"In Japan, possibly because it's still a rare concept, I see some vegan groups that believe veganism must be preached," says Soramaru Takayama, co-founder of the Vancouver-based dessert kitchen, Vegan Pudding & Co. "Personally, I don't believe in convincing people on what they should and shouldn't eat."

Takayama has just returned to Vancouver from Japan where he was the host of a talk event at a vegan cafe in Tokyo that recently started to carry his pudding mix.

"We should eat and cook what makes us happy" he says as he peruses the menu for vegan options at the Vancouver cafe at which we have met.