Veggie Options Score Runs at Major League Baseball Stadiums
Concessions and Fans Both Win
Berkeley, CA.-April 23, 2013 – On opening day of Major League Baseball (MLB), 26 of the 30 stadiums had a vegetarian hot dog on their menus. At Safeco Field in Seattle, walking concession vendors will be selling vegetarian franks to fans throughout the stands and a designated cart will be serving customized vegan chili cheese dogs in addition to veggie burgers.
MLB parks have a come a long way since 2000, when vegetarian hot dogs were nonexistent on their menus and vegetarian options were generally limited to peanuts or pretzels. Enter Veggie Happy, an advocacy group that spoke up for fans who were bringing their own vegetarian food or choosing to eat before or after the games due to the limited options. Veggie Happy started with one fan, actress Johanna McCloy, who decided to take action by contacting all MLB concession managers and “making the pitch” for veggie dogs and other vegetarian fare. She cited statistics about the rise in demand for vegetarian options and empowered other fans to chime in. Concessionaires took heed and slowly began to introduce veggie dogs with her assistance. Veggie Happy also created a free “Venue Vegetarian Guide” on their web site (www.VeggieHappy.com) listing the vegetarian options at all MLB stadiums along with other professional sports venues.
At first, veggie dogs remained unmentioned in ballpark menu listings and were limited to one stand, sometimes located at the far end of a stadium. Most fans didn’t know they were even offered, so Veggie Happy hosted game outings and outreached locally to ensure awareness. McCloy even fielded comments on a Denver sports radio interview that veggie dogs in baseball were “un-American.” By 2013, it’s become a new ball game. Baseball fans will find such vegan options as frankfurters, sausages, burgers, Sloppy Janes, Philly cheese steaks, chicken fajitas, bean burritos, gluten free snack chips and more.
Ballparks are adding vegetarian all stars to their menus and generating runs for concessions and fans alike.
McCloy believes that adding tasty vegan options with proven appeal to mainstream consumers is the key to success, so she only pitches items with a big yummy factor.To that end, stadiums have been switching from generic veggie dogs to vegan frankfurters that appeal to “flexitarian” tastes. Safeco Field saw a 700% increase in sales from 2011-2012 after making the switch to Field Roast brand frankfurters. San Francisco Giants’ AT&T Park and Cleveland Indians’ Progressive Field also saw their sales rise. Peggy Kalberer, Assistant Concessions Manager for the Cleveland Indians’ Progressive Field said, “With more and more people looking for healthier options, Veggie Happy makes it easy for fans to plan their visit to the ballpark (by offering the on-line guide). Our fans do not have to eat at home before coming to see a great game.”
David Lee, Field Roast president and founder said, “All baseball fans, whether we’re carnivores or vegans, Giants, Red Socks or Mariners fans, want to eat good All-American food at the ballpark, and that means frankfurters. We are proud to offer ballparks a real vegan frankfurter that is juicy, bold and traditionally seasoned to satisfy fans cravings.”
For more information about Veggie Happy and issues regarding vegetarian options in MLB (and other sports leagues), please visit: www.veggiehappy.com.
In 2000, Johanna attended her first Major League Baseball game and found no viable vegetarian menu options in the entire stadium. She realized that many fans were either bringing their own food or eating before or after the game, so she decided to speak up. She compiled statistics on the rise in demand for vegetarian options and presented her menu suggestions to the concession manager. In particular, she suggested the addition of a vegetarian hot dog.
She contacted every MLB park and offered her assistance as a liaison with popular manufacturers. She also reached out to baseball fans, consumer groups and supportive organizations, encouraging them to chime in. The Veggie Happy website (then called Soy Happy) was created as a resource, complete with an online Venue Vegetarian Guide listing every stadium’s menu and contact information.
Fans started to speak up, celebrities offered endorsements, media paid attention, and concession managers responded. When Veggie Happy started, none of the MLB parks offered veggie dogs. By opening day 2013, 26 of 30 MLB parks offered veggie dogs or frankfurters on their menus, many of them with our assistance. In 2003, Veggie Happy also acted as media and outreach coordinator for the Healthy School Lunch Resolution in California.
