140 Vegan Businesses Around the World

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AN OLD ARTICLE, EVEN THOUGH IT STILL GETS PLENTY OF VIEWS. MANY ARE NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. Hopefully, reading through the educational words from these business owners, you will support them -and- start a vegan business of your own. We hope this variety of shops, restaurants, vegan public relations firms, vegan pet food suppliers, vegan shoe, clothing, and apparel stores, camps, bakeries, catering and delivery services, wine-sellers, bed and breakfasts, food brands, body care brands, vegan grocery stores, vegan food mobile trucks, and so on, will give you some ideas! Having a vegan business is great activism. It makes it easier for others to live vegan. ~ M. "Butterflies" Katz

Online Vegan Shopping

Freerangers - www.freerangers.co.uk - United Kingdom - Email: info@freerangers.co.uk  -  Ph. 01207 565957 - Manufacturer, online sales, and mail order company of 100% vegan products. They offer shoes, boots, bags, belts wallets accessories. They sell vegan products that they make themselves, in the U.K. They set out in 1997 to find suitable material to make vegan shoes - and in 1999 they started Freerangers. They are certified vegan by The Vegan Society U.K. They're bringing to market comfortable casual shoes in a wide variety of colors; a range that  is unique in the UK, and probably the world.

Vegan Online - www.veganonline.com.au - Contact Kym - Ph. 0438196 336 – Kym explains “Our shop is in Woodside, S. Adelaide – Australia, and we are always open to have a coffee and a chat with anyone wishing to broaden their knowledge about vegetarian/vegan diets and lifestyle. Vegan Online is an online store only, but who knows what the future may hold; as the increase of awareness may lead us to opening a shop front in Adelaide. We also have a sanctuary for rescue farm animals so between the online store and Freedom Hill Sanctuary we are kept pretty busy.” Kym goes on “Vegan Online started because we found going from one shop to another just trying to source good quality affordable vegan products was tiresome and like me, working full time, it was difficult.  Our enormous range of goodies includes mock meat and mock dairy products along with cosmetics, toiletries, pet care, general grocery items and household items which are 100% vegan and CCF approved where applicable.”  There are only 2 people working at Vegan Online; Kym and her daughter Kelly; both are vegan. Kym and Kelly wanted to offer one stop online shopping to customers looking for high quality affordable vegan products sent to everyone in Australia. Vegan Online has just turned two and with each birthday, they give away presents in appreciation of their customers.

Ethikool - www.ethikool.com.au - Ph. 0418730301 - Email: info@ethikool.com.au – SA, Australia  – An online store, as well as selling at markets and events. All products are vegan, no animal testing, no harsh chemicals, no palm oil, no sustained palm oil, and only Australian products; home cleaning, toiletries, cosmetics, skin care, food such as chocolate, jams, chutney, dukkah. Owners; Kerri Jones and Glen Alderson only deal with companies where their whole entire range fits their strict criteria, not just a few of their product lines. Kerri and Glen could not find a one stop shop that covered their needs (vegan, palm-oil free, natural), so they started Ethikool in January of 2012. Glenn travels to Borneo once a year to work with the Orangutan organizations there and to photograph the rescued/saved Orangutans; which is all a part of their being vegan and palm-oil-free.

