Fylde coast vegan launches ethical protein supplement business

Karl Fogg, 57, has worked on his new brand, Phyton, during lockdown and said he has come up with a formula which allows athletes, bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts to get the extra protein they want without supporting animal cruelty.

The former dock worker, who until the lockdown ran a discount's company for such venues as hotels and restaurants, said that mainstream protein supplements are based on whey which comes from the dairy industry, but vegans will not use that on ethical grounds as calves are slaughtered for meat or veal

He said: "I have always gone to gyms and did taekwondo and martial arts and so have been around supplements for years. I had been working on this project for a while now but the lockdown has helped by giving me more time to perfect it.

"The market is huge, a multi billion pound global industry, so I wanted to come up with an alternative, something better, but ethical to help take away demand for animal products.

"I wanted to make a difference. The business will be not-for-profit and money will go to animal sanctuaries and campaigns.

"I became a vegan for ethical reasons about five years ago. I object to the cruelty of the meat and dairy industries. People are appalled by the dog-eating festivals held in China and would not dream of eating their pets, but will still eat pork, despite pigs being as intelligent an animal as a dog. Farm animals are sentient creatures that experience fear and pain at the slaughterhouse."

Karl, of Bulkhead Drive, has given talks on veganism, mentored those who have just become vegans and has campaigned extensively against the exploitation of animals. The charity PETA,the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, ran a competition to highlight the work of campaigners last years and Karl won the Most Beautiful over 50s title for his efforts.

"Veganism has grown by 700 per cent in the past five years. And as veganism grows exponentially, there's increasing pressure for animal sanctuaries to provide homes for former farm animals that would've been slaughtered.

"The protein supplement will be just the first of our products, for example we will have an endurance product too."

He said the protein was purely plant based - using bio-fermented, yellow split peas, cold-pressed hemp and pumpkin seeds, which are high in the amino acid lysine hard to find in non animal foods. Among the other ingredients of the shakes is Himalayan sea salt to add electrolytes and turmeric as an anti-inflammatory agent.

He added: "I did not want to compromise on quality or taste. Some protein supplements do not taste great but we have put a lot of work into that . If it does not taste great then people will not buy it.

After perfecting his formula, its packaging and sourcing manufacturers, he is now raising money via the crowdfunding website Kickstarter to get Phyton into production with a target of £50,000.

The name comes from phyto-nutrition, that is nutrition from plant sources and Karl said that all packaging would be recyclable or biodegradable and the inks used would also be vegan.

And Karl has enlisted the help of his son, film director Luke Logan who is based in Manchester to help promote the product with a video.

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