Israel Food Tech Founders Feed 6,000 Vegan Meals to Soldiers

Even within the chaos, vegan food companies, chefs, and volunteers in Israel have come together to provide Support in the form of vegan meals to Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers, their families, and individuals who have been affected by the ongoing crisis. The recent conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched over 5,000 rockets from Gaza into Israeli territory, resulted in a devastating toll, with over 5,000 people killed, 15,000 injured, and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Omer Tal, the head chef at Redefine Meat, a prominent Israeli vegan meat company, found himself deeply affected by the situation and the urgent need for assistance. Recognizing Israel’s status as a global hub for alternative protein development, with a significant portion of investments in this sector, he felt compelled to mobilize the country’s food industry to provide essential Support to those in need.

Israel’s vegan community played a pivotal role in this initiative, as over 5% of the country’s population follows a plant-based diet. Tal reached out to Dor Datner, the owner of 12 eateries in Tel Aviv, and his partner Gilad Harpaz for assistance in providing vegan meals to IDF soldiers, their families, and those who were injured or displaced during the conflict.

The campaign quickly gained momentum as volunteers and private chefs rallied to prepare vegan and flexitarian meals for soldiers. The effort involved food tech startups, food producers, and over 100 volunteers, working closely with Vegan Friendly, the largest vegan organization in Israel. Vegan meals were provided to soldiers with dietary restrictions.

The central kitchen, which operated from October 8 to October 16, produced approximately 6,000 vegan meals. These meals included a diverse selection of dishes, such as vegan schnitzels, spaghetti Bolognese with meatballs, and vegan chicken skewers. In addition to these savory options, vegan chocolates from Ornat, Panda Confections, and Roy Chocolate were also included. Even carnivorous soldiers found the vegan dishes impressive.

While the central kitchen has now closed, the campaign continues through smaller private kitchens and restaurants, serving 2,000 meals a day. Vegan Friendly coordinated a large-scale effort to provide plant-based and vegetarian meals and took responsibility for meal delivery with its volunteers. Since the conflict began on October 7, these kitchens have collectively served 2.5 million meals in Israel, with 250,000 of them being vegan. Redefine Meat continues to supply raw materials for 70 meals a day, and other companies and volunteers have pledged to Support the initiative until the end of the conflict.

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