Yannick Haldenwanger lives and breathes the vegan lifestyle – and his enthusiasm is contagious. As the founder of the online magazine "This Is Vegan," host of the podcast "PLANTBASED," and the face behind "Vegan Alarm," he shares daily inspiration about animal welfare, sustainability, and plant-based nutrition. In this interview, he talks about how it all started, what motivates him, and the message that is particularly important to him.
When did you first hear the term vegan? And what did you think about it?
Yannick: When I was a child, my mother worked in a butcher shop. At lunchtime, when I was six, I asked her what we were eating. When she answered, "A pig," I knew immediately—I couldn't eat any more of that. I stopped eating meat right away. Luckily, she supported me and hasn't worked there for a long time.
So I was a vegetarian for a long time. At twelve, I was severely overweight (130 kilos) and after a detox program, I started to focus more on sports and nutrition. During my low-fat quark and protein powder phase, I reflected on my consumption, watched documentaries about animal welfare and veganism – and it became clear to me: From now on, I'm going to live vegan.
I can't buy dairy products, eggs, etc. if I love animals.
Do you sometimes find it difficult to eat a plant-based diet?
Yannick: Not a single day. I travel a lot and love to, and sure – in some countries it's more difficult to eat a healthy vegan diet. But eating animal products isn't an option for me. I usually pack an emergency protein bar or check restaurant menus beforehand. If there's nothing vegan on the menu, I call ahead and ask – most restaurants are very open-minded and happy to cook something vegan.
The market is growing daily, and through my diet I've discovered so many new recipes and ingredients. Properly seasoned tofu? Great. Unseasoned tofu? Yuck!
What are your experiences from hundreds of conversations with people who eat a vegan or vegetarian diet, regarding a long-term plant-based diet?
Yannick: It's quite clear: You have to do it out of complete conviction for the animals. If you're vegan because of a trend or for health reasons – cool, go for it. That's great for the animals too. But in my experience, it usually doesn't last long because the intention is wrong. When the next trend is "carnivore," things quickly go in the other direction.
Once you've truly grappled with the ethical aspects of animal husbandry, there's no going back. And I promise you: you won't miss a thing! The selection is huge – and if you want to try something out, check out the SIRPLUS box , for example. It shows you just how diverse it all is.
Which famous vegan inspires you the most?
Yannick: Even though she sadly passed away a few days ago – Jane Goodall. Her selfless commitment to animals, the environment, and social justice always deeply touched me.
Unfortunately, for various reasons, I missed the opportunity to meet her in the past. My biggest dream was to have her as a guest for the upcoming 100th podcast episode. Sadly, that won't be happening, but I can already reveal this much… someone else very special will be honoring her, and we'll be dedicating a special episode of the podcast to her together.
I could also mention Lek Chailert or Malte Zierden in the same breath. All wonderful people with a clear mission. But the people who aren't famous and work behind the scenes every day in animal shelters, animal welfare organizations, and the like are absolute heroes to me as well.
You currently have two vegan projects running, namely the "This Is Vegan Magazine" and "Vegan Alarm". Could you briefly introduce them and what you enjoy most about them?
Yannick: Sure. This Is Vegan was founded almost six years ago. My employer at the time (a vegan online retailer) went bankrupt. I was one of the last employees and after the inevitable, I took two weeks of vacation on my own. I wanted to continue pursuing my vision for a better world for animals. That's when the idea came to me – an online magazine with news from the veggie community, a large recipe database, and interviews with the most interesting people in the scene.
Shortly after, the podcast “ Plantbased ” was created. I've already had some impressive guests, such as Atze Schröder, Kerstin Ott, Sarah Connor, Captain Paul Watson, Patrik Baboumian, and Bianca “Bibi” Heinicke. Season 6 starts in November as a video podcast, which I'm especially looking forward to (also because Raphael will be back).
A little later, I added my Instagram page “ @vegan.alarm ”. Here I showcase new vegan products, the best vegan weekly deals from supermarkets every Sunday (so you don't have to browse through them all yourself), product warnings (e.g., if something labeled vegan isn't actually vegan or there are product recalls), and lots of discounts and giveaways.
What do you think is the most effective way to raise awareness about a plant-based diet?
Yannick: Lead by example. Show that living vegan is normal. Bring vegan snacks to parties, ask about vegan options in restaurants, and let your colleagues, friends, and family try them too.
Be empathetic, stand up for the animals without making the other person feel judged. And of course, recommend relevant documentaries if someone is interested in the topic. After watching "The Game Changers," "Dominion," or "Milked," it's often only a matter of hours before it clicks. Everyone has to understand for themselves why they're doing it. Only then will it bring about lasting change.
Why did you immediately agree to be a media partner for the schnitzel world record attempt?
Yannick: I'm generally a fan of "out-of-the-box" initiatives. This was exactly one of them. How can you creatively combat food waste and also raise media awareness? Exactly like this. I thought it was a great idea and we'd gladly participate again.
What is the most inspiring thing you will have learned by 2025?
Yannick: It sounds cringeworthy, but it's true—just be yourself. I've pretended to be someone I'm not often enough to please others and let fear guide me. Now I do my own thing. For the animals. I love it. If someone tells you, "Don't do it!"—do it!
Online magazine: https://this-is-vegan. com /
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thisisvegan
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2FWDkL5SfNG9aeF9CvCpmU?si=687172ef9a94436e
