Californian Coffee Shop Ditches Eggs and Goes Vegan in an Act of Feminism

vegan waffle with sauce

California coffee shop Rooted has ditched eggs from its menu and gone completely plant-based.

The move comes after the business decided to remove dairy products at the beginning of the year, replacing cow’s milk with plant-based alternatives.

The move was scary, claims the Walnut Creek business, as eggs are a key component of its best selling menu item, the Cashew Waffle. However, the welfare of chickens comes first, maintains Rooted. The company announced its decision in a heartfelt post on Instagram“Since starting our business, we have cracked over 35,000 eggs for our best selling item: the beloved cashew waffle. Today we announce that we have cracked the last egg,” Rooted wrote.

“Regardless of the cost, we bought exclusively free range, organic, pasture raised eggs because we thought it was ethical and humane,” the shop continued. “[But] after learning more about the egg industry, which is shrouded in secrecy, misinformation, and marketing myths, we have discovered some disgusting truths regarding #factoryfarming, #debeaking, #batterycages, and the most gruesome #chickculling.”

THIS IS WHY WE’RE DITCHING EGGS: As you have noticed, Since the new year, we have eliminated all milk from cows in our beverages. We were extremely fearful of losing customers, yet while a small handful were upset, we had an overwhelming amount of support and have even had our most profitable months this year at the market. Whether it’s ethical clothing, organic beauty products, recycling, or where our food comes from, we find it inspiring when people live out their convictions passionately and kindly, even though it means we are challenged to examine our choices, which is inconvenient and often painful. Since starting our business, we have cracked over 35,000 eggs for our best selling item: the beloved cashew waffle. Today we announce that we have cracked the last egg. Regardless of the cost, we bought exclusively free range, organic, pasture raised eggs because we thought it was ethical and humane. After learning more about the egg industry, which is shrouded in secrecy, misinformation, and marketing myths, we have discovered some disgusting truths regarding #factoryfarming, #debeaking, #batterycages, and the most gruesome #chickculling We also learned that Chickens have their own language, and mother hens start teaching their babies to cluck even before they hatch. Hens sit in their nests clucking softly to the eggs, and the babies chirp back to their mothers and to each other from inside the shells. Chickens develop complex social structures and maintain close relationships with friends and family, not unlike humans. So as an act of compassion, justice and (dare we say) feminism, we’re ditching the byproduct of a hens menstruation. An egg belongs to the hen who made it. She worked really hard to make it. We didn’t. Rest assured, although we’re saying shell no to eggs, we will still be making delicious, drool worthy, unique waffles and food items that are undetectably plant based & gluten free. ♥️

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The global egg industry slaughters around six billion male chicks each year and around fifty billion chickens. Whilst many believe eggs are more ethical when labeled “free range,” this is not necessarily the case in many instances. Up to twenty thousand chickens can be kept in just one barn, and yet their eggs can legally be marked as free range.

Some even argue, like Rooted, that taking an egg from a chicken is an anti-feminist act. “As an act of compassion, justice, and (dare we say) feminism, we’re ditching the byproduct of a hens menstruation,” wrote the company. “An egg belongs to the hen who made it. She worked really hard to make it. We didn’t.”

The good news is there are vegan egg alternatives on the market, such as liquid egg created by plant-based company Just. Made from the mung bean, Just’s egg-like product scrambles like a chicken egg would. It is also non-GMO, gluten-free, and a source of protein. Further, unlike a normal egg, the liquid egg contains no cholesterol, making it a healthier and more ethical choice for many businesses and consumers.