If you're noticing that your local big box grocery chain seems to be stocking a lot more non-dairy cheese and plant-based frozen foods, or that there are now more restaurants, cafes, and treat shops specializing in vegan eats in your Vancouver neighbourhood, you aren't alone.
Veganism is growing in popularity in Vancouver, whether it's thanks to those who do the month-long "Veganuary" challenge, Meatless Mondays, or for those who go whole hog - err, whole hearts of palm - into the plant-based lifestyle.
Now Vancouver has been ranked - again - among the world's most popular cities for vegans, taking seventh place (in a three-way tie with two UK cities, London and Manchester). The city is the second-most popular North American city in the top 10 list, with Portland, Oregon taking first place.
Canada comes in ninth overall in Chef's Pencil's national rankings, however, Vancouver is the only Canadian city to crack the top 10.
Each year, the website Chef's Pencil analyzes Google Trends and Adwords data, using web search information to calculate the rankings.
Vancouver is searching for all sorts of vegan foods
The site says vegan-related searches in Vancouver surged by 28% year-over-year in 2020, and 68% compared to three years ago.
Popular search terms for plant-based fare in Vancouver include vegan pizza, vegan pancakes, vegan ice cream, vegan lasagne and vegan banana bread.
"Vancouver is a foodie paradise, boasting an incredibly diverse food scene. The sea, the mountains, forestry, and nature make Vancouver a haven for nature lovers and a centre for outdoor sports. So it’s a short step to a healthy, plant-based vegan diet," explains Chef's Pencil in its rankings.
New additions to Vancouver's growing vegan scene last year include places like Whisk Premium Matcha x Level V Bakery, The Cider House, Pizzeria Grano, and MILA.
Here are Chef's Pencil's global city rankings for most popular vegan cities in 2021:
1. Portland
2. Edinburgh
3. Hamburg
4. Berlin
5-6. Leipzig
5-6. Amsterdam
7-9. Vancouver
7-9. Manchester
7-9. London
10. Seattle