Veggie Happy advocates not only for vegetarians and vegans, but for “flexitarians” as well. To this end, we only promote foods with proven appeal and popularity across a wide spectrum of consumers.
Recent foodservice forecasts and other reports, along with the personal feedback we’re getting from foodservice directors, all highlight the rise in demand for vegetarian/vegan options in mainstream eateries. Many people also want these options because they translate to choosing a healthier meal (with no cholesterol and far less fat, for starters.) We are posting references to some of these items on our Facebook page. Here’s a compilations of some recent posts:
“More than seven out of 10 consumers say they are trying to eat healthier at restaurants now than they did two years ago; women more so than men (75 percent vs. 66 percent). Similarly, about three-quarters of consumers say healthy menu options are an important factor when choosing a restaurant (80 percent of women vs. 71 percent of men).” From the National Restaurant Association’s 2013 Industry Forecast, released 12/11/12
“Our research suggested that our fans were seeking more vegetarian options. They have been some of our best sellers.” James Nolan, Gillette Stadium’s senior vice president of operations, administration, and finance (quoted in the Boston Globe.)
We helped to facilitate Field Roast Grain Meat products at the 49ers’ Candlestick Park this year. We’ve been told that they are doing better than any other brand offered there in the past and that their specialty burgers are a particular favorite, even among meat eaters.
#4 of the 2013 Top Ten Food Trends: “Veggies take over the plate: No longer prepared as just a side or salad, vegetables will get their chance to star as the main dish.” (Per the Sterling-Rice Group, a brand strategy firm)
Veggie Happy advocates for flexitarians as much as it does for vegetarians and vegans. Demand is why. Here’s another article on the subject: “Meat Eaters Lead Rise in Vegetarian Options.”
Cleveland Indians’ Progressive Field tells us they saw a 10% increase in sales after we facilitated Field Roast Grain Meat frankfurters to replace other veggie dogs in mid-season.
“More students align themselves along the less-meat to meatless spectrum, including flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan and raw diets.” – From article,“College aged millenials shaping foodservice trends” in Pizza Marketplace (an industry website)
Join us on our Facebook page to read more interesting citations along with fun bits of news and other updates.
People often refer to Thanksgiving as “turkey day” because of the traditional holiday meal. With this in mind, we thought we’d talk some turkey. We offer some quick facts, a couple of stories, and a few menu ideas for a delicious Thanksgiving feast.
First, some quick facts. (Bolded text is for emphasis.)
From The National Turkey Federation: ”In 2011, more than 248.5 million turkeys were raised. More than 219 million were consumed in the United States. We estimate that 46 million of those turkeys were eaten at Thanksgiving, 22 million at Christmas and 19 million at Easter. Nearly 88 percent of Americans surveyed by the National Turkey Federation eat turkey at Thanksgiving.”
From the Humane Society of the United States (quoting a prominent poultry researcher:) ”Two decades ago the goal of every grower was to ensure that the flock grew as rapidly as possible. However, the industry has developed a broiler that, if grown as rapidly as possible, will achieve a body mass that cannot be supported by the bird’s heart, respiratory system or skeleton. The situation has forced growers to make a choice. Is it more profitable to grow the biggest bird possible and have increased mortality due to heart attacks, ascites, and leg problems, or should birds be grown slower so that birds are smaller, but have fewer heart, lung and skeletal problems?…A large portion of growers’ pay is based on the pound of saleable meat produced, so simple calculations suggest that it is better to get the weight and ignore the mortality.”
Now, some turkey rescue stories.
