Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week 2025 Unites Africa Through Plant-Based Cuisine
African food lovers, chefs, and sustainability advocates once again came together as Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week 2025 successfully took place rom November 24–30, 2025, marking its third year as a continent-wide celebration of plant-based cuisine.
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In November 2025, Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week once again brought together chefs, restaurants, advocates, and communities from across the continent in a shared celebration of plant-based cuisine, health, and sustainability. The third edition of the campaign took place from November 24 to 30, 2025, with coordinated activities held simultaneously in multiple African countries.
Organized by Thrive Africa, a department of Thrive Philanthropy, the campaign remained the world’s first pan-Africa-wide vegan restaurant initiative, highlighting the richness and diversity of African plant-based food traditions while encouraging healthier and more climate-friendly diets.
During the campaign week, advocacy organizations across Africa mobilized restaurants to feature special vegan menus, promotions, and culinary showcases. Participating countries included Uganda, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, among others. Across the continent, restaurants and hotels introduced innovative plant-based dishes that reflected local food cultures while promoting sustainability and nutrition.
The initiative also emphasized the environmental benefits of plant-based eating, raising awareness about the role of food systems in addressing climate change, deforestation, and environmental degradation linked to large-scale animal agriculture.
Speaking on the significance of the campaign, Nabaasa Innocent, Thrive Africa Senior Co-Manager and Co-Founder of Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week, said:
“Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week is about reclaiming Africa’s plant-based food heritage while building a healthier and more sustainable future. By working across borders, we are showing that African-led solutions can drive meaningful change in our food systems.”
In Uganda, ten Thrive Africa-affiliated organizations participated in the campaign, working collaboratively to engage restaurants, chefs, and the public. More than 35 hotels and restaurants across the country took part, offering diverse vegan dishes that celebrated innovation, cultural heritage, and sustainability.
The continental celebration was officially launched in Kampala on November 20, 2025, at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, before activities continued across Africa from November 24 to 30. From November 20 to 22, Sheraton Kampala hosted public-facing activities including live chef demonstrations, family cooking competitions, free vegan food tastings, and culinary showcases by hospitality brands such as Sheraton Kampala, Tabebuia, Speke Hotel, Fairway Hotel, and the Uganda Chefs Union Association.
The Kampala events were delivered in partnership with the Ekkula Sustainable Tourism Awards, positioning plant-based cuisine as an emerging pillar of sustainable culinary tourism. Government leaders, including the Minister for Kampala, were present at the launch, signaling growing institutional interest in plant-based food systems.
Ugandan participating organizations included Uganda Vegan Society, Pordska Foundation, Plant Power Initiative, Eco Space Foundation, Vegan Harmony, Viva Uganda, Animal Rights Advocacy Network, Turget Uganda, Action for Veganism and Climate, Vegan Life Uganda, Kiyita Foundation, Animal Save Uganda, and others.
Across Africa, additional participating organizations included The Vegan Journey Advocacy (Nigeria); WAIH (Cameroon); TORCH Initiatives and Community Livelihood Impact Foundation – CLIF (Kenya); Education for African Animal Welfare (Tanzania); Greyton Farm Animal Sanctuary (South Africa); Africa Vegan on a Budget (Zimbabwe), among many others.
Since its launch in 2023, Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week has grown into a continental movement, bringing together over 100 organizations across more than 15 African countries, engaging 200+ restaurants, and reaching an estimated 5 million people through media coverage, digital campaigns, and community engagement.
The 2025 edition reinforced the role of plant-based diets in improving public health, supporting environmental sustainability, and promoting animal protection. It also demonstrated the strength of cross-border collaboration in advancing food system transformation across Africa.
Thrive Africa Vegan Restaurant Week was co-founded by Nabaasa Innocent, Thrive Africa Senior Co-Manager, and Jessika Ava, CEO of Thrive Philanthropy, and is hosted by Thrive Africa, a department of Thrive Philanthropy.
Once again, the campaign showed that Africa is leading its own plant-based future—one that is good for people, good for the planet, and good for animals.
