Veganuary has been a successful marketing campaign. It is a simple message that resonates, eat plant-based for the month of January. However, many claims that the original message has become diluted and lost impact.

As understanding of this grows, consumers who are choosing to eat in an environmentally friendly way could soon be looking to go a step further, giving Regenuary the fuel to gain momentum.

Instead of simply cutting out animal-based products for the month, Regenuary asks consumers to consider the environmental impact of everything they buy and eat I.e. consumer trend. To think about the land on which their food is grown and to source as much food as possible from ethical businesses and regenerative agriculture. The basic rules for Regenuary are as follows:

• All produce consumed must have been farmed and produced using regenerative agriculture;
• Produce must be seasonal;
• Everything you buy should have been grown locally.

Regenerative agriculture means farming in a way that focuses on the health of the ecological system, and not simply on the production of food. Livestock are vital in many regenerative farming systems as livestock waste fertilises soils, and livestock grazing stimulates grass growth to sequester carbon, improve the microbiological diversity and environment.

Regenerative agriculture is not yet legally defined in the way that organic is. However, a new Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) in the US aims to provide a holistic, best-in-class certification system that builds upon principles set forth by USDA Organic, Fair Trade and other leading certifications by prioritizing soil health, animal welfare and social fairness.

Regenerative Organic Certified was established in 2017 by a group of farmers, business leaders, and experts in soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness collectively called the Regenerative Organic Alliance or ROA.

Regenerative agriculture is still in its infancy, but there is a growing number of firms offering regenerative branded products. In 2022 the Ethical Butcher in the UK plans to start a directory of brands making a positive impact.

These firms are either selling food from regenerative farms or up-cycling waste products, as well as using minimal impact innovations in packaging and/or supply chain logistics.

Such companies include Cheyney’s Pastured Poultry which offers golden yolk eggs from pasture-raised hens, Taw River Dairy which produce Jersey milk from a herd grazed on Devon pastures, and Farrington Oils a carbon-neutral and plastic-free ‘seed to bottle’ oil producer offering homegrown alternatives to olive oil.

The message of Regenuary resonates with many consumers and there is a lot of interest from farmers in regenerative practices. However, it is a more complex message than simply cutting something out from the diet and it remains to be seen whether the movement will become mainstream.

Farrelly & Mitchell provide advice to our clients on market analysis, identifying growth opportunities and market intelligence. By leveraging our deep understanding of the food and agricultural industry, our clients are empowered to make the right decisions. You can benefit from the experience and knowledge that we have from working across different continents and sectors within the industry.

The potential rise of regenerative consumer trend preferences is an example of where our knowledge of one sector such as plant-based food goes a step deeper in identifying the various factors that could play a role in your future interests and investments.

If you are interested in getting deeper insights into your market or category, email me at mmitchell@farrellymitchell.com.

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