Vegan Essentials – www.VeganEssentials.com - Waukesha, WI., USA – Ph: 866-888-3426. Email: questions@veganessentials.com - Vegan Essentials is an online vegan store, but they offer the option for local shoppers to pick up at their warehouse (to save on shipping costs) during weekdays while they’re open. They stock over 2000 different all-vegan items including food and sweets, vitamins and supplements, non-leather footwear and accessories, bath and body care items, cosmetics, personal care, natural cleaning products, books, t-shirts and clothing, and much more! It’s been their policy since starting in 1997, to sell nothing containing any animal by-products or anything that has undergone animal testing. Courtney Ernster is the founder of the company and main owner. Her husband Ryan Wilson is co-owner who also works in the business and oversees much of the general day-to-day operations as well. They just celebrated their 15th year in business this summer, making them the longest-running vegan store in the world.” They have been voted the winner of the Veg News Veggie Award for "Best Online Store" for 6 years in a row by their readers. Their stance on palm oil is “As is common with quite a few vegan foods, some items we offer do contain palm oil. However, we are working with our suppliers to encourage those who do use it to either work to ensure that they're obtaining their palm oil from nations where endangered wildlife is not affected by harvest (such as in parts of Africa), that they source from sustainable plantations where indigenous wildlife is not displaced or killed during harvesting, or, that they look for other possible ingredient sources to use as a replacement if possible. We realize that sometimes, even one small ingredient change can send a company back to the drawing board for their entire product formulation to make it work with an adjustment, so some companies may take longer to get there than others. But, we are hoping that in due time, all manufacturers of vegan products will strongly consider their palm oil sourcing and how it can affect wildlife in various parts of the world.” Their stance on white refined sugar: “The only items that we have which may contain refined white sugar are import items we bring in from other countries where they do not have the same regularity for using bone char refined sugars, such as items made in the U.K. where it is very rare to find bone char processed sugars. Almost all items we have that are made in the USA are formulated by companies who instead prefer to use unbleached organic cane sugar or evaporated cane juice in place of white bone char refined sugars.”

Cow Jones Industrials Vegan Boutique - www.cowjonesindustrials.com - Email: donna@cowjonesindstrials.com – New York, U.S.A. – This online vegan boutique offers shoes, clothing and accessories for women that are vegan, eco-friendly and are produced using fair labor practices. Owner; Donna Oakes, tells us her inspiration “I wanted to have a business that was a reflection of my beliefs. I have been vegan since 1989 – it was and will always be because of the animals. Six years ago, when I first considered opening a vegan shop, it seemed that there were shoe and handbag designers out there who were specifically designing vegan products. The timing seemed right to open a storefront where I could be a presence for the animals, showing consumers that there are beautiful and sustainable options that don’t involve harming our animal friends. I am the granddaughter of coal miners (both sides of the family) – my father was involved in various unions all his life and so fair labor practices are also very important to me.” Donna had a retail shop that opened in July of 2007, but has closed and she may reopen at a new location. The online shop went live April of 2009. Donna tells us some history “I was very active for a few years with the organization Trans Species Unlimited (I lived in NYC at the time). I read everything I could get my hands on as far as animal rights books, etc. There seemed to be a lot of momentum back then for effecting change. The NYC chapter disbanded and I moved out of the city a few years after that – my involvement in activism changed through the years. Opening my shop in 2007 was a different form of activism – to some people, it might only have been a shop, but I had photos of animals with messages on them scattered throughout the shop and in the storefront windows. I had brochures for numerous sanctuaries and I had my own personal library of books on animal rights that people could borrow.”

Michelle Leon's High-End Accessories - http://www.michelleleonvegan.com/ - Sold through internet and at vegan festivals and conferences - Brooklyn, N.Y. - The owner, Michelle Leon, says "Motti and I have been involved in the fashion world as designers and developers for many years. And we feel that it is our responsibility to declare with our creations that we do not tolerate the use of animals as products. It is vital to set this example for the fashion world. We create high fashion jewelry, belts, and handbags in our studio in Mid Manhattan, proving that it is possible to create elegant fashion that is purely vegan. We believe in the welfare of all living beings. We use materials that are 100% vegan, aesthetically pleasing, friendly to the environment, and produced in countries that respect the welfare of their workers and enforce labor laws." She continues "The material we use is soft and highly durable recycled polyester. We design and create, in our studio in Brooklyn, the hardware for our bags and the buckles for our belts from silver sterling, bronze and semi precious stones. Our launching line is a collection of animals with which we celebrate the beauty and life of animals." 

