PRESS RELEASE

Local author Susan Rooker a Finalist in National Pro-Vegan Campaign Contest

12 finalists are vying to create the next vegan donut

Dunkin’ Donuts is the world’s largest coffee and baked goods chain offering more than 52 varieties of donuts—each one made with egg and dairy products. Susan Rooker, a South Portland resident and co-author of The Practical Vegan, is hoping to help change that.

Susan’s “Vegan Peanut Butter & Fluff” donut creation is one of 12 finalists in “Create Dunkin’s Next (Vegan) Donut” Contest hosted by Compassion Over Killing (COK), a Washington-DC based animal advocacy organization. The contest is part of COK’s Dunkin Cruelty campaign, an nationwide effort launched last summer to urge Dunkin’ Donuts to offer vegan options. The vegan donut contest was inspired by Dunkin’ Donuts’ own “Create Dunkin’s Next Donut Contest,” and COK encouraged people to participate by sending in vegan creations and sharing these ideas for its campaign website, DunkinCruelty.com.

As part of her vegan donut idea, Susan states: “This classic tasty treat is filled Sweetness and Goodness- Not just because peanut butter and fluff make such a tantalizing combination but this tempter hurts no animal! It is VEGAN! Yes! Marshmallow fluff can be made without any animal products! Enjoy a Vegan Classic Peanut Butter and Fluff any time of day knowing no animals were harmed for your enjoyment!”

More than 100 vegan donut entries were shared with Compassion Over Killing, and just as Dunkin’ has done for its contest, a small team of judges sorted through the entries and selected 12 finalists, including Tabitha’s Vegan Velvet Elvis. Other entries include Vegan Cherry Bomb, Feelin’ Good Apple Fritter, and Vegan Chai-Spiced. The 12 finalists are featured on DunkinCruelty.com and the public now has a chance to weigh in by voting for their favorite creation. Voting ends May 21, 2010, and the winning donut, to be announced in early June, will be brought to life by the award-winning bakery Vegan Treats and sold in its store for a limited time.

“This contest is a positive way to get people thinking about vegan eating and to encourage them to stand up for animals by choosing egg- and dairy-free donuts while also urging Dunkin’ Donuts to respond to consumer demand for healthier and more humane options.” 

In September 2009, Compassion Over Killing released an undercover video filmed inside Michael Foods, an egg factory farm in Minnesota that supplies eggs to Dunkin’ Donuts. The footage reveals horrific conditions for laying hens, including overcrowded in wire cages, dead birds rotting in cages with live hens, and other shocking abuses. While Dunkin’ Donuts continues drags its feet on this matter, other companies have taken progressive steps including Starbucks, which recently started offering vegan cookies as well as dairy-free frappaccinos. 

For more information, visit DunkinCruelty.com.