Chipotle and Gardein Win Big in PETA2 Libby Awards

by Annie Hartnett · 2011-01-12 14:30:00 UTC
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As I anxiously await this year's Oscar Nominations (fingers crossed for Natalie Portman and her vegan ballet shoes), I'm glad I have the Libby Awards to tide me over. PETA2, the youth branch of PETA, held the Libby awards ("Libby" stands for "liberation") to celebrate animal-friendly people and companies.

I'm in absolute shock that vegan-darling Lea Michele lost to Christofer Drew (who?) for Favorite Animal-Friendly Celebrity, but otherwise I'm happy with the results. The amazing vegan coat designer Vaute Couture won for Best Clothing Company, Urban Decay eyeliner won Best Vegan Cosmetic, and Vegan Treats won for Best Vegan Bakery.

Chipotle took home the award for most vegan-friendly restaurant chain, in part due to their partnership with meatless company Gardein. Chipotle just introduced their Chick'n Sandwich, made using Gardein's fake meat products. The sandwich is currently only available in New York, D.C. and Los Angeles, but hopefully it will soon be added to the menu at all of the chain's 1,000 locations.  

And at least vegans can order a veggie burrito while we wait for the glorious arrival of the Chipotle Chick'n Sandwich. Veg-heads can rest assured that the tortillas, rice, black beans, salsa and guacamole at Chipotle are vegan. At other burrito stands, a veggie burrito might seem innocuous, but rice and beans are often cooked with lard.

Gardein didn't just assist Chipotle to victory, they also walked away with their own Libby trophy as well. Gardein fake chick'n tenders won the best fake meat category, beating out ​Tofurky's Tempeh Bacon, Boca's Chik'n Nuggets and Field Roast's Mexican Chipotle Sausages for the honor.

Gardein's chick'n tenders are completely vegan, containing no meat, no dairy, no eggs. The other nominees are competely vegan as well, because that's what you'd expect from a meatless meal company right? Unfortunately, not all fake meats are created equal.

Quorn, another company that makes fake-poultry products, uses both eggs whites and milk products in their chik'n nuggets. I'm so puzzled by this; why wouldn't a meatless company choose to make their products completely free of animal products? Egg-laying hens are kept in crammed, filthy conditions, and they are de-beaked and de-toed. Hens are slaughtered after only a year of life, even though a chicken's natural lifespan is six years.

Real chickens shouldn't have to suffer for fake chick'n nuggets. Sign our petition to ask Quorn to remove eggs from its meatless meals.

Photo Credit: ishane

Annie Hartnett is a writer and animal advocate who has worked for several wildlife rehabilitation centers and environmental programs.

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