Do vegans scrutinize?
A little about me: I have eaten meat throughout my life, but not daily or even bi-weekly. I was extremely picky so I'd normally follow a lacto-ovo vegetarian regimen. I have cut out eggs, milk, poultry, and red meats for a while, and I'm working on eliminating eggs/milk hidden in foods and my love of fish. I completely agree with the health benefits of veganism and the cruelty animals. I hope to be completely vegan in diet by two weeks from now. It will take me a little longer to adjust completely in the body products I use. (Luckily I don't wear make up so that cuts part of a girl's life out)
Unfortunately I'm in a sticky situation. I own a chocolate shop with my mother and we use cream, butter, provide milk/white chocolate in addition to dark. This is my occupation, and for the next few years before I graduate will still be. And this is not going to change. I feel like I might be a hipocrate by becoming vegan if I keep working with our ingredients, and that makes me feel sad.
We do have at least 15 vegan friendly items that we use, so I guess it's a start.
Is it wise to not call oneself vegan until they've made an absolute transition in their entire lifestyle (food, products, occupation, etc) or once I change my diet could I consider myself a vegan-work-in-progress?)
That's a very tough question. I think I've read topics by other veg*ns who work at restaurants and have issues with being vegan and still serving meat to customers. Other than trying to make a vegan section for your chocolates, the only thing you can do is try to compartmentalize your work life from your personal life and be vegan in your personal choices and serve the public in your work life. It won't be easy and many people would just stay lacto-ovo until you graduate and divest yourself of the chocolate shop.
I don't like labels. Labels are so other people can categorize you. I don't even much like identifing myself as a vegan. I'd rather just live my life the way I live it. It is what it is.
So do what you have to do. If that is co-owning a chocolate shop for the next few years, then that's what it is. One of the things you could consider is designing a line of vegan dark chocolates. Sjaak's Chocolates (http://www.sjaaks.com/) where I used to live has a vegan line. The ingredients don't make it look too difficult (says a chocolate-making novice).
Your only real choice is to develop a vegan chocolate as Humboldt Honey suggests. Of course, you don't want to sell it without being assured of its quality, so, *sigh* I guess I'd be willing to test some out for you. Go ahead and send me a few boxes, I'll evaluate it and get back to you.
Remember, if you don't do this then the vegan police will come and stamp "not vegan" on your driver's license and probably tickle you to the ground and steal your money and pour soft tofu into your hair. JUUUUUST trying to look out for you here. ::)
:D haha
Thanks for the fast, great replies. These are all very reasonable options.
Beanthai, I think you will find that vegweb is a very comfortable, non-judmental place...no matter where you are on your vegan journey. I myself, am not vegan. I don't drink milk, or eat eggs (but I don't make a stink if they are hidden in food others prepare for me) and I LOVE cheese. If you are striving to be the best vegan you can be, and it sounds like you are, I think everyone on here will tell you to take it step by step, and do what you can, when you can. (What a run-on sentence, eh?) I agree with HH about the label thing. As long as you feel like you're doing what you need to do, who cares?!
Oh, BUT Cephi was right. The vegan police are ruthless! They are quick like ninjas! ;)
I don't like labels. Labels are so other people can categorize you. I don't even much like identifing myself as a vegan. I'd rather just live my life the way I live it. It is what it is.
So true, HH!! It's not about the pigeonhole, it's about the pigeon. Some folks probably wouldn't even consider me a vegetarian of any stripe...but that's OK; I don't consider their opinions at all. As Mark Twain so wisely said, "If you live your life in such a way that no one could possibly take exception to anything you do, you will not do much..."
So, Beanthai, do your best for you and be who you are. Let other people worry about what to call it. Grow, learn, enjoy. :)
I second the motion of making vegan chocolates to sell in the shop! That way, you are as vegan as you can be in diet, body products, and clothes, and also bringing it one step further by bringing vegan to the shop.
I think its sweet that you are even worried about something like this. After all, its not just YOUR shop, otherwise it probably would be all vegan. You co-run it with your mother, who I'm assuming isn't vegan, and therefore you don't have total control here. So don't stress what you can't change, but change what you can.
I'm not one for pushing ideals on people, nor getting ideals pushed on me, so don't sweat it if HARDCORE vegans come at you criticising you for running a chocolate shop. You are already doing a lot and have done a lot your entire life.
Sidenote:
You can also market the vegan chocolates as 'lactose free' for lactose intolerant people to hit an even broader market and make it a more profitable idea, unless there are a boatload of vegans in your area? If there are, tell me where you are I'd love to visit your town!
Even I am on a vegan diet, I don't call myself vegan, because I don't live a vegan life style. I still wear leather shoes (I can't afford to replace all of them}. I think no one like to be labeled. Other than health reason to be on a vegan diet, is compassion for animal. It come from our heart. How we treat animal and other people. How we give them happiness and take suffering away. All we have to do is our best.
i think vegan is more specific for those who actually are but to the outside world if you tell them 'i don't eat meat, dairy, or eggs' everyone says 'vegan?' basically, i wouldn't want to categorize myself as vegan because i don't worry about a whole lot other than my diet (i would always go for the vegan alternatives but sometimes they are very hard to come by or wayyy too much for my starving college student self to afford-- i mainly buy/use used products).
anyway, i have also had jobs where i serve non-cegan food and i do not think that that makes you less of a vegan. that is other peoples food that you just so happen to be preparing and i don't see how that could make your life any less vegan.
that said, i agree w/ HH, labels are ridiculous. we should just be able to live our lives how we see fit.
