Once regarded as taboo, living a vegan lifestyle has transformed from a niche practice that’s become common in today’s society.
Austin is at the forefront of this vegan revolution in the United States, according to a new study by Wallethub which listed Austin the 7th best city for vegans and vegetarians.
The study concluded Austin is a great city for vegans due to its affordability of product, the number of restaurants and active community, citing Austin’s numerous vegan classes, cooking seminars and festivals.
In Hays County, growing communities from San Marcos to Dripping Springs are beginning to see this metropolitan influence with restaurants and grocery stores expanding its vegan options.
For Sascha Biesi, owner of Dripping Springs’ specialty vegan bakery Skull and Cakebones, the goal of breaking the negative stigma associated with vegan foods is rooted in a simple goal – it must taste good.
“I don’t want anyone to taste our food and notice that it’s vegan,” Biesi said. “We just want people to open their minds a little and understand that just because its vegan, doesn’t mean it won’t taste good.”
Biesi and her staff don’t inform their customers that the product is vegan until after they take a bite, hoping to shock some preconceived notions.
What started as a baking hobby in a small kitchen has now transformed Skull and Cakebones to a fullscale vegan distributor sold in Whole Foods and H.E.B’s across the state including retailers in Hays County and Austin.
“Even six years ago it was considered gross to label your food as vegan. It wasn’t a great way to market or describe your food,” Biesi said. “But the culture has changed so much since then. We’ve even had H.E.B ask us to make it more noticeable that our products are vegan.”
The accessibility to vegan products is also extremely prevalent in Austin due to its affordability, allowing for a new community to embrace the new lifestyle without breaking the bank.
“Certain specialty foods can be a little more expensive, but there are definitely options available for any kind of budget. For the purpose of this study, we took an in-depth look at the cost of groceries for vegans and vegetarians,” said Jil Gonzalez, an analyst at Wallethub.
Biesi said Skull and Cakebones welcome anyone in its doors, but wants to target meat-eaters, challenging the perception that it can be vegan and still taste good. If it doesn’t taste real, it won’t be sent out to the customer.
In Dripping Springs, a community surrounded in “barbeque country,” that challenge is working to be met on a daily basis.
“I’m honestly so glad we are here in this community, and I couldn’t imagine doing this anywhere else,” Biesi said. “The people here are so nice, friendly and have been openminded.”