In 2001, we participated in a turkey rescue in Los Angeles that was coordinated by Farm Sanctuary. It was en emotional experience, gathering up 100 huge and frightened turkeys from an auto parts salvage yard, where they’d been set free for what was to be “The Great American Turkey Hunt,” allowing anyone who paid 25 cents the opportunity to take home the first one they were able to grab. (These birds had been purchased from a factory farm.) Animal control officials ordered the owner of the yard to cease and desist from the promotion just two days before it was to happen. Farm Sanctuary offered to rescue them and after some deliberation, the owner of the yard relented.
It was a harrowing experience, getting a hold of the frightened turkeys throughout the salvage yard. Due to factory farming, some of the turkeys were unable to walk due to the burden of the unnatural weight on their now broken legs, while others were very sick and needed immediate veterinary assistance. Ultimately, however, it was a heart warming experience, as all the volunteers helped to place the rescued birds on secured patches of hay inside a semi truck trailer headed to the Orland sanctuary. At the sanctuary, they’d be cared for and given a chance to live out the rest of their natural lives with plenty of space to roam and loads of love to go with it. (Check out Farm Sanctuary’s page on some of the ways you can help to make a difference for turkeys.)
On the subject of turkey rescues, here’s an uplifting video taken earlier this year at Safe Haven Farm Animal Sanctuary in New York:
And finally, the great news.
You can go without a turkey and still experience a tasty, filling and traditionally themed Thanksgiving meal. There are plenty of great menus/recipes to choose from.The November/December issue of VegNews Magazine has several pages of holiday feast recipes (for a traditional meal, a gluten free meal and a decadent meal)along with photos that will make you salivate and want them ALL. We don’t see these features online yet, so pick one up from the news stands now.
Also, if you want to experience the taste and texture of turkey at the center of your plate, you can still do that with a store-bought, plant-based replacement.You’ll be amazed at how incredible these options are at fulfilling any appetite for turkey. Just look in the frozen foods section of your natural food market. (Large supermarket chains will have a few brands, as well.) Below are two of the options that we’ve enjoyed.
Field Roast has several holiday roasts to choose from. Note that all Field Roast products are also vegan. Find a local store that provides them by entering your zip code on their “Where To Buy” page.
From their website: ”Family feasts, holiday gatherings or a simple dinner for two; our Celebration Roast is the ultimate in vegetarian sophistication. We start with a rich and savory sausage-style stuffing made from Field Roast grain meat, fresh cut butternut squash, mushrooms and granny smith apples seasoned with a blend of rosemary, thyme and sage. We then surround the stuffing with our most luxuriant grain meat seasoned with rubbed sage, garlic and lemon juice. As a centerpiece, appetizer or sliced in a sandwich, our Celebration Roast is perfect for any occasion. Available in both 1 lb & 2 lbs.”
Quorn is a brand from the U.K. It is a soy-free, mycro-protein loaf that has amazing similarity in taste and texture to white turkey breast. This product is not vegan as it contains some egg white. Available throughout the U.S.
You can also do an easy search for “Thanksgiving vegetarian recipes” onlineand you’ll have plenty of links and fabulous ideas to choose from.
Vegetarian feasts to satisfy your Thanksgiving cravings. Now, that’s something to be thankful for!
Greg also shared with us that his friends, some of whom are not vegetarian, love the veggie burgers there, as well. We’re Veggie Happy to hear that! That’s what we’re all about. Encouraging options that appeal not only to vegetarians or vegans, but to flexitarian fans as well!
Me and my wife at the second Indians game of the year
Last year, my wife and I planned on attending an Indians game in the late spring. I was all ready to enjoy what I had always thought were the only vegan options at a sporting event, peanuts and beer, but with my wife being pregnant I decided to scour the internet to see if there were any substantial vegan options for us at Progressive Field. A few minutes into the search, BAM, I found Veggie Happy (Soy Happy at the time). Let’s just say that night we both enjoyed a vegan hotdog as we watched my beloved Indians get destroyed by the Rays. Beyond excited, by the food not the loss, I returned home and sent an email to Veggie Happy.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cody and I am a vegan, a native Clevelander and now, I will be assuming the role of volunteer Veggie Happy Manager for the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Browns. Pretty sweet, right? I think so. I have been a vegan for around five years and was a vegetarian for about four years prior to that. I am a total vegan foodie; constantly prowling the local vegan restaurants and searching for great options at more traditional eateries.
