It's Been a Minute

Has the vegan business bubble burst?

Feb 18, 2026
Mark Bittman, longtime food journalist who writes about sustainable eating, and Rachel Sugar, New York Magazine writer who covered the vegan boom and bust, dig into plant-based trends. They trace celebrity-fueled market highs, debate whether veganism was a cultural fad or real shift, examine health and political vibes around diets, and consider what plant-forward eating might mean going forward.
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ANECDOTE

Farm Roots Influence Perspective

  • Danielle Kurtzleben grew up on a pig farm and only encountered veganism later in college.
  • That background shapes her perspective when reporting on meat and plant-based trends.
INSIGHT

Big Hype, Small Adoption

  • Veganism surged in the 2010s from celebrity influence to mass-market plant-based products.
  • That boom translated into big retail sales but not a large rise in people identifying as vegan.
ADVICE

Push For Reduction, Not Purity

  • Focus on shifting the overall diet spectrum toward plants rather than strict purity.
  • Encourage incremental reductions in animal products to achieve health and climate benefits.
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