Many vegan establishments in Amsterdam are closing their doors—what’s going on?

There are around seventy vegan establishments in Amsterdam, but that number is steadily decreasing. And this is despite the fact that quite a few Amsterdammers eat an almost entirely plant-based diet; 10 percent say they never eat fish or meat, while 4 percent follow a fully plant-based diet. By comparison, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), only 0.4 percent of the total Dutch population eats no animal products. So why are so many vegan establishments in the capital closing their doors?

In recent months, at least eight entrepreneurs have announced that they are closing their doors. These include Deer Mama (De Pijp), Vegabond (West), Yoghurt Barn (Centrum), Lokol (West), Mr. Stacks (Zuid) and Nom Nom Nom (West). The vegan cheese shops are also having to call it quits. The shop of vegan cheese brand Willicroft (Centrum) is closing, and cheesemaker Rosie and Riffy (Oost) is also shutting its doors for good. Around the turn of the year, Loving Hut (West), Bataat (Oost) and the hugely popular Mr. and Mrs. Watson (Oost) closed their doors.

Too expensive + debts = unsustainable

So what’s cooking? Rising prices in particular appear to be playing a role, as reported in an article in Het Parool. Inflation has pushed prices even higher, while customers who still come in often spend less money. But that is certainly not the only reason. According to food trend watchers and economists, many entrepreneurs are having an extremely difficult time, including those in the hospitality industry. During the coronavirus pandemic, government support measures were widely used, and repaying this support, together with (deferred) tax payments, is not feasible for many establishments.

Not just vegan establishments

This does not apply only to vegan establishments, as demonstrated by the closure of Vanderveen, the Amsterdam restaurant that received its first Michelin star this year. Although many guests found their way back to the restaurant after the pandemic, the restaurant can no longer keep its head above water. This is partly due to deferred taxes and the financial coronavirus support that the restaurant now has to repay.

Vegan establishments as a warning sign

According to food trend watcher Gijsbrecht Brouwer, the collapse of Amsterdam’s vegan establishments is merely a sign of what the hospitality industry has in store. ‘The industry has been completely worn out. The hospitality industry is going through a difficult period because of coronavirus, debts, rising prices and people tightening their purse strings. Vegan restaurants could well be a warning sign of what the hospitality industry has in store.’

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Source: Het Parool