SAFE celebrates World Vegan Day with annual Eat Kind Awards

The “butcher of the future,” a cafe with a vegan cheese cave, and a plant-based, sweet-treat hot spot have taken out SAFE’s 2018 Eat Kind Awards.

This is the second year running of the awards that recognise excellence in vegan eateries. They were announced today in celebration of World Vegan Day.

This year’s winners are Wellington’s Sweet Release, Auckland based Kaiaroha, The Butcher’s Son, and Christchurch favourite Portershed, which was also a winner in 2017.

Eat Kind Programme Coordinator, Krysta Neve, says the competition was stiff given the huge number of plant-based eateries popping up around the country.

“It was super tough this year but the chosen eateries are doing a fantastic job and deserve to be recognised for setting a kind example in the hospitality world.”

“With more vegan eateries popping up around the country the Eat Kind awards are only going to get tougher. Kiwi’s are eating less meat and more plants, supermarket shelves are stocked with a range of delicious plant proteins and are ever expanding their offerings.”

The owner of Portershed Specialty Cafe, Emma Wood says we’re so chuffed to be a part of and be able to support those at the coal face of this revolution.

“The demand for kindness is growing, kindness to everyone we share the planet with, ourselves and the earth we stand on. If we can tread gently and with thought, we can only continue to grow. There is no more denying it, we must be kind to move forward.”

The awards also coincide with the end of World Vegetarian Month – which Krysta Neve says attracted more interest than ever before.

“With the increased competition for our Eat Kind Awards and the huge upsurge in interest in this year’s Vegetarian Month, it’s clear that New Zealand is moving towards a kinder, plant-rich future.”

The full awards are:

Portershed, Christchurch (South Island)

Sweet Release, Wellington (Themed Cuisine)

Kaiaroha, Auckland (Newcomer)

The Butcher’s Son, Auckland (North Island)