Email: michelle@michelleleonvegan.com

Vegan Online Shopping – Clothing and Apparel

Strange Vixens Inc. - www.strangevixens.com - Email: info@strangevixens.com or visit on Facebook or twitter. Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. They're an online vegan-friendly clothing company; an alternative women's wear brand; offering garments/products that are animal skin and fiber free; No animals get hurt in the process of producing their garments. No (silk, leather, nylon, bug extras for dying) are used. They also try to sell eco-friendly products such as using organic cotton blends and hemp blends. Vianca Frazier is the owner of this company; which is not vegan-owned and operated. The inspiration for this company began with a love for burlesque dancing and alternative rock culture.

Truth www.truthbelts.com www.vegetarianbelts.com Toronto Ontario, Canada - Renia Pruchnicki; owner designs and manufactures belts, cuffs, suspenders, dog collars and leashes, and SITband – and all products sold happen to be vegan. Truth has been in business since 2001. In 2003 P.E.T.A voted Truth "Best Leather Replacement Clothing Company in North America".

Compassion Couture  - Based out of Long Island, N.Y., USA –  Compassion Couture is a 100% vegan and eco-friendly online boutique that solely sells high quality fashion-forward handbags, shoes and accessories. www.CompassionCoutureShop.com - They solely have an online store now, but hope to have a storefront in the future. None of their items are made out of any animal products and all of the brands carried incorporate sustainability into their practices in some way. Jill says “We've found that a lot of vegan shoe/bag companies are vegan by default and made cheaply by non-sustainable materials that fall apart easily. It was our goal to solely carry items that do not have a negative impact on the environment and hold up for years!” The owners are sisters and best friends; Jill Spiritus and Tracey Spiritus; and both are vegan. They tell us their inspiration “We had always wanted to start a business together but we didn't know exactly what that business would be. We were both working in corporate America and were not feeling fulfilled by the career paths that we had chosen, because we always wanted to contribute towards making a positive difference in this world. Both of us have a love of fashion and after giving up purchasing all animal products, we realized how difficult it was to find handbags, shoes and accessories that were cruelty-free, high quality and stylish.  It then clicked. We wanted to make a store that we would shop at – bringing together stylish, high-quality, eco-friendly and cruelty-free items all in one easy place.” They've been in business since September 2011. To quote Jill “Our business is 100% self-funded and driven by our passions for animal rights more than anything!” Email Jill Spiritus: jill@compassioncoutureshop.com 

Ecolissa - www.ecolissa.com – Email: CustomerService@Ecolissa.com – USA – Online store carrying only fashionable eco-friendly and 100% vegan women’s clothing and accessories. Owner; Melissa Dion intentionally chooses only vegan products for her vegan-owned and operated store. Melissa explains “I had become a vegetarian Jan 2008 and have since become vegan. I wanted my wardrobe to reflect my diet (and morals) so I got rid of all my leather, wool, silk, etc. But I noticed that a lot of my new vegan options were not environmentally-friendly. They were usually polyester or vinyl. That did not make sense to me; I didn't want to save animals at the expense of the planet. So I did some research and found products that are both eco-friendly and vegan!” Ecolissa has been in business fsince 2010 offering clothing and accessories made of sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, soy, bamboo, hemp, modal, tencel, and recycled materials. Many are also fair trade and made with low impact dyes. These fabrics are made from plants that require less water and grow quickly. These fabrics are high quality and very soft!

Gunas - www.gunasthebrand.com - Located in Long Island, New York, USA – Gunas is a vegan handbag brand with an online store as well as selling product via specialty boutiques around the world. The bags and handbags are for men and women. They are not only a 100% vegan, but also a sweatshop-free designer range of bags. Owner; Sugandh G. Agrawal tells us “We are PETA approved and listed on their site directory of vegan businesses. All our hang tags and tags inside the bag mention that they are vegan. The inspiration behind starting the company was our love for animals and a passion for design.” Gunas has been in business since 2009 and they specialize in custom bags.

