With more Malaysians becoming environmentally conscious with each passing year, many are now happy to embrace these lifestyles.
Despite their good intentions, however, going vegan or vegetarian can seem daunting in meat-loving Malaysia. If you’re someone who harbours those concerns, fret not – the country’s first vegan and vegetarian festival from Oct 7-9 showcased the country’s best plant-based brands.
Organised by Veg-Hub, a local platform for food, grocery and self-care products, the Malaysian Veg Fest aims to create awareness about going vegan and vegetarian in the country.
Speaking at the launch, Veg-Hub founder Gulshan Rai, said her decision to commit to the lifestyle was not an easy one. “It was a little difficult to find vegan and vegetarian goods in Malaysia. Hence, we decided to bring in all the best plant-based brands in the Klang Valley under the same roof.”
It is quite a big roof indeed, as some 30 brands exhibited their wares in booths at the festival.
Many of these are big names in the vegan and vegetarian community, while others are enterprising startups hoping to make a difference with their products.
Among the booths here was Kind Kones, a vegan ice-cream brand that uses coconut milk and cashew milk rather than dairy in their ice creams.
While the texture of their ice cream is different from the dairy variety, it’s still as delicious down to the last bite.
Then there was Nanka, a startup selling a surprisingly tasty meat substitute made from jackfruit. It’s surprising just how much the jackfruit patty tastes like the meat version – had you not been told beforehand, you would likely not have guessed.
Some vendors, like Red Gold Dessert, are keen to promote their cultures. This particular booth sells traditional Iranian saffron desserts, albeit with a healthy twist as these are sugar-free.
In addition to sampling these foreign treats, visitors could have their names written in gorgeous Persian calligraphy on a personal card.
Close by was the Eesoy stall, which specialises in soybean desserts made from organic soy beans and organic cane sugar. Their beverages and tau foo fa do not contain a drop of refined sugar or brown sugar, so they are healthy alternatives to what you would normally have.
There were more than just food stalls at the Malaysia Veg Fest, with some textile brands setting up shop here, too.
They included Chettinad Cotton Studio, a brand selling beautiful sarees made not from the usual silkworm threads, but rather banana threads obtained from plant leaves.
Every piece at their booth was handmade by the indigenous people of the Indian state of Manipur, with part of the proceeds going to them.
The same can be said for Greater Action‘s textile products made by Afghan refugees currently residing in Malaysia. Rather than make clothes and fashion accessories from new fabric, members of this NGO repurpose donated fabrics instead.
They welcome most unwanted clothes and fabrics, so donating to them is a good way to clear out your wardrobe while doing a morally and environmentally good act.
Also, for folks curious about alternative medicine, there were a handful of booths promoting ayurvedic treatments, among other things.
Whether or not you are a vegan or vegetarian yourself, the first and hopefully future iterations of the Malaysian Veg Fest are a good way to learn more about these lifestyles and how to live more healthily.
