Protego Foundation Launches Campaign for Vegan Butterbeer at Wizarding World Theme Parks

by · June 5, 2018

Harry Potter fans were first introduced to butterbeer in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Since then, there have been countless recipes scattered across the Internet for readers to try at home. Then, to the delight of fans everywhere, the drink was introduced at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

However, the sweet concoction is now facing a movement by the Protego Foundation, a Potter fan group that fights for animal rights, to make a change to the essential whipped topping so that the recipe is vegan and dairy free.

The current recipe calls for the whipped topping, an essential part of the drink by licensing agreement, to be made with cow’s milk. Commercial production of dairy milk, however, requires the mother to be separated from her calves.

Actors Evanna Lynch and Robbie Jarvis, who play Luna Lovegood and Young James Potter, respectively, have joined the Protego Foundation in this movement because, according to Jarvis, “The world of Harry Potter is all about love & kindness. 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 [b]utterbeer.”

Protego Foundation Executive Director Tylor Starr also weighed in on the matter.

The Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts stories are full of animal-friendly messages and themes, including Hermione Granger’s campaign for house-elf liberation. 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 [b]utterbeer with one made from environmentally-friendly [sic] alternatives like rice milk, coconut milk, or almond milk.

To support the movement to make butterbeer vegan and dairy free, fans are asked to sign this petition and help them reach their goal of 5,000 signatures, join the “tweet storm” on June 8, and leave a comment at the parks in person through Universal Studios Guest Services.

Press Release

HARRY POTTER FANS AND ACTORS PETITION WARNER BROS. AND UNIVERSAL STUDIOS TO MAKE SIGNATURE BUTTERBEER DRINK VEGAN

Campaign draws support from “Harry Potter” Film Actors Evanna Lynch and Robbie Jarvis

Orlando, Hollywood— 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.