Vegan Shoes

Okabashi - www.okabashi.com - 100% Made in Buford, GA., USA - Ph. 800.443.6573 - Okabashi is an American manufacturer of vegan-friendly footwear that are sold at mass-retailers around the country & sold online. 100% recyclable, comfort footwear- available in flip-flops, slides and closed toe styles. All Okabashi shoes are 100% recyclable & Vegan-friendly; as stated on their website. Their inspiration was to create the most comfortable shoe ever. Okabashi shoes have been in existence since 1984. With the growing popularity of vegan living, they just recently thought to market the shoes to the vegan community - because they happen to be vegan.

Olsenhaus – www.olsenhaus.com - Pure Vegan and founded in New York City in August 2008. Olsenhaus shoes are sold online through their website, as well as select retailers around the world. Contact details: For general info: info@olsenhaus.com - For press/media: press@olsenhaus.com - For customer service: orders@olsenhaus.com – Connect with them on Facebook: Olsenhaus – Pure Vegan, on Twitter: @Elizabeth_Olsen – The line is sold in 14 countries at select retailers; both department stores and boutiques. Notable stores include Nordstrom, Amazon and Brandos. Olsenhaus is contacted on a daily basis by eco-boutiques that are opening all over the world. Founder; Elizabeth Olsen tells us “We are a brand of consciousness. Our shoes are 100% cruelty-free, using only non-animal materials that are environmentally friendly. We use alternative, sustainable and renewable plant-based and man-made, non-animal materials such as: ultra suede, organic cotton, canvas, nylon, velvet, linen, cork and a synthetic eco-lining. We are 100% vegan, no leather, fur, wool or silk is ever used.  Soles are a composite of rubber, glues are rubber-based and vegan and non-toxic. It is 100% intentional for our products to be vegan.” It is even stated in the logo. Olsenhaus is vegan-owned and operated. Elizabeth Olsen created Olsenhaus to merge her love of art, design, fashion, function and being a voice for animals.

NOAH – Italian Vegan Shoes - www.noah-shop.com - Email: info@noah-shop.com – Location: Germany. They produce vegan shoes in Italy and sell them in their shop in Marktheidenfeld-Germany, online worldwide, and through some retailers in Germany and Italy. They offer vegan shoes, but also bags, belt and some scarves. They sell only vegan products, and that is intentional. They explain, “We want to fulfill our contribution so that there will be a change in this world. Our vision is a world in which human beings, nature and animals may live in mutual respect and peace with one another, and share happiness with the other. The beauty, the harmony of colour and form, and the wellbeing of humans are of equal importance to us. It is well-known that in Italy the art of shoemaking has already reached its peak, and is, therefore, valued worldwide And that is the reason why we have chosen Italian firms to make the beautiful and, at the same time, comfortable shoes for us, out of high quality and leather-free materials.” NOAH shoes are certified by “Vegan Society” in the UK. In business since April 2009, Massimiliana Delù; the owner, set out to create casual but also elegant and business shoes with Italian design and manufacture.

Veganline Shoe Shop – www.veganline.com - London, England - Ph. +208 286 9947 – They offer boots, shoes, belts, and wallets made in democratic welfare states out of vegan materials. “We introduced the bounciest vegan boots to the market in 1998 and have, obviously, basked in the glory ever since” says owner John Robertson. They are certified by the U.K. vegan society. Veganline is operated by mostly vegan staff.

VeganWares - www.veganwares.com - Collingwood, Australia. Both a shoe retail shop and online store. They offer high quality non-leather shoes and accessories. All products are intentionally vegan and cruelty-free – and they certify that themselves. The company is owned and operated by vegan staff. In business since 1995!

