Intertek Hong Kong Speaks at Vegetarian Food Asia Expo 2023

21 Apr 2023

Introducing Innovative Vegan Certification Mark to consumers

Intertek Hong Kong was honoured to speak at the Vegetarian Food Asia Expo 2023.

Organised by Baobab Tree and Taste of Veg, the Vegetarian Food Asia Expo has been one of the largest vegetarian and green lifestyle exhibitions in Hong Kong since 2015. The annual event showcases a wide range of vegetarian and vegan products from around the world. The 3-day show this year saw 600 brands covering vegetarian, vegan, green living, natural and organic products gather together to celebrate the art of green-living. Over 5,000 types of food, products and services were on display.

Over the past few years, vegan and vegetarian diets are increasing in popularity, and consumers are demanding more plant-based food options. Modern consumers are concerned about personal health and wellbeing, environmental impact, and the transparency of what they consume, leading many to explore a vegan or plant-based lifestyle.

Intertek’s Vegan Certification is designed to determine the suitability of food products for vegan and plant-based consumers. This bespoke programme goes beyond the traditional label review to validate a vegan claim, utilising Intertek’s ATIC approach to complete third-party verification through auditing, testing, inspection, and training.

Denis Leung, General Manager, Food Service Team shared his insights on the special topic: “Vegan vs Vegetarian... The Need of a Formal Vegan Certification”. Denis explained the differences between Vegan and Vegetarian lifestyles and how the growing global interest in veganism has led to numerous business opportunities to retailers, restaurants and manufacturers. He also pointed out that there were false vegan claims in the food industry, making it crucial for consumers to look for a trustworthy vegan certification label before making a purchase.

Says Denis: “Identifying a vegan food product can be challenging based on its label alone. This is where Intertek's Vegan certification program comes in, providing manufacturers with a means to establish their reputation and consumers with the ability to make informed purchasing decisions. A Vegan Certification Mark backed by us will allow consumers to trust that the products they purchase are exactly what they expect.