Welcome to the Vegan Report. My name is Ryan and today we kick off the holiday season with
a returning guest of the show Anne Fan, the entrepreneur behind Body Gourmet, Boida Outwear
and of course the Vegan Christmas Market. What I offer you today is a behind the scene
look into the organization of this once a year event that gathers vegan entrepreneurs
from everywhere. But more than that, I want to use this episode to promote the idea of
bringing carnists to vegan events, to show them how plant-based food is far from being
boring, bland or tasteless, to show them that vegans are real ordinary people, not social
media memes and allowing them the opportunity to understand you better. So for this holiday
season, find the carnist, friend or family member, take their hand and drag them to the
nearest vegan event. And please follow Anne on social media, see the links provided in
the episode notes.
I went to the vegan Christmas Market so last year I remember how artistic the food options
were like I was eating some mock meat chicken nuggets and then chocolate and then cheese
and then tea and then special soda and then more cheese and it did not feel wrong. Like
it's the only opportunity I have to just indulge in food.
Yeah, and we encourage that. I mean we actually host before the event on our social media that
you know come with an empty stomach, that's what we tell people. So we're glad that you
follow the instructions.
And to do like to go through the entire vegan Christmas Market, it takes I think an hour
and a half at least. So it's a challenge, like it's a big food challenge and also at
every vendor you have many food samples. So it's not just one cheese, it's like different
flavors of cheese and you spend like 10 minutes, 15 minutes with that one vendor and then you
go to the next one.
Yeah, it's an event where you can't be rushed, you know. Like at the festival a few weeks
ago I went with a couple of friends and we all three of us we stopped by a vendor that
was selling some sort of, I can't remember what it is, some sort of powder or something
and the two girls that were with me, you know she was listening to the vendor explaining
the origin of that product, the whole history of that product basically and they were so
fascinated by it, you know, and they were just listening listening and I had to go and see
somebody else so I just left them there and I just went to the other vendors elsewhere
in the hall and half an hour later I walked back and they were still standing there listening
to the story of how they came about with that product. So yeah, all this to say that
you know it's a kind of event that you just want to have time ahead of you to really enjoy
you know the tasting and the learning of the history behind the product, you know meet
with the creators of the product, yeah it's an event where you need some time to enjoy
really. I swear that after listening to their story like why they created that company and
all of that, the product tastes better and usually it goes this way, you come to the
vendor table, you taste their product and then they tell you the story and you just
want to taste the product again. Yes. Okay, here's a question for you, a very sensitive
question. Yeah, go for it. Sometimes the product tastes horrible, like let's be honest and
there was this one vendor who was again cheese, you know, who was you know giving giving cheese
samples and one of the cheese was just so disgusting. I don't know how to describe it,
like it was like so strong like of a taste so bitter and I did not because I had a conversation
with Molly Elwood and she said you need to give them the true feedback like because how
else are they going to make better products? Like you need to be honest but I have to say
I did not find the courage like to compliment them or like I did not lie but I just you
know silently took my distance from that cheese. I think I came back to a vendor, a soda vendor
because I wanted to just rinse the taste from my mouth. So how do we handle that? As a visitor
or you mean how I would like a visitor to handle my product if they were to not like
it? Yes, that's the question, you know, how can we offer honest feedback without you know
being offensive? I think you can always talk about your experience of it like from your
perspective. Let's say if I thought something was too salty for me you know or if I thought
the product was altogether too salty I would probably just say hey you know like I for
me personally it's too salty so I didn't really like this. I would just put it as you know
from my experience I didn't like it because of X reason and you know it's for them to
deduce whether that's that comment would be applicable to all of their clients or just
you. Well, they should have like an anonymous comment box. You just read my mind because
I don't want to express that like openly because other people will hear and they then you know
will just avoid that vendor and I don't want that because might be the case that like you
said it's just my personal taste. Yeah, yeah, no, you're right. I think the comment box
is probably probably more diplomatic way of handling that. And also coming back to that
story you know they tell you their very always very touching entrepreneurial story and how
they put so much efforts, work, sweat and tears and blood in making that product and
then how can you find in yourself you know the courage to say actually tasted horrible
like you yeah you put lots of efforts in that but not enough like.