Vegetarian Shoes - www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk – Location: Brighton, U.K. – Ph. 01273 685685 - They have both a retail store in the North Laine, as well as worldwide online sales. They've been providing ethically-sourced vegan footwear since 1990! They sell a wide range of footwear styles; dress, casual, DM, walking, hiking and work footwear, and also satchels. They only sell vegan products, intentionally. Their shoe glue is not tested on animals. Robin Webb; the owner explains the inspiration for starting the business: “I had started to teach myself to make shoes four years earlier after leaving Art College. I was inspired to hear that in parts of Africa, car tyres were recycled into soles. This got me thinking and soon I was making shoes out of anything I could lay my hands on, but being veggie I didn't want to use leather. Then I made an exciting discovery, - a synthetic microfiber material used for yachting upholstery. It looked and felt like supple leather, but was 'breathable', unlike other plastics. After some experimenting, I realised that this was what I had been looking for, and Vegetarian Shoes was born.” Since 1990, 22 years they've been providing non-animal derived footwear. One employee, Laura says “the company is as ethically-minded about people as animals.”

Hydra Heart - www.hydraheart.com – sold online and in small boutiques in the U.S. and Australia. They offer shoes, apparel, and clothing. Owner; Molly Puzo intentionally set out to create vegan shoes that were functional as well as stylish. This is a vegan-owned and operated business in existence since 2008. Hydra Heart believes in products that are good for you and the environment. All cottons used are certified organic and all products are 100% vegan; no animal products are used in the materials or manufacturing. Each pair of shoes is handmade in a small studio located in Southern California. Molly is the founder of Hydra Heart and the designer; who displays a discerning ethic as to where and how the materials she uses, have been sourced. To quote Molly “The ability to share my passion for the environment, animals, and creating - has been so fulfilling.”

Colourful Grass footwear - www.colourfulgrass.com - Head office is located in Parksville, B.C., Canada - Email: contact@colourfulgrass.com - Ph. 250-586.2002 - Colourful Grass is a footwear brand; offering eco & vegan footwear in women, men and kids styles. They have online shopping and they wholesale their product to stores. They started the development of their footwear as an eco-friendly company. The founder of the company has a strong love for animals and wanted to make sure that no animal products or by-products would be utilized in the production of their footwear. They remind us of the fact that the production of footwear utilizing leather and other animal by-products is extremely destructive to the environment, also. Owner; Angele Miller says “Protecting the right of all living things on our planet, planting seeds today for our next generation was her inspiration to start this business in 2011. Angele states “We strive to provide the best sustainable vegan footwear at affordable prices.”

Retail Store and Online Shopping

www.AlternativeOutfitters.com - Online shopping and a retail vegan boutique in Pasadena, CA., USA - Ph. (626) 396- 4972 - Contact: Jackie Horrick. They sell leather alternatives and cruelty-free products for both men and women; with a focus on fashion. They sell shoes, bags, wallets, belts, faux leather jackets, wool-free coats, message tees, jewelry and personal care products. An intentionally vegan shop, they only purchase cruelty-free products to sell in the store. Owners; Jackie Horrick and Henny Hendra wanted to make it convenient for people to shop with compassion without sacrificing their fashion sense. At Alternative Outfitters you don’t have to sacrifice fashion for a more compassionate lifestyle. You can have both! Alternative Outfitters is operated by vegan staff, however, they did not require their staff to be vegan. Jackie tells us “We just hope that by being a part of our team, they will learn more about animal rights and the vegan lifestyle and they may eventually choose to go vegan on their own due to the exposure.” Alternative Outfitters has been in business since April 2004 (8.5 years). They have a friendly, sweet pit bull rescue, Jack, who is the official greeter when people come into the shop.

Vshoen Boutique - www.vshoen.com - Email: info@vshoen.com – Location: Victoria B.C., Canada – Ph. 250-590-SHOE (7463) Facebook  - Twitter - Intentionally 100% vegan retail store offering primarily footwear for men and women, but also purses, belts, wallets, jewelry and accessories. Owners: Regan Forrester and Devyn Sieben set out to fill a niche not already in their city of Victoria, BC Canada, so they opened their doors on August 20, 2011. They tell us “Our company name is a fusion word made from vegan+shoes+fashion but the pronunciation (v-shun) actually means "it’s good" or "it’s beautiful" in German!

