A Tale of Two Worlds: Brian Kavanagh’s Vegan Journey

Brian Kavanagh was a former butcher who made a remarkable transition to veganism and has become an amazing culinary artisan, creating compassionate vegan alternatives. The turning point occurred on an uneventful evening when Brian watched the documentary “Earthlings,” directed by Shaun Monson (vegan) and narrated by Shining World Compassion Award laureate and Oscar-winning American actor Joaquin Phoenix (vegan). He shared with The Independent: “Suddenly, the idea of putting something dead inside my body didn’t feel right.” “Before, I just looked at it as a piece of meat going on a dinner plate, but then you see it as an animal and not just a steak. I was a bit depressed, it just didn’t feel good, so I had to leave.”

The following excerpt is from a conference with Supreme Master Ching Hai and members of Supreme Master Television team (all vegans), on November 5, 2022. “Animals also are people. They have feelings, they have intelligence, they have emotions, they have understanding, and they have the desire to live their lives in peace, until God calls them Home, just the way we humans do.”

It was during this search that he discovered Sgaia Vegan Meats, an innovative company founded by Hilary Mason and Alberto Casotto (both vegans). Sgaia produces vegan alternatives using soy, gluten, and spices. Soon after Brian joined Sgaia, he played a key role in launching one of the company’s most popular products, the Vegan Lorne sausage. “All the feedback has been really good. We took it to a festival and some people were coming back two or three times.” When asked about the impact on his health since adopting a vegan diet, Brian shared: “My skin was the first thing I noticed. I feel clearer in the mind too. It’s that psychological thing – you eat something healthily, you feel good.”