Yeah, it's hard. I mean even even when I organize like as the organizer. I've gone to other
events where you know sometimes I do a little bit of a prospection where I visit you know
vendors I can kind of think who could be a good potential vendor for the Christmas market
for example. And sometimes I don't like their products you know and but then they want to
participate you know. And I try I really try to put my taste aside because I'm thinking
you know it's it may not be for me but it is for somebody else perhaps you know. And
so I don't necessarily give my input in that regard because it's always a possibility that
it could be a product that somebody else likes. But I think it could be helpful your suggestion
of having a comment box actually that's something I could consider in the future because even
me as a vendor you know that could be helpful if someone just I could read a comment and
say hey you know this could be sweeter or more salty or less salty. If I'm open and
if I'm open to changing or modifying a product that's certainly something that I would want
to hear you know and those people those vendors who are not and maybe they just don't need
to read the comment in the comment box you know. Just continue on with the way they've
been doing their stuff. Yeah I mean there should be they should be thinking about the
structure not to make us you put us in that impossible situation like don't look for
trouble. And by the way you're behind this incredible line of vegan Asian sauce sauces
this is that the right word. And you know I have to say in all honesty I love them every
one of them like I came back I went two times to your table at the last vegan Christmas
market and then I had to get that again after the festival I had to get more of that blue
bottle with the fish like beautiful. Oh I really loved this option like I was I didn't
know that I needed that in my life. So you don't need me to tell you a sappy story to
convince you to buy it. I can tell you one. Absolutely not but I want to still hear the
story. Well you know because I think I think we all have those stories because because
I think I think as entrepreneurs we need the motivation to actually do all of that work
so sometimes that story is what is behind that motivation to begin with so a lot of
times when you hear those stories I think there's maybe yeah they are trying to sell
to you to the product but the other part is also that is what pushed them to you know
to move forward despite all of the work and despite how that's really is you know like
if if you're a sane person I think nobody you know one would really want to do any type
of entrepreneurial project but if you have some other reasons that motivate you to do
so that's often the sappy story that you hear. Well mine is not really sappy it's just that
my product it came from like in 2018 when I when I became vegan I started like an Asian
vegan catering business and that's also how I realized how there was such a lack of alternative
fish sauce in the market because a lot of Vietnamese cuisine is based on fish sauce
and there was no alternative so either people would replace fish sauce with soy sauce which
is okay but it's not really the authentic way of cooking a lot of the Vietnamese dishes
so that's how I came up with the idea of launching the fish sauce itself and and a big part of
that sauce coming to life is thanks to my mom she was the person who you know because
she cooks a lot when when we grew up at home and it's always her recipe that I kind of
fall back on and I try to imitate the vegan fish sauce trying to make it come as close
as possible to her her cooking her real fish sauce the way that she she would make them
so so she's sort of my my measuring stick for for the taste of the fish sauces the ones
that you like is basically I made a first version without I was a little bit of a mistake
without actually getting her approval on the taste because I tasted I thought okay it's
good enough you know so I launched the first version of the product and when she tasted
she's like you know it's not it's not quite right you know it's missing this and this
and this and and so I went back to the drawing board but that time I knew that it had to
I had to have her input in the final product and so we went to another battery revision
of the recipe but that time with her tasting every single sample of it so the version that
you tasted last year was the version that she approved so yeah so now I know that if
I do any fish sauce related stuff I really want to have her taste the final before it
goes to production basically yeah I was recently grocery shopping and I was facing that wall
of Asian sauces and you know I tried at least one of them you know one of every brand and
flavor if it's vegan and I was thinking how come yours is not there like yours deserve
a place there why it's those low quality sauces that are represented and not some really golden
products like yours yeah it's so hard I mean it's it's a hard business to break in like
the big grocery store banners that's been my main challenge is getting it distributed
more widely you know like finding a distributor to distribute it and then even knocking on
the doors of the banners it's hard to get a response so yeah that's that's always a
big challenge for me and a lot of other food vendors you know to get it distributed in
the mainstream grocery stores yeah it's hard to to break in that space especially the sauce
business it's I've been told so by so many different distributors that it's a hard category
to break in because there's so many brands and all the brands are really competitive
and you know it's it's it's hard to break into that space but I'm trying I'll continue
to try because I believe in the product so yes and then it's a rational belief by the