Mordam Art - www.mordamart.com – Location: Livingston, MT., USA –Ph. 406-222-0321 - Mordam Art is a studio/ fine art gallery offering hand-made glass bead jewelry, vegan-themed jewelry, and original paintings. Owners; Bonnie and Parke Goodman, are vegan, and they intentionally turned the gallery vegan; they stopped using pearls (Bonnie’s best seller at the time), feathers, coral, beeswax, and bone beads when they went vegan in 2007.

The Cruelty Free Shop - www.crueltyfreeshop.com.au – Email: info@crueltyfreeshop.com.au - Glebe NSW, Australia – Ph. 02 9660 9426 – Online and retail both; vegan grocery store offering a wide range of vegan food plus certified cruelty-free products (household cleaning, cosmetics, hair care, etc.) They are presently in the middle of a palm oil audit and getting rid of any products that don’t meet criteria. They only stock products that have cruelty-free accreditation from Choose Cruelty Free Australia or Leaping Bunny.  Owner; Jess Bailey, explains that her inspiration for starting The Cruelty-Free Shop was “to make it easier for people to become and stay vegan.” This vegan-owned and operated business began in 2001. Jessica also founded Sydney's first vegan festival: The Cruelty Free Festival - which is held the last Sunday of October every year: www.crueltyfreefestival.org.au – Find them on Facebook and Twitter.

The Cruelty Free Shop - www.thecrueltyfreeshop.co.nz – is a store in Auckland, New Zealand and an online 100% entirely Vegan store; no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, gelatin, lanolin, wool, fur, silk, suede and leather. NO Animal Testing. They sell vegan food and beverages, groceries, ready-to-eat and meal ingredients. They also offer footwear, bags, belts and other personal accessories, health and beauty products. They say “We avoid stocking any items containing palm products unless certified sustainable and not from areas which would impact animal life. This company is owned and operated by vegans; the Peterson-Creek Family. Jill Peterson tells us “Our company is owned and operated by vegans. This business used to be owned by S.A.F.E (Save Animals from Exploitation). The Peterson-Creek family took over the operation this year (2012).

Vx - www.vegancross.com - Vx is a shop in London, UK and they have a webstore and ship worldwide. They sell food, clothes, shoes, accessories, books...specializing in cool stuff. They offer vegan junk food like biscuits, cakes, cupcakes, and hard to find items. They also sell their range of merchandise and t-shirts under the name Secret Society Of Vegans. The owner; Rudy Penando, tells us “We are a vegan company; owned and operated by vegans. Rudy responds to the inspiration behind the business “It was an accident. It all started with printing t-shirts ("Secret Society Of Vegans") to raise money to open a vegan café (Pogo Café, East London) in 2003-2004, then became a mail-order, then we had a stall at the Camden Market (2009), then opened the shop under the name Vx in February 2010. One thing led to another. There was no plan.” Rudy adds “We try to break stereotypes about vegans. We are not hippies. We are not obsessed with healthy diets. It’s run by volunteers.”  Rudy answered “Yes, we are selling some products that contain palm oil because it's everywhere! It's really hard to find biscuits that don't contain palm oil. We are not manufacturing these products but I would like to see some legislation banning palm tree oil.” They’re certified by The Vegan Society certification label.

Sarah's Place - www.GoVegan.net -  Email: sarah@govegan.net - Location: downtown Victoria B.C., Canada - This 100% vegan boutique was established online in 2009, and then opened a bricks and mortar store in July 2011. Online sales at webstore. Sarah's Place offers unique and interesting vegan products; everything from cookbooks, chocolates, vegan marshmallows, teas, pottery, hand-made goods, perfume, soap, skincare, hair products, clothing, cute dresses. Owner; Sarah Kramer, is the internationally best selling author of 4 vegan cookbooks: How it all Vegan, Garden of Vegan, La Dolce Vegan and Vegan a GoGo.

