‘Replacing gelatin from pigs with vegan gelatin would allow the company… to no longer use a dreadful ingredient and would appeal to customers who don’t want to support cruelty to animals’

Babe actor James Cromwell wants confectionery giant and maker of Marshmallow Peeps to ditch animal gelatin from its iconic candies and make them vegan friendly.

This request comes after Just Born Quality Confections, the owner of the brand announced that there will be no Peeps for Halloween, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Cromwell, who penned his request to the brand’s COO David L. Yale on behalf of animal rights organisation PETA said that while the “the world is in turmoil, and we’re facing many pressing concerns, we can’t allow our small pleasures to disappear,” and urged the brand to use the COVID-19 disruption to redevelop its candy without gelatin-an ingredient the brand derives from pork skin and bones.

Please @PEEPSBrand, let pigs live in peace!

Emmy-award winning actor and #vegan animal activist @jamesocromwell is urging that the iconic treat brand stop using gelatin. pic.twitter.com/uiVbOgYsrN

— PETA (@peta) September 18, 2020

‘Broaden Peeps’ appeal’

“People around the world enjoy Peeps, so I hope that production of this iconic treat will continue — with one important caveat: that it be made without gelatin,” he explained in his letter. 

“Demand for vegan food is at an all-time high, and it would be easy to replace gelatin in Peeps with a vegan ingredient such as Geltor’s vegan gelatin when full production resumes.

“Making this switch would broaden your product’s appeal, opening up a whole new market while losing none of its taste.”

‘Gelatin represents a lifetime of pain and suffering’

The actor, who went vegan in 1995 after starring in the movie- Babe added: “I had the privilege and pleasure of learning a lot about pigs when I starred in the movie Babe.

“They possess a remarkable capacity for love, joy, and sorrow.

“In contrast to the whimsy of Peeps, gelatin—made from the skin, bones, and connective tissues of pigs and other animals—represents a lifetime of pain and suffering.”

‘Moving forward into the future’

“Replacing gelatin from pigs with vegan gelatin would allow the company to honor its past while moving forward into the future,” he added.

“It would also mean that Just Born would no longer use a dreadful ingredient or support its production and would appeal to customers who don’t want to support cruelty to animals.”

He concluded stating: “My friends at PETA and I look forward to hearing from you.”

Cromwell is a passionate and longtime animal activist. He has collaborated with PETA on a number of campaigns. Last year, he was also arrested for taking part in an anti-animal testing demonstration at Texas A&M University organised by PETA.

• Read: Squeaky Bean is launching Vegan Roast Chicken Slices to ‘challenge negative perceptions’ of plant-based food

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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