▲ Vegan Friends / CEO Yoonsuk Lee

[Vegan Industry]
A survey of the Korea Rural Economic Institute in 2019 shows that a Korean consume average 54.6kg meat a year similar to yearly rice consumption of 57.7kg. Statistics Korea also reported that per person meat consumption had increased by 5 times for the last 39 years. Interestingly, meat consumption in the US and Australia is decreasing while meat substitute is increasing fast. However, South Korea also recently has seen an increase in number of vegetarians as well as vegans who do not eat any animal products such as milk, butter and egg not to mention any types of meat. It is a global phenomenon that more and more people are turning to vegetarians and vegans and so is the vegan industry. 

"I and my family have been vegans for 20 years. Back in the days, it was really hard for me to force my children to eat vegetables only since they liked hot dogs very much. While struggling to find a way to do something to quench their desire, an idea popped in my head: a vegan hot dog. I dug into books and such and after many trials I succeeded making one. It was the beginning of my vegan business" says Yoonsuk Lee, CEO of Vegan Friends. 

[Vegan Friends]
Vegan Friends is a South Korean preliminary social enterprise famous for vegan hot dogs. It contains no animal products including milk and butter but three vegetable protein bean hams. The frying oil also is not MGO-bean or corn oils but only eco-friendly manufactured sunflower seed oil. Vegan Friends vegan hot dogs attracted a great attention and an explosive respond at the Mega Show 2021 Season 2 held at KINTEX November last year: French Carrefour offered a deal to sell the vegan hog dogs at 15 stores nationwide in France. 

[Taste to Choose]
Vegan Friends vegan hot dogs come in different flavors: skinny, cheddar, snow, curry, potato, pepper and coconut. 

[Making]
All making processes are done by hands without mass produce with help of machines. In other words, Vegan Friends vegan hog dogs are not frozen but order to made. For delivery, it is packed in a double layered box with ice pack for maximum freshness. When received, you can microwave it for 1 minute and 20 seconds or air fry it for 3 to 5 minutes to eat. 

[Sides]
Apart from vegan hot dogs, you can also find vegan chicken, vegan kimchi, vegan curry and vegan cookies and breads at Vegan Friends.

"Business-wise, Vegan Friends is still in its infancy but I saw at the Mega Show a great growth potential and I'm ambitious to grow the business not only in homeland but overseas also. Business aside, I hope more and more people would join veganism" says Lee. <PowerKorea>

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