Tocaya Organica, a Mexican restaurant chain with outlets in California and Arizona, says it’s set to open 11 more restaurants in the US and abroad by the end of 2019. CEO and co-founder Tosh Berman says the vegan message is simple.

“The message of Tocaya is really...it’s a message of better living, better living from a health perspective, better living on the impact that it creates in the environment, the ingredients that we put in our body.”

Eric Galen, a personal talent manager and Julia Rose, a social media creator are regular customers. Galen says a good dose of vegan food is a must for him.

“Today, for example, I started at 7:00 A.M. I’ll have eight meetings today, and if I don’t eat well, I don’t feel good. I don’t have energy. I don’t perform well.”

Grocery stores like this one in the Los Angeles area are also trying to cater to this trend. Erewhon Organic Grocer and Cafe brand manager Joyce de Brevannes says veganism is growing.

“Whether people are deciding to go vegan for ethical reasons, for health reasons or because of climate change concerns, we definitely are seeing more and more people, probably not going all the way vegan, but definitely incorporating more vegan items into their diet.”

The vegan philosophy extends to clothing and cosmetics, too. Many beauty products include honey, beeswax and keratin which is the protein found in animal cells.

In London’s Hackney neighborhood, James Fisher opened Whip, a vegan hair salon.

“We wanted to be as eco-friendly, sustainable and cruelty-free as possible. And being a vegan hair salon is part of that. So our products are vegan and organic and the refreshments that we serve are vegan as well.”

Sara Maddox is a client at the salon.

“I choose to have my hair on Whip because I really appreciate company ethos. I try to align the way I spent my money with my personal values, and this is something that’s quite important to me.”

A report by US-based Grand View Research said the global vegan cosmetic market is estimated at 12.9 billion dollars. And according to a report by research firm Global Data, 6 percent of US customers claim to be vegan in 2017, up from just one percent in 2014.

Mariama Diallo VOA News.