way I have to ask your mother is so cute and the relationship you have with her is just
very touching like she was there at the Christmas the last vegan Christmas market and I often
see her in your Instagram posts and it's just very heartwarming like so how is that relationship
central to your business well I think the product itself has a lot of my mom's input
in them particularly the fish sauces the two on the first one blue one which is the prepared
fish sauce and the the cooking fish sauce they were really my mom was really central
and in in the final product mainly because you know she she's the person who cooks all
the food when I grew up so it has to be her to to approve all the taste of those products
and also she's always very supportive in all of the events that I do the festival the food
markets I dragged her all to all of the Christmas markets in Toronto the one in New York as
well and she's always there next to me she's yeah she's been very supportive you know so
so she's like the the person who tells me that hey this is you're crazy for doing this
but then she still stands by me anyway so yeah I mean I remember in the the Christmas
market in New York like back in 2019 before the pandemic we were there I was there like
very late the night before the event still putting on like I mean the venue we rented
had like nothing and it even have a sign for for the washrooms and it's a requirement actually
to have a sign for the washroom so so I actually well like printed out a sign of a washroom
and I was like literally there the night before just like taping it onto the wall to make sure
that you know people know where the washrooms are and you know and pushing the tables putting
them into their the placement where they're supposed to be and my mom was just exhausted
she was like lying down on the floor in the hall you know it's like it was like she's
always there with me she's like the soldier was walking next to me she's tired but she's
still there that's beautiful we all need that person in our life that believer yeah yeah
really beautiful I don't want to get you impressed the impression that we're always like smooth
sailing though there's a lot of like bickering because she's the type of person that will
tell you exactly what she's thinking even if it like rubs you the wrong way so that's
a little hard sometimes we we we fight a little bit every now and then about stuff just because
of the way she says those things but yeah overall she's been my rock so
and we're thankful you know for for supporting you and for you know giving us this wonderful
recipe again that blue bottle my favorite so let's talk about this current edition of
the vegan Christmas market so where is it happening and can you tell us what to expect
yeah so this year we're actually we've moved venue we used to be at another venue venue
not too far from there but this year we're going to be at a venue at 200 Sherbrooke
street west it's close to the Plas Desert metro it's like a five minute walk from there
it's a very nice hall the hall actually belongs to the UCAM University so this is like an event
hall that they rent out for people to organize various events so that's where we're hosting
this year's edition it's so we're gonna expect maybe 30 a little bit over 30 vendors this
year again it's gonna be you know there are some new vendors that we haven't seen before
some some that we have seen but with new products so it's always exciting to have vendors launching
new products at our events yeah so people can expect again a lot of food this year we
actually have a couple of restaurants join in so that's a new that's a new type of vendor
this year they'll be serving some you know some small portions of food so that's very
exciting and yeah and it's always like a really festive event so people can just you know
go in and enjoy the sort of festive ambiance and shop in the same time and just eat out
like just eat a lot basically it's it's crazy because you know I was thinking in back in
September you know about my holiday plans and you know naturally the vegan Christmas
market came to mind like now I feel like it needs to be part of my holiday tradition like
I need to attend the vegan Christmas market and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels
that way okay do you have a favorite one for this coming year you mean favorite vendor
yes I have a few exciting that few vendors and I'm excited to to see them there because
I I think not a lot of people have tasted their products yet so I can't wait for people to
taste their product I don't know if I can reveal their names yet because we're gonna
announce the probably the vendors shortly in the next several days but people can expect
I don't know should I name them or should I just do it okay well there's a certain sushi
restaurant that just opened up recently in Montreal so they're gonna be there selling
their products and it's quite good I've tasted their products it's not bad it's quite good
there's also there's well there's the the Green Brothers that do the pogos that everybody
knows about but they're having their new products which is like a pizza pocket so that's gonna
be exciting well they I think they sold out already at the vegan festival recently but
not everyone had a chance to be there so whoever that didn't have a chance to be there can now
get a chance to to taste their products and there are a few other vendors oh and there's
also this is probably my a very good vegan cheese that I I tasted not too long ago it's
called cashew I don't know if you've tasted they make really really good like vegan camembert
and those type of fine cheeses I like their products a lot yeah I think those are are
good examples of what to expect at the market there's so many more I mean it's hard to choose
from from so many good products but off the top of my head I'm thinking of those those