I am vegan and manage two fast food joints. We hardly serve anything that isn't meat and do not have vegetarian alternatives. I don't think it makes me any less vegan than someone who works in a hemp shoe company. My boss and I want to branch off and do other stuff together (possibly a deluxe salad place or a strip club, haha). It's all about how you interperet your own veganism. Some vegans wouldn't do it, others would. It's all up to you!
Your only real choice is to develop a vegan chocolate as Humboldt Honey suggests. Of course, you don't want to sell it without being assured of its quality, so, *sigh* I guess I'd be willing to test some out for you. Go ahead and send me a few boxes, I'll evaluate it and get back to you.
Remember, if you don't do this then the vegan police will come and stamp "not vegan" on your driver's license and probably tickle you to the ground and steal your money and pour soft tofu into your hair. JUUUUUST trying to look out for you here. ::)
Hey re-read my post. I suggested having a vegan section / selection of chocolates first! So I get to be a tester too. :D ;D
I think the only thinkg people want to judge around here is that yummy vegan chocolate you keep telling us about! :D
Aww, you are all making me smile. Again, thanks for everyone's input and ideas. I very much do care about what people think. I'm in the food-industry where I constantly get criticism or people pulling schemes to get free this-or-that. I think I'll just disregard mentioning anything about my life choices unless I feel the need to share or it comes up in conversation. It's really hot now to send 'samples' they would totally melt but just remind me. ;)
And yes, my mom is not vegan but she does make attempt to rarely consume any animal products. Our shop is in Chicago, but our site is rather outdated http://bonbonchicago.com
And amanda we're chicago.
And if you're CEPHI and Lotus, and if you're curious for a chocolate preview of our current vegan selection:
dark with cacao nibs
dark with ground ginger
dark with garam masala
dark with roasted espresso beans
dark with arbol chili and ceylon cinnamon
dark with candied violet, rose, mint
dark with nuts, fruit, or coconut
dipped fruits such as strawberries, apricots, oranges, and ginger
And I know I'm forgetting a thing or two. We have like 50 different flavors and likely 30 other chocolate products.
Thank you for the thoughtful quote yabbit and everyone else who's going through the same things :)
Wow! I checked out your website. Your place looks amazing! I love chocolate, but have a slight allergy so I can't eat it often (I am experimenting to see if I have the same affects with dark chocolate and milk chocolate...anyway). I would make an exception if I were in Chicago. :) In looking at your product line, I think a vegan category would fit right in! If your consumers are not put off by the Kama Sutra (which I think is AWESOME btw), they may be open enough to dig the vegan chocolate.
Wow. Good job with the vegan chocolates, they sound great! Plus, I wouldn't worry about what others think. Just because you turned vegan doesn't mean you have to throw all of your non-vegan items away. A lot of vegans are practical, and would say to use these items until they are not useful anymore, but don't buy any more animal products. I've been vegan for around 7 years, but I still use a pair of worn out leather boots I got about 12 years ago. There is no need to be wasteful because of a title. It is all about the larger issue.
OMG! I got the biggest giggled out of those Karma Sutra chocolates! Thanks for sharing the website!
Aww, you are all making me smile. Again, thanks for everyone's input and ideas. I very much do care about what people think. I'm in the food-industry where I constantly get criticism or people pulling schemes to get free this-or-that. I think I'll just disregard mentioning anything about my life choices unless I feel the need to share or it comes up in conversation. It's really hot now to send 'samples' they would totally melt but just remind me. ;)
And yes, my mom is not vegan but she does make attempt to rarely consume any animal products. Our shop is in Chicago, but our site is rather outdated http://bonbonchicago.com
And amanda we're chicago.
And if you're CEPHI and Lotus, and if you're curious for a chocolate preview of our current vegan selection:
dark with cacao nibs
dark with ground ginger
dark with garam masala
dark with roasted espresso beans
dark with arbol chili and ceylon cinnamon
dark with candied violet, rose, mint
dark with nuts, fruit, or coconut
dipped fruits such as strawberries, apricots, oranges, and ginger
And I know I'm forgetting a thing or two. We have like 50 different flavors and likely 30 other chocolate products.
Thank you for the thoughtful quote yabbit and everyone else who's going through the same things :)
Tastiness! Hey, I'm about to move to Chicago in a couple of months, so y'all need to start stockpiling those vegan varieties now if you're not gonna run out once I get there. ;D
I'm totally psyched that I live in a suburb of Chicago...
When I go visit my brother in the city, I've got a new place to go now!!!
YAY!
Ummm, I want to move to chicago and live in your chocolate shop!