But what about sports? Well, as most of you know, Clevelanders are pretty die-hard sports fans. I am no different. Sundays, the house is filled with the sounds of the Brownies and summer nights are set to the soundtrack of Tom Hamilton calling the balls and strikes. I am also the co-founder of and writer at C-Town & Down; a Cleveland sports blog and podcast.
I am excited to join the Veggie Happy team and do my part in representing my fellow herbivores. Below, I have included a number of ways in which I encourage ANYBODY to get in touch with me with comments, questions or concerns.
Veggie Happy will be leading several MLB group game outings to celebrate the yummy veggie frankfurters making a hit in the ballparks this season!
So far, we have scheduled two outings (and more may be added soon.)
Seattle Mariners/Safeco Field, Saturday, June 9 at 4:15 p.m.
San Francisco Giants/AT&T Park, Friday, June 29 at 7:15 p.m.
Check out ourVeggie Happy Group Outings pagefor updated outing information, fun videos, notable endorsements and most importantly, information on how to purchase tickets.
Veggie Happy is also featuring a specialty veggie frankfurter recipe contest as part of the festivities. The winner will get two free tickets to the Seattle outing and their specialty frankfurter on the cart menu during that game. Click here to read more about this contest and rules for entry.
Five finalists will be selected on May 25 and the winner will be notified on June 1.
This comes from Barbara Gates, director of Lean and Green Kids (LGK), formerly Project Healthy Beginnings, which drafted the Veg School Lunch Resolution or ACR16. The resolution was passed by California’s legislature in 2003. (Veggie Happy, then Soy Happy, was the outreach and media coordinator for the effort.) Here is an update from Gates on the status of that resolution:
Because of the dedicated advocacy of LGK, CA Dept. of Education (CDE) has finally issued the long awaited legislative report about what they are doing to comply with the California Veg School Lunch Resolution (ACR 16).
This recently released report chronicles how the CDE is working towards the goals of ACR 16, to make California a leader in creating & promoting healthier, environmentally sustainable plant based vegetarian school lunches.
The report promises enhanced training programs for food service personnel with focus on plant based veg lunch options, more nutrition education resources that include a vegetarian perspective, and a 2012 bulletin to all school officials promoting the Resolution and its goals.
Please take just a moment to email & thank the following people at CDE Nutrition Services, and encourage them to continue in this important and positive direction. Deborah Tamannaie, Nutrition Education Consultant, Nutrition Services Division, by e-mail at dtamanna@cde.ca.gov, and Carol Chase, Nutrition Education Administrator, Nutrition Services Division, at cchase@cde.ca.gov.
Gates will be meeting with the California Department of Education Nutrition Services in Sacramento on Wednesday, May 2 to further discuss this resolution. Advocates and allies are encouraged to contact her at info@leanandgreenkids.org to lend their support.
Veggie Happy is now consulting with a variety of collegiate sporting venues looking to increase their vegetarian options to appeal to their growing number of interested fans. We thought this would be a good time to highlight some relevant media mentions on this subject. (We thank Charles Stahler of the Vegetarian Resource Group for providing us with these links.)
Excerpt: “In a statement sent to Inside Higher Ed, Aramark said that vegetarian and vegan menu offerings have increased about 15 percent since 2006. That may correspond somewhat with a new push for more healthful options. “In recent years, we have seen a trend of vegan, vegetarian, calorie-conscious, fat-conscious, whole grain, gluten-free and locally sourced food requests,” Aramark said.”
Excerpt: ““(College students) are thinking about the health benefits more than ever before,” said Monica Zimmer, director of public relations for Sodexo, a food facility management company that serves numerous colleges as well as conducting surveys among college students to discover trends in dining. In 1989, the top ten trends included items such as an egg, bacon and cheese English muffin and a taco bar. In 2009, the top trend was locally grown fruits and vegetables, and Zimmer is seeing an increase in demand for vegetarian foods.”
