In our Speaker Spotlight series, get to know our speakers before you see them. Find out what trends Mirrin Lewis – Deputy Sales Manager, The Vegan Society, predicts this year, who they admire in the industry, and why you should attend their session at Natural & Organic Products Expo this April.
Q: What one person or business in the natural & organic industry do you really admire and why?
There are many of our Vegan Trademark holders that are leading innovation in the natural and organic space across the product categories such as Clearspring, Naturally Tiwa Skincare, and Mr Organic. They utilise their ethical production in their marketing and use it to connect with their audience.
Q: What’s the most rewarding aspect of your role and the most challenging?
Being able to work for the very organisation that coined the word vegan, set the definition and works to educate the world about how the vegan lifestyle can benefit animals, the environment and health is so purposeful. When I became vegan I needed to change my direction and work somewhere which aligned with my values. I love learning about innovation and if it’s centered around sustainability it’s twice as exciting. And whenever I see the Vegan Trademark on packaging or marketing materials I geek out! The biggest challenge is when a product doesn’t have a traceable supply chain and a brand really want to apply for the Vegan Trademark. Our standards and criteria are strict, and so some businesses which we’d like to support, can’t join our community of trademark holders at that time. That’s tough.
Q: What do you see as key trends for natural & organic in the coming year?
Consumers are looking more than ever to ensure that the products they buy align with their own values. In our recent survey of 1000 primarily non-meat eating Brits, 92.8% of respondents said it was important that brands certified their vegan products with a third-party. So it just goes to show how important certification is for brands to back up their claims and build trust to their consumers.
Q: How important is Natural & Organic Products Expo trade show to the you/industry?
There’s a lot of synergy between us. Although Natural or Organic doesn’t equal vegan, sustainability and veganism go hand in hand and The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark team helped shape Vegan World. We hope to work on expanding that next year outside of food.
Q: Why should visitors attend your session at the show?
There are over 65,000 products registered with the Vegan Trademark across all product categories, spanning 70 countries. Our leading vegan certification scheme, managed by The Vegan Society is the most recognised and trusted vegan mark. We have unique insight into what consumers look for when shopping and we want to share them with you.
See Mirrin Lewis’s session ‘Vegan Shopping: What do consumers really want?’ at 10.30– 11.00 on Sunday 14 April. Register for a trade ticket here.
