
A key figure within the growing vegan meat brand, Heura Foods, has hit out at COP26 organizers, branding it “irresponsible” to serve beef at the event.
Bernat Añaños Martinez is the company’s co-founder and chief marketing officer.
And in an impassioned speech at the UN climate crisis summit this week, he deplored organizers for not centralizing meat consumption in the debate.
‘Irresponsible’ food choices, says Heura Foods
“Animal meat is obsolete. It doesn’t make any sense in this century, it’s out,” he said.
But despite that, the food industry is one of the only global sectors that hasn’t evolved by taking meat off the table. In fact, it’s worse because of how we treat animals, he added.
Martinez added: “That’s why it’s very surprising at COP26 that we aren’t debating this. That’s one of the main topics…food should be at the very center.
“It is very irresponsible that beef is served at this restaurant, it doesn’t make any sense.”
“Could you imagine going to a cancer conference and giving cigarettes out? It would not make any sense. We’re at a climate emergency conference!”
Climate emergency
Heura Foods is a Spanish vegan meat brand that holds the mission of transforming the current food system by making it more sustainable and healthy.
The “tool” is plant-based meat, and all we need to do is make it more available, according to Martinez.
He ended his speech at COP26 by saying: “We vote three times a day, us humans and we can decide which impact we have on the world.
“We have enough information to start to move forward to have a plant-based diet and have a better world for animals, the planet, and ourselves. So let’s move forward.”
Direct Action At COP26 2021
Co-founders Marc Coloma and Bernat Añaños also found a unique way to shed light on the facts through projection mapping from George Square, an area of Glasgow long known for political events and activism, demanding world leaders acknowledge the environmental impact of the current obsolete food system.
“With the support of our Good Rebel community, we decided to take a stand and unleash the ‘elephant in the room,’ through large-scale projection mapping designed to raise awareness and demand change,” said Food Activist and Heura Co-Founder Bernat Añaños. “Our goal is to not only gain the attention of the powerful government officials having closed-door conversations but also to empower people all around the world to vote with their fork. Because at Heura we understand that every meal is an opportunity to drive positive change on the planet.”