Also: “Even students who eat meat and animal products still want healthier options. A study from the National Restaurant Association showed 20 percent of students would like vegetarian options, even if they’re not vegetarian or vegan themselves.”
For more media mentions and poll citations on the demand for vegetarian options, check our Facebook page.
Major League Baseball goes to bat for flexitarians
Berkeley, CA.- Major League Baseball is going to bat for flexitarians this year, offering more vegetarian and vegan items on the menu than ever before. On opening day,21 MLB stadiums will be offering veggie dogs to happy fans all over the country.
The consumer advocacy service Veggie Happy remains busy consulting with MLB foodservice directors and facilitating new vegetarian and vegan menu options for 2012. The Seattle Mariners’ Safeco Field and San Francisco Giants’ AT&T Park have already placed orders for a new vegan frankfurter this season. Safeco Field will also have a designated veggie frankfurter cart offering a variety of specialized toppings.
“Flexitarians” are defined as individuals who eat a plant-based diet most, but not all, of the time. Their rise in the population is being noted. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts we will eat 12.2 per cent less meat and poultry in 2012 than in 2007. In a recent survey, the Allrecipes food site found that more than one-third of U.S. households ate less meat in 2011, mostly for health reasons. And a Harris Poll conducted for The Vegetarian Resource Group shows that one-third of Americans eat a significant amount of vegetarian and vegan meals, even if they’re not vegetarian.
Today, baseball stadiums are vying for the flexitarian dollar. They have come a long way since 2000, when actress Johanna McCloy created Veggie Happy (then, Soy Happy.) McCloy began her quest after attending a baseball game and finding no viable vegetarian options on the menu. She decided to speak up for fans like herself; specifically, requesting that MLB stadiums introduce veggie dogs, as none were currently being offered. With determination and great fan support, she did it. She even received endorsements from Tony La Russa, the former General Manager for the St. Louis Cardinals, and celebrities like Alec Baldwin, Kevin Nealon and others.
“Johanna has done a tremendous job of helping to implement vegetarian menu selections into sporting venues. She is very enthusiastic and will assist you doing research and product selection when necessary. She has encouraged and assisted me in adding healthy menu items at my venue which we have continued to increase every season.” Sandie Filipiak, Director of Concessions at San Francisco’s AT&T Park
Today, more MLB stadiums are offering veggie burgers and veggie dogs, along with vegetarian burritos, wraps, salads and other items. The Philadelphia Phillies’ Citizens’ Bank Park even offers a dairy and meat free version of the “cheese steak” and a “chicken” sandwich. Already this year, Veggie Happy has received inquiries from ballparks about dairy free dessert options. As plant based foods continue to improve and consumer demand increases, ballparks are doing what they can to ensure a happy and satisfied fan base.
Veggie Happy hears from hundreds of appreciative fans all over the country. Amy Shaffer of Denver, Colorado wrote, ” I just recently made the switch to vegetarianism. I am planning on going to a few baseball games this season, and since I never looked for them at the ballpark before, I was really excited to see your listing of veggie friendly options.” MaryAnn Beland of Atlanta, Georgia wrote, “I am so excited about the veggie options that are becoming increasingly available at ballparks. I was thrilled to purchase a veggie dog at Turner Field! My part-time vegetarian husband (who would much rather eat a veggie dog over a hot dog) totally agreed.”
Veggie Happy helps large arenas by providing a unique hybrid of services: consumer advocacy, vegetarian food consulting, and menu promotion. It not only opens the door to viable vegetarian menu options but also celebrates those options through fun events and local outreach. This year, Veggie Happy will lead several group outings to highlight vegetarian menu options at MLB ballparks. Safeco Field and AT&T Park will be among the stadiums on the schedule.
For more information about Veggie Happy and an updated list of all MLB vegetarian menus, please go to http://www.veggiehappy.com