ones that's definitely the most exciting part you know discovering new products and I'm
always you know looking at the different vendors and thinking are those the next like beyond
meat the next like international brand am I looking at the birth of like the next big
actor in in the world of vegan food and it's always exciting like doesn't I don't get I'm
not I never get tired of like discovering new companies and new products and you know
a new launch of something yeah I mean that that's also a part of the excitement that
I felt and I still feel I mean the first time that I organized the the market I mean to
discover so many of the vegan brands that I had no like knowledge of beforehand it's
just really exciting to be essential to to discovering them and and like and to feel
like no one else has been has caught on yet but you've managed to find this product that's
so cool and and and to basically create an event where the price is not a barrier for
them to enter you know to have a platform where they can just you know like promote
their products and not have to pay this huge cost to to have a booth that to me was really
important because myself as a small business and a small company a small vendor it's just
so important to be able to get your products out there for people to taste and and to have
a booth that costs so much that you know it makes you hesitate whether or not you should
participate that's that's a bummer you know and it's that's why when I create the event
it's really important to keep the cost of the booth as low as possible so yeah I mean
that's probably the reason why we don't really hand like rent those huge halls like the Palais
de Congru or places like that because that would incur like just too much costs and
that costs would have to be passed down to the vendors and then you know and then by
default that will like exclude so many of the smaller vendors that have incredible products
that I think deserve a platform to to promote their products basically.
Yes 100% and the second thing I love about the festival is the ambiance you know the
coziness the smiles on people's face and I was wondering you know as an organizer how
do you do you have any power over that how do you design you know like the the right
atmosphere the right ambiance for for the place I know that all of the volunteers had
like Christmas hats like Santa Claus hats which you know I love it but you know how
do you create that ambiance?
I don't know if I like plan it so meticulously I think it's just a lot of it has to do with
my own joy of the season because I just love that season so much I mean honestly like I'll
tell you something that's gonna sound crazy and I haven't told you this a lot of people
but I listen to music since June every year all the way until the end of December because
that puts me in a Christmas mood that's how I organize Christmas events like you know
because in June it's hard to put your mind to working on the Christmas market when it's
like warm outside and it's like summer so basically I play like Christmas music at home
all day long from June until like December and so to me at the market event it would
have to have like music Christmas music because that's put so much that's so much that's so
central to the mood of the event and and yeah I think people just get into it because of
the you know the music the ambiance and and and the idea that we're all there just to
have fun and I think I think a lot of it has to do with just the vendors themselves too
they they know that they're happy to be there and happy to talk about their products and
when everyone's happy it's contagious I think so that's how we get that kind of getting
mood that you see at the market because we actually don't do a lot of decorations if
you notice we don't do a lot of like well we did have some inflatables but it's not
like it's not like excessively decorated but yeah I think it's just a general mood of
everybody put together it's contagious and it's um puts everybody in the same mood yeah
it's so hard to capture because I've been to some events where that not there like there's
something absent you don't know you can't put your finger on it you don't know exactly
what it is but it's not there like you don't feel the the joy the excitement but June oh
my gosh June I love Christmas music thank goodness I love Christmas music it would be horrible
if I didn't like the idea that I would walk you know street like in middle of summer and
hear from your window like Christmas songs so so then what's your you know perfect uh
Christmas soundtrack um there's every Christmas I listen to this old Beatles album of every
uh classic Christmas song I just love it but what is yours I listen to a lot of compilations
from um from YouTube that people prepare like there'll be long compilations if I could
be compilations of like 10 hours of music to non-stop right um I love those but it's
particularly the classics you know the ones from the the oldies I love the the oldies
classic music uh Christmas music it's uh they're my favorites really I don't know there's something
nostalgic about about about those songs when they're sung by by uh by older singers from
back in like you know the 50s or something like that yeah I don't know why I just feel
nostalgic but it's it's a good nostalgia 100 yes um you know if I put myself in uh
in the position of the vendor who has to you know prepare everything and um I guess you
know my question is how do I successfully sell that product that idea that you know brand
to um the public attending um do you have any advice because I'm sure there are some
people who are entrepreneurs who will be listening to this or who are thinking of you know getting
into the the crazy entrepreneurial field um so what's the secret of you know being successful