Boutique/Storefront

Vegan Haven  - www.pigspeace.org - Seattle WA. - Ph. 206-523-9060.  This grocery and boutique are proud to say that they only sell vegan products, which include: Groceries (shelf-stable, frozen, chilled), books, purses and wallets and belts, body-care, t shirts, companion-animal food and treats, etc. Many of their products, like any grocery store, contain palm oil. They carry alternatives whenever they are available, and ask suppliers to move away from palm oil. None of their products contain white refined sugar. They “do not carry any products that are tested on animals, including parent companies when we know that level of information.” Pigs Peace Sanctuary; a non-profit, owns the store and it is owned and operated by vegan volunteer staff.  Only the manager is a paid employee. They’ve been in business since 2005.

Oly Vegan ~ Cruelty Free Shop - www.olyvegan.tumblr.com – Location: Olympia, WA., USA – Ph. 360-500-0900 - Tweet! @olyvegan - Facebook! Oly Vegan. Oly Vegan is a complete vegan lifestyle store offering body care products, message t-shirts and tote bags, vegan purses and accessories for men and women, housewares; both new and vintage, stickers, buttons magnets and postcards, and a pantry section with vegan cheeses, marshmallows, baking and other food mixes, cookbooks and chocolate. They are the only 100% vegan lifestyle shop between Seattle and Portland. They make a sincere effort to avoid palm oil products. The owner; Lesli Baker shares “I lost both of my parents to cancer quite young. I know that being vegan is the RIGHT thing to do for my health and other’s health. But also, it is the right thing to do for the environment, and for the animals who suffer.” The company is 100% owned and operated and has been in business for one year. Oly Vegan also regularly offers Transition Workshops; helping those who would like to make a transition to a vegan lifestyle but don’t know where to start! Email: olyvegan@gmail.com

City Green Market is a 100% vegan natural foods store in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan which opened in April of 2014.  City Green Market offers a small but very thoughtful collection of both vegan food products, body care, and other natural products with a strong emphasis on organic and fair trade items.  Owners Jeff and Carrie Plummer are convinced that creating and supporting vegan businesses is a critical economic component to spreading the vegan idea. City Green Market has future plans to grow and add an organic, fair trade coffee bar and a vegan deli.   Located at 202 Iron St., Negaunee, Michigan which is 12 miles from Marquette and Lake Superior. Phone: 906-475-6000. Come visit us at our store or on Facebook.  Se Habla Vegan!  

Baked Goods and Mixes ~ Bakeries ~ Confectioneries ~ Chocolatiers  

Allison Rivers Samson

Allison’s Gourmet – www.allisonsgourmet.com – Email: getintouch@allisonsgourmet.com – CA., USA. On Facebook -  Allison’s Gourmet is on Twitter, Pinterest, and has a blog. They are an organic, vegan and fair-trade Bakery, Confectionery, and Chocolatier; offering vegan sweets of every kind including baked goods, artisan chocolate truffles, fudge, caramels, toffee, brittle, peanut butter cups, peppermint crème patties, and elegant gift baskets. Allison’s Gourmet is a consciously vegan company supporting compassionate living one bite at a time. They never use palm oil. They use all organic ingredients, including sugar, and bone-char refining is not allowed for certified organic sugar. The company is owned by a vegan woman; Allison Rivers Samson. Allison opened AllisonsCookies.com, in 1997. Through the ensuing years, she continued to add more top-notch exclusive creations like vegan brownies, vegan caramels, vegan toffee, artisan vegan chocolates and more. Naturally, Allison’s Cookies grew into Allison’s Gourmet. In 1989, Allison dove into experimenting with vegan dessert recipes. Allison knew that she could find a way to make all the sweet things she loved without using animal products, highly refined sweeteners, and unpronounceable ingredients. In 1997, after refining her skills through chef training and perfecting her recipes, Allison was ready to please the palates of discerning dessert lovers everywhere.

