Taking a slight break from Fantastic Beasts news, but remaining in the Beastly Wizarding World, we’d like to share with you this campaign from our friends over at The Protego Foundation who are petitioning for Warner Bros & Universal Studios to come together and change the recipe for the ever popular Butterbeer which is served in the three Harry Potter theme parks across the globe.
Whether you yourself are vegan, are concerned with effects on the environment and all its inhabitants, have a dairy intolerance, or simply wish for more people to be able to enjoy the magic of having a butterbeer while in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, then we urge you to read on and add your signature!
Fans of Universal Studios’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World franchise are petitioning the theme park giant along with Warner Bros., requesting that the signature frothy drink at the park known as Butterbeer be made with a vegan and dairy-free whipped topping instead of the current topping which is made from mother cows’ milk.
Butterbeer is a cream soda-like drink only available at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks at Universal Studios, and it is topped off with a foamy, dairy-based whipped topping that cannot be left off of the drink per licensing agreements with Harry Potter franchise owner Warner Bros. The campaign is being spearheaded by the Harry Potter-inspired fangroup The Protego Foundation–an organization whose members fight for the rights of magical creatures in the muggle world through a shared enthusiasm for J.K. Rowling’s work.
“The Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts stories are full of animal-friendly messages and themes, including Hermione Granger’s campaign for house-elf liberation,” says Protego Foundation Executive Director Tylor Starr. “Warner Bros. and Universal Studios can channel their inner Hermione or Newt Scamander and help mother cows on commercial dairy farms by replacing the whipped topping on Butterbeer with one made from environmentally-friendly alternatives like rice milk, coconut milk, or almond milk.”
The campaign has also caught the eyes of former Harry Potter actors Robbie Jarvis and Evanna Lynch, who played Young James Potter and Luna Lovegood respectively in the films, and who now co-host their own popular vegan podcast, The Chickpeeps. “The world of Harry Potter is all about love & kindness.” says Young James Potter actor, Robbie Jarvis. “Harry’s mother surrounded him with her love and it formed a protection that even Voldemort couldn’t break. [I’d be] happy to see Universal Studios’ Wizarding World honoring that message by ensuring that no mother has to be separated from her baby just so we can enjoy Butterbeer.”
Luna Lovegood actress, Evanna Lynch, added her support to the campaign saying, “I’ve been a member of the vegan community for the past five years and the Harry Potter community for most of my life, and nothing makes me happier than when these two worlds intersect. I genuinely can’t imagine a lovelier day out than going to The Wizarding World to enjoy a butterbeer with my vegan friends. I will be first in line when that day comes.”
The Protego Foundation urges all of those who wish to help animals on commercial farms while still enjoying a glass of Butterbeer at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to do these three things:
1) Sign the petition to Universal Studios and Warner Bros. executives.
2) Participate in the tweet storm on June 8th.
3) Leave a comment at the parks in person via Universal Studios Guest Services.
With fans’ help, The Protego Foundation can reach its goal of 5,000 petition signatures to get vegan butterbeer on the menu at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
We’ve already signed – will you?