in the in an event like the vegan Christmas market I think for events I can't speak for
you know the business as you know in general because that's so uh that's much bigger but
for events I think experiencing the product is is crucial um so if people can taste the
product if it's food or if they can you know put it in their hands if it's you know makeup
or body care products that's really good because people need to see to believe it um so if you
are able to have samples or have you know people test stuff on their either on their
bodies or if they can see it visually that's really important um and to have you know like
visual elements to your booth also like the banner is important um decorating is important
how you present your booth um yeah all of those elements they're they're they're very
important to to the visitor because sometimes they make a purchase decision within like you
know maybe like 10 seconds of being there so so you want to put all the chances on your
side by hooking them in with the you know with the with the taste of your product or
at least visually that they they're drawn to your booth in the first place so those
are things that I think vendors should pay attention to when they prepare for for an
event like the Christmas market and and I would add to that you know please don't take
yourself seriously like smile make jokes like uh stand up you know don't stay behind
the table you know sitting down looking at people pass by uh just show some energy like
yeah you're so right I mean the energy is is is a big part of that you know I like I
know that for myself you know if I stand up and I just you know if I'm at the front of
my like you know at the at the table basically um people come to see me you know but the moment
that I get tired maybe towards the end of the day and I sit back you know people's natural
tendency when you're sitting is they feel like maybe you're tired so they don't they
don't want to they don't feel like they don't feel comfortable approaching your your table
if you're sitting down you know so yeah it's good to be you know forward on your at your
your booth and be smiling and welcoming it's it's a job in itself to be selling at an event
like this I know it's exhausting much of it has to do with you know with constantly being
on all the time you know like unmentally and also like basically um that it could be exhausting
yeah it's uh I know at the end of of a day at whether it's my Christmas market or any
other festival it's exhausting it's because of that you know it's it's a lot of talking
to people but also just just like mentally being alert all the time and just being on
you know ready to greet people that that can be tiring but you know you have to be you
have to be in that state of mind basically too so that people will feel comfortable visiting
your your booth and and you know be ask questions to people be receptive to them like show interest
in them don't just be like you know it's too much of a strong word but like predatory yeah
yeah do you do you feel like that was um uh an issue when you attend some of these events
that the vendors are like trying too hard of too aggressive of a sale or do you feel like
it's it's then more like receptive to to what you're interested in that's a that's a good
question and you said that and I had you know some past vendors like two vendors from the
last uh Christmas market I don't remember the their brand I don't remember what exactly
they were selling and just remember they were very aggressive with me like they really wanted
me to taste their product and I don't feel like it's a you know a good strategy um maybe
for short sales but you're just introducing yourself to you know new um uh public so uh
you know you should not be that aggressive uh but there are more of that type at the
Montreal festival vegan festival that's for sure I just think because there are more vendors
in general yeah I think the impression we get as a vendor is that the more there are
the more competition there is we need to be even more aggressive that may be a like a
reflex that we have as a vendor but it's it's counterintuitive to think that you know maybe
you shouldn't be that way but it's all about sale it's hard you know it's like you it's a job of
a salesperson you just can't figure out what's the right amount of aggressiveness or right amount
of forwardness um but yeah it's sometimes I guess you have it's a trial and error thing we have to
try several different ways to suit and adjust ourselves according and it's also according to
the visitor to some visitors or they're like maybe if you don't approach them first they will notice
like eclipse away and you will have missed that opportunity to have them taste your products so
maybe it's it's important to be more forward with certain people but then there are other people they
they prefer it if you would let them be you know I guess it I think it's hard it's hard to adjust to
to have just the right amount well I would say let the your setup you know promote
yeah your your brand for you like make it attention catching I attended this event hosted by a tech
company and they created that like a donut wall when people entered the venue they were just like
they flocked to that wall of donuts and you know I was thinking maybe they they will have like
hygiene issues like to see like donuts on the wall not at all like they were so happy and chilled to
get the donut from the donut wall so you know take of your version of the donut's wall like
something silly but eye-catching and and funny and fun to display your product and let it you know
do the work yeah yeah it's it's it's hard to find something that makes you stand out
when you've done like you know several events it is a challenge it's true it's a challenge to find
