(Not) serving animals and aiming higher: Cultivating ethical and sustainable plant-based businesses and humane jobs

For-profit industries within which nonhuman animals are transformed into commodities for human consumption are the source of many significant ethical concerns. Not surprisingly, we are seeing rapid growth and expansion of vegan/plant-based food businesses that offer dietary alternatives. This expansion of vegan food businesses raises several important ethical, economic, and practical questions for those interested in labour, economics, and the wellbeing of members of our own and other species. In this chapter, we begin the process of examining vegan food jobs and businesses in more detail, as part of considering their accomplishments, challenges, and potential. We pay particular attention to the possibilities for creating food businesses that, in addition to championing animals, prioritize environmental protection and worker-wellbeing through the lens of humane jobs.