With the world becoming more and more aware of what we put in our bodies, and the food we consume, adopting a vegan diet has become even more popular. Plant-based is recommended, but, of course, it’s not all that simple to make the switch.
Excluding all animal products from one’s diet – including foods like dairy, eggs, and gelatin – is going to be tough, but the transition from an omnivorous diet to a plant-based one has proven to be beneficial for many. Many who adopt veganism as a lifestyle advocate for the wellbeing of livestock animals, the environment, and overall health.
As Lankans, going vegan is still not very mainstream and as is the way of the world, for the limited demand, there is an equally limited supply. However, there appears to be a trend emerging, especially with the pandemic shedding light on the importance of eating clean, and plant-based diets have begun to gain traction even in Sri Lanka.
Mama D’s artisan vegan range is one such enterprise which has come up as a result of this growing demand. Mama D’s specialises in plant-based sausages, meatballs, and burger patties that are handmade in small batches from natural ingredients.
Speaking with Mama D herself, Dinali Dandeniya, who is also the Co-Creator of Cafe Kumbuk, she shared with us that the creation of this new vegan range of meats was purely born of her own need to find something that was tasty and vegan. She shared that when she was on the lookout for a hotdog, she came to find that there really wasn’t a whole lot of options for vegans, and being the food connoisseur she is, Dandeniya got to work on her own version of a vegan sausage.
Unlike the majority of the meatless sausages in the local market, which are made from soy, Mama D’s sausages have a chickpea base and are available in three incredible flavours: smoked paprika, apple sage, and Lankan spice.
Sharing with us her initial thoughts on launching a vegan range, Dandeniya confessed that she was fairly certain she would be catering to a niche market. However, she has been pleasantly surprised by the response, commenting that it’s been absolutely thrilling to see how the product has been received, and she now supplies her product to eight different vendors.
Despite expanding her operation, Mama D’s artisan vegan range remains a home-based enterprise, handmade by Mama D herself, and Dandeniya shared that the reason why she chose not to take a more commercial route is because she wishes to uphold the integrity of the product – particularly her guarantee that everything about her product is plant-based, including the sausage casing.
Sharing her thoughts on vegan diets and those who choose to make the switch, she said that it is really a process and if you are looking to make the switch, then baby steps are what she can recommend – to simply take your time and ease yourself into the diet. There are a lot of varieties and options available in the market now, she added.
Dandeniya shared that she is extremely happy about her product and glad to be able to add more vegan products to the local market, particularly products that taste good and are natural, healthy, and completely plant-based.