you know that that one thing that makes you stand out and that is you know it's a challenge it's hard
and sometimes I wonder you know not that you've mentioned it that maybe people are drawn to the
donuts even though there's no actual person standing there vending the the products like I do wonder
if it's not the the human factor that sometimes makes people a little bit reluctant sometimes
product sells better without a person sometimes which brings me back to our previous earlier
conversation about robots I was wondering maybe we had a robot selling it maybe people will feel
less you know less pressure maybe they'll they'll be more drawn to coming over and just being curious
about the robots and interacting with them yes before I press the record button you know I we
were talking about AI and robots and actually you know forget about everything we just said just go on
chat gpd and ask that question to chat gpd the AI knows better the AI will guide you to you know
how to make it a successful you know event and the display of your products yeah I wonder if
sometimes in the future we're not going to have like robots you know like being there as a vendor
like to to to demonstrate your product on your behalf I mean that would be interesting like
it'll it'll know just the right amount of adjustments to make to make the visitor feel
comfortable and be be inclined to buy because it's it's so much more perceptive
you know than a human being sometimes we're not that perceptive with each other
but there's something so silly about it like if I see a vendor with you know a giant robot arm and
that's the you know the arm is the one you know taking the product and putting it in your hand
like I will go to that vendor if I even if I don't have you know a liking for that product
I want the arm to put the product in my hands like there's this attraction to technology that that
is just weird but uh yeah yeah and in the moment that they put a face on that on that robot that's
it you're done you've fallen in love with us you're gonna buy it it's it's so true it's just so
true yeah bring a mascot like to the to the event and make it be a robot yeah I mean it's like
we're drawn to to to things that have faces I think I mean I remember doing COVID there was a
restaurant in Montreal that like there was a shortage of of of waiters basically in Montreal
during that time so I think this restaurant they they just bought a robot to to serve you know the
food and and I remember going to that restaurant and the robot was actually not very efficient it
was delivering food at the wrong tables basically the whole evening but it was so cute it was just
like I had a smiley face and googly eyes it was just cute so I think yeah we have a tendency towards
liking things that have faces so that's an idea for a vendor out there it doesn't want to
do that for sale themselves for the introvert vendors out there yeah you know that's silly
things from science museums where you put your hands on it and your hair just stand out like
bring one of those things like people will swarm your your boot your table your you know they will
love it it's just I don't know things like that yeah it's gonna be very interesting to see the
markets the Christmas market as well as the other events evolve in the coming years you know how they
will integrate different technologies in in in their booths and also how they promote their
products it's gonna be very interesting times that we'll be facing going forward I think right now
it's still pretty much person-to-person interaction but I think that's gonna change probably in like
you know decade sure things are gonna change it's gonna be interesting to see how things evolve are
you you know you were talking about how vendors perceive this sense of competition but why would
you not create a competition you know for the best like table the best presentation and you know
just have people attending voting for the best vendor display I mean that would encourage vendors
to just innovate in you know creating a more original display and bringing their A game to
to the festive to the vegan Christmas market but you know that's an idea that's great idea I mean
yeah I'm sure I'm going to write that down and think about that for our future editions to have
like some sort of contest or award to the best you know the best booth or vote by the public for
the best product or something like that that should be that would be very interesting actually yeah
thank you for that idea I want to steal it you can steal it because I just offered it from you
know my for my big heart okay I had two more you know questions topics I wanted to tunch on before
you know stopping the conversation first of all you participated in that debate episode
you know on the podcast and I was wondering what you know was your feelings what were your
feelings from that debate like and after the the episode was posted it was it was an interesting
debate I felt like I didn't I probably didn't I felt like I didn't say fully what's on my mind
for all of the questions probably just out of like maybe a bit of nervousness and also my thoughts
were you know fully formed on some of the the questions maybe so I feel like maybe I could
have said some things maybe differently or more that's what I felt like but it was a good debate
yeah and in general I'm not a debating type of person also so so it was out of my comfort zone
for sure but it's good I don't mind being out of my comfort zone every now and then so that was an
interesting experience I enjoyed it I just I take it as one experience that I will build on for
future potential debates not that I'm hoping to do too many of them
I'm not a debating person I'm not either but you know you were great you're actually
great and the three of you had like a synergy that was just amazing and you know it's it's so
