Polly Waffle: Make a Vegan Comeback!
On the heels of the news that Polly Waffle chocolates are set to return to Australian supermarket shelves, PETA has proposed a way to modernise the nostalgic treat: make it vegan.
In a letter to Polly Waffle maker Robern Menz, we point out that demand for vegan foods is growing at an astounding rate and the industry is expected to be worth more than US$24 billion by 2025.
Already this year, we’ve seen iconic Aussie brands such as Drumstick ice creams, MILO malt drink, and Four’N Twenty pies veganise their recipes in order to cater to customers who are concerned about environmental and health issues and cruelty to animals.
Every year in Australia, 400,000 male calves born on dairy farms endure a long, stressful journey to the abattoir when they’re still less than a month old. Meanwhile, female calves are raised to follow in the sad footsteps of their mothers – they’re repeatedly forcibly impregnated and relentlessly milked, until they’re considered “spent” and slaughtered at around 4 years old.
Taking milk away from calves and feeding it to humans doesn’t just hurt them – it also hurts us. Studies have shown that around 65% of the population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after weaning and many people live with a dairy allergy, which can be fatal. Dairy consumption has also been linked to an increased risk of prostate, lung, breast, and ovarian cancer.
Then there’s the fact that cows and other ruminant animals are responsible for 66.3% of the greenhouse-gas emissions generated by Australian agriculture. In addition, each of the 1.65 million cows in our country’s dairy industry drinks up to 85 litres of water per day while lactating.
Relaunching Polly Waffle as a vegan brand would be a smart business move that everyone – including cows – would celebrate!
Looking to get your chocolate fix immediately without cruelty to cows? Check out this list of delicious vegan chocolate treats:
