Vegan Star Tomi Makanjuloa Helps Launch Major New Plant-Based Platform

A leading vegan foodie has helped launch a major new plant-based advocacy platform.

Tomi Makanjuloa – who is also known as The Vegan Nigerian – is one of four ‘plant pioneers’ who are working with plant-based giant Upfield in launching the platform.

The others are Brendon Bale, founder of a vegan rugby club in Salisbury, Lemel the Compton Vegan who offers familiar, tasty food at an affordable price in LA and brother-sister duo Aubry and Kale, founders of The Herbivorous Butcher shop in Minneapolis.

‘A sustainable future’

Upfield, which owns a range of plant-based butter lines, worked with these pioneers to make a docu-series showcasing their stories to celebrate the launch of the platform, A Better Plant-Based Future. You can watch Makanjuloa’s film (and the others) here.

In a statement sent to Plant Based News, Upfield said the new global advocacy platform ‘aims to create a sustainable future through plant-based diets, whilst showcasing the unsung community leaders of tomorrow’s food system’.

It added: “Demand for plant-based diets is at an all-time high in the UK – Research from The Vegan Society has shown that millions of Britons have been cutting down on meat and dairy products during lockdown.”

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A diet made up of plants is better for you and for the planet ??????? The health benefits are unmistakable and the environmental impact is significant. Back in January I partnered with @upfieldglobal to feature in their mini-documentary series. The films showcase what #ABetterPlantBasedFuture can look like. It’s out now if you want to check it out! Link in my bio ???? . . I’d like to challenge my non-vegan friends to eat plant-based for a day and see where it takes you. My DMs are open if you have any questions and of course my free guide to going vegan is available to download at any time if you want any tips ?

A post shared by The Vegan Nigerian (@vegannigerian) on Jun 10, 2020 at 1:21am PDT

The Vegan Nigerian

According to Makanjuloa: “The plant-based lifestyle has definitely added a lot of color into my fridge and into my life.”

Makanjuloa reveals how she originally made the switch to a plant-based diet to improve her health, and lost over 50lbs in the process. According to Upfield, ‘she found resistance to plant-based diets within the Nigerian community in London, because traditional Nigerian diets are high in meat’.

“Her work consists of dispelling myths around what plant-based cooking looks like and tastes likes whilst showing the world (and her community) that a plant-based diet does not mean giving up your cultural heritage, but rather, can be a form of celebration as well as being full of flavor,” Upfield adds.

“Her workshops demonstrate how sustainable and healthy diets can be both affordable and enjoyable. Nigerian food is just as tasty when it is made of plants.”

You can watch the other docu-shorts here