you know if you haven't listened to the episode go and listen to the episode because we made a bit
of you know vegan history and animal rights history I don't think there are many like debates
between vegans between animal rights activists between people who are active in that space
it's always a debate you know a vegan against a non-vegan and so yeah I felt like we made
history a little yeah I felt so too it's it's nice to like come together for to share ideas of
how to move the movement forward as opposed to just debating against somebody that you're
already know ahead of time it's not on board with your idea that's it's a different animal
altogether pardon the pun but it's a different animal altogether yeah I mean it was interesting
in that sense that we were we were trying to debate basically on how to do things positively as
opposed to just you know bashing at each other for not sharing the same values which is what a lot
of the vegan debates are often yeah so that was that was a nice that was a nice thing to participate
in and it's good that you thought of that which you're a pioneer in your podcast you do a lot of
first every time someone uses the word pioneer I imagine a very old person for some reasons like
dressed in like middle-aged clothes like like in a curly hair yes like with a wig like like
American four fathers or something like that which brings me back to the festival and how this
festival is such a great you know in my book such a great activism you know pro-vegan argument
this experience is really the best promotion of veganism that we can ever think of and you know I
wanted to have your comments on you know the importance of welcoming non-vegans to that event
and bringing them to that event so if you're vegan bring your non-vegan friends to the vegan
Christmas market yeah I mean that that is so important because I'm not I'm not always looking to
just preach to the converted right I mean it's nice to have your community that's always supportive
of you but the the activists side of me really wants this event to be really attended by non-vegans
because the like the old adage says the idea is you know show don't tell right so to me it makes
sense that you know if they're a little bit curious about veganism you know why not just go to the
market and just try some of the products you know it's a very non-judgmental environment everybody's
very friendly nice there's no you know no one's going to throw you know any bad comments towards
anybody for for not being vegan yet people are very very supportive very friendly very open to
explaining what plant-based products are so this is like the perfect occasion to just you know
to try and see if it's something that resonates with you basically yes sometimes people are on
board with you with the ethical aspect of things it's just the the food that you know is a problem
is it nutritious enough and is it tasty enough and this is the best introduction to vegan food
that you can make yeah and when you go to the grocery store I mean it's not it's not easy to
just go into you know the cheese section and start buying vegan cheeses if you don't know what they are
and if you don't even know if they're taste good they're kind of pricey you don't want to spend all
that money you know this this market the Christmas market basically you can sample so many different
products for free so you can really make up your mind if this is something that makes sense to you
right and it's uh it's free the entrance the entrance is free and the samples are free so
this is like so perfect to just try all these products and I will repeat that in the introduction
but I want that to be the you know the the core message of this episode bring your non-vegan
friends to the festival like bring at least one friend it's like that um election thing you know
bring one of your friend to vote yeah that's great okay bring a friend that's our new slogan bring a
friend a non-vegan friend yes yes let's highlight that activism part of it you know and how this is
more than you know just another food exhibition we're making progress in terms of veganism and
animal rights so bring a friend that's one of the best you know activist action you you could be
making for for animals yeah I mean often people feel like you know the idea of activism is that
you have to be out there you know shouting slogans and you know or you know telling people they shouldn't
be wearing fur singing to their face and that is activism and that is very important um but a lot
of people shy away from that because that's not their personality and they they feel uncomfortable
doing those types of actions but you know to me bringing a friend a non-vegan friend to a vegan
event that is activism too and if that's that's I mean that's easier for a lot of people to do so
why not do that that is your part you know and we all have we all should all take part in doing
activism in our own ways and yeah you're right bring a friend bring a non-vegan friend to the
Christmas market wonderful okay so I think this is the best parting message that you know we can
think of so thank you Anne thank you so much for stopping by again and and talking about this
uh wonderful festival as the holiday season uh starts so thank you thank you and thank you
for your good work too thank you for bringing this platform making it uh well making it here
basically for us to to talk about different vegan issues and elements and facets of it
you're a pioneer even though you don't like that word you're still a pioneer
I feel more like a mad scientist doing experiments thank you everyone for listening I kindly invite
you to share this podcast with the vegans you know let's encourage more people to take action
again thank you so much for caring and I will see you next Tuesday for a new episode
so