World Vegan Month: Start With Your Milk

World Vegan Day marks the founding of The Vegan Society, the world's oldest vegan charity, which began in London in November 1944. Its founders, including Donald Watson and Elsie Shrigley, also coined the word "vegan" that same month.

Nobody recorded the exact founding date. So in 1994, for the society's 50th anniversary, then-chair Louise Wallis simply picked 1 November. The celebration later grew into World Vegan Week, and today it's World Vegan Month, running through all of November.

It's a low-pressure moment to experiment. You don't need to overhaul your diet. One swap, done well, is a genuinely good place to start.

Why plant milk is the swap people make first

Across Europe, plant milk is the clear front-runner of the plant-based shift. New data from the Good Food Institute Europe shows that in 2025, plant milk was the biggest plant-based category in Italy, Spain and France, even as other products like meat alternatives stalled.

In Spain, nearly half of all households (48%) bought plant milk last year. In Italy, it makes up more than half of the entire plant-based market. France is the fastest-growing plant-based market in Europe, with plant milk leading the way.

The reason is simple. Plant milk asks almost nothing of you. Your coffee still tastes like coffee, your porridge still feels like porridge, and there's no new recipe to learn.

The catch with cartons

Shop-bought plant milk is convenient, but turn the carton around and the label tells a different story. Here's what most people don't realise.

It's mostly water. Consumer group Which? found most almond milks contain around 2% almonds. That's roughly 20 almonds in a whole litre, and some brands use as little as 1%.

It needs help to hold together. Because there's so little nut or grain, cartons often rely on stabilisers like gellan gum and locust bean gum, plus emulsifiers, to stay smooth and stop separating on the shelf.

It still costs more. GFI Europe found plant milk in France costs 68% more than cow's milk on average. In Germany, it's around 10% more.

It leaves a pile of packaging. A household getting through a few litres a week ends up rinsing, flattening and recycling hundreds of cartons a year.

None of this makes carton milk bad. Many brands add calcium and vitamins, which is a real plus. But if you want to know exactly what's in your glass, the best answer is to make it yourself.

Milky Plant Plus: fresh plant milk in under three minutes

Making plant milk at home used to mean soaking nuts overnight, blitzing them in a blender and squeezing everything through a nut bag. Milky Plant Plus takes all of that off your hands.

Add your nuts, seeds or grains, fill the water tank and press a button. In under three minutes, you have fresh plant milk, hot or cold, with nothing in it you didn't put there yourself.

• No soaking, no straining. The machine grinds, filters and separates the pulp for you.
• You choose the ingredients. Oats, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, soya, or your own blend. Add a date or a pinch of cinnamon if you like. No gums or preservatives needed.
• Nothing goes to waste. The leftover pulp comes out almost dry, ready for granola, energy balls, overnight oats or the compost bin.
• It cleans itself. Add water, press the self-clean button and it rinses itself out.
• No more cartons. Make as much as you need, when you need it.

It's also kind on your budget over time. A handful of oats or almonds costs far less per litre than a branded carton, especially when cartons cost 10% to 68% more than dairy.

Your 4-week World Vegan Month milk challenge

Try one new plant milk each week of November. By the end of the month, you'll know exactly which one you love, and you'll have made the swap without thinking about it.

A few tips to make it stick:

• Start with your morning drink. It's the habit you repeat most, so it makes the biggest difference.
• Make small batches. Fresh homemade milk has no preservatives, so keep it in the fridge and drink it within a few days.
• Think about nutrients. Homemade milk isn't fortified like many cartons. If you're going fully plant-based, get your calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D from other foods or supplements.
• Share it. Post your favourite blend with #WorldVeganMonth and inspire someone else to try.

Start this World Vegan Day with one simple swap

World Vegan Month isn't about being perfect. It's about trying something new and seeing how it feels. Milk is the easiest place to begin, because you already use it every day.

This 1 November, skip the carton and make your first glass of fresh plant milk at home. Real ingredients, no waste, ready in under three minutes.

Discover Milky Plant Plus →