-friction entry point to plant-based eating and pairs it with media and corporate engagement to scale impact.
- Stu Giddens explained they provide country-specific resources, partner with businesses, and leverage press to create the “Veganuary effect.”
They Measure Reach With Surveys Media And Product Launches
- Veganuary measures broad impact beyond sign-ups using YouGov surveys and projects participation by country, estimating 25.8 million tried vegan in January 2025.
- They also track media stories, corporate participation, and product/menu launches to quantify systemic change.
