Over the years, Roger Federer has invested millions in multiple plant-based businesses like Roots Kitchen and NotCo. In fact, back in 2021, during the initial investment rounds in which Federer also participated, NotCo had raised a whopping $235 million. It would be fair to assume that the former World No.1 has been eager to invest in these companies not just to gain profits, but also to stay close to his roots. This is because Roger was born and brought up in Switzerland, the land of chocolates and cheese. Moreover, while the Tennis legend went on to consume a meat-rich diet, he was strictly vegetarian in his childhood due to ethical reasons which in turn would have also played a role in his investment calls.
As it turns out, Roger only began consuming meat after he turned 16 as he went to the Swiss National Tennis Academy at Ecublens to fulfill his dream of becoming a professional tennis player. At that time, Federer didn’t really have a Swiss role model since no player from Switzerland had made it big by then. So Federer went the omnivore way to develop his body for handling the rigors of the sport.
In fact, Federer is believed to have incorporated meat more frequently in his diet when his Davis Cup 1998 team captain, Marc Rosset encouraged him to do so. However, even after becoming a champion player, Federer has been seen enjoying consuming things such as pizza, pasta/spaghetti in tomato sauce, rosti, raclette, waffles, coffee, fruits, orange juice etc., which do not involve usage of meat.
Several Tennis stars have gone Vegan & nailed it
The debate about meat helping in recovery has been disproven by athletes like Novak Djokovic and Lewis Hamilton. They have even advocated not having any dairy products, which means that they are completely plant-based, going one step beyond being vegetarian.
According to the Business Insider, Hamiton realised that his energy levels increased on the race track ever since he became vegan. Like Hamilton, Djokovic encourages a plant-based diet and opened a restaurant providing plant-based organic food in Monte Carlo in 2016.
While there has been active support for meat products in sports over the years, times have changed as athletes themselves follow and promote plant-based diets. With the world accepting the plant-based diet more largely also due to social media, Roger Federer decided to take a step forward and invest, trying to combine his likings as well as his futuristic plans as much as possible.
In fact, Federer also contributed heavily in making a special line of shoes, which are made out of guilt-free leather substitutes. It helped ‘On Running’ distinguish itself from other brands in the American market.
Tennis players who successfully became vegan or vegetarian
While Roger has been an omnivore for quite a while, several Tennis stars have tasted success even after keeping their taste buds devoid of meat. Novak Djokovic is arguably the biggest name in this category. Moreover, among star women athletes, Serena Williams and Venus Williams have opted for plant-based diets for different reasons. Moreover, like Federer, Serena Williams has also invested in multiple vegan businesses.
Martina Navratilova, another Tennis great and a huge supporter of PETA, has advocated a plant-based diet for a sustainable lifestyle where the environment is the main focus. Along with them, the likes of Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic also turned vegan over time and have felt positive results in their being and gameplay.