The Vegan Tart - www.thevegantart.co.uk - Location: London U.K. – vegan baker/caterer – “The Tart with a Heart” offers a wide assortment of cakes and novelty cakes,  such as lime and thyme cake, lavender cake, and avocado cake. The cakes are sold online and at markets. Some products contain palm oil. Owner: Dumisani Nyathi, a vegan himself, wanted to produce cakes at an affordable price so people who aren't vegan wouldn't be afraid to try. He’s been in business over a year.

Ms. Cupcake - www.mscupcake.co.uk - Email: info@mscupcake.co.uk – Location: London, United Kingdom. Ms. Cupcake is a bakery and shop, and online sales. They are a decadent American-style vegan bakery offering cupcakes, layer cakes, cookies, tray-bakes and savory items. They’re London’s first entirely vegan bakery - even the products they use to clean the shop and equipment are all vegan and not tested on animals. They use The Vegan Society trademark on their products. Some products contain vegetable oil that may contain palm oil. Ms. Cupcake; none other than Mellissa Morgan, wanted cakes she could eat as a vegan, but couldn't find any in the U.K., so in April of 2010, she started the business as a small home business, and it has grown exponentially since. She is the winner of the Rising Star 2011 British Baking Awards. Ms. Cupcake is owned and operated by vegan staff. Everything is baked and decorated fresh onsite in front of the customers each day. The menu features cookies, squares, layer cakes, muffins, donuts – but they are renowned for their over 100 seasonal varieties of cupcakes. Start planning your trip to London!

Liz Lovely Cookies, Inc. - – Location: Waitsfield, VT., USA  Ph. (802)496-6390 - Liz Lovely is a wholesale cookie company, but they also have a retail store on their website. They offer Vegan and Gluten-Free grab and go Cookies. Liz Lovely buys certified organic, sustainably harvested palm oil exclusively from Spectrum Ingredients whose growers farm land that has historically been used for other crops, rather than deforested land. This practice protects indigenous wildlife like orangutans. Liz is a chronic label-reader; she's extremely picky about what's in the food she buys. But, product labels never tell you where ingredients are purchased, and who makes them, so we make sure we check into every supplier with a thorough background check so we know all products we use are up to our standards. They are 100% Vegan Certified, by Vegan Action. Liz Lovely’s is owned by Dan Holtz and they've been in business since 2003. The whole staff is not 100% vegan, but support the cause. Dan tells us “Liz's greatest love affair has always been with sugar. And Dan's greatest love affair has always been with Liz. And that is where their story begins. Two star-crossed lovers: high on chocolate, but down on their luck. After the dizzying days of dot-com highs and lows, the beleaguered couple was out of work, in debt, with unemployment benefits running out fast. Meanwhile, and much to Dan's chagrin, Liz filled the freezer with vegan hand-dipped chocolate goodies for friends and family. The outcry was unanimous, “When can we place an order?” To order online - www.lizlovely.com/wholesale

Sweets From the Earth - www.sweetsfromtheearth.com – ph. 647 436 2004 – A vegan wholesale bakery that distributes through stores across Canada. They offer all the sweet stuff – cakes, cupcakes, cookies, bars - and croissants - and Danish coming soon! They have two separate facilities; one vegan & nut free, the other vegan and gluten-free. Very intentionally, vegan; Ilana Kadonoff, started the business 10 years ago due to lack of vegan baked goods; they just celebrated their 10 year anniversary! As far as ingredients, Ilana tells us “We use organic palm fruit oil in a few products that require a solid fat (and where coconut oil will not work. We source from reputable companies that provide documents ensuring that the product is sustainable and comes from existing plantations as opposed to new jungle clearing projects.” “We only use organic evaporated cane juice, among other sweeteners; No refined white sugar.” All products display a vegan symbol. To learn more about how and why this business was started:  http://sweetsfromtheearth.com/about.html

The Vegan Cakery - www.vegancakery.com – Email: thevegancakery@aol.com – Location: Leicester, England. The Vegan Cakery is a brand, sold online. They intentionally sell only vegan cakes and treats. No palm oil. Vegan-certified by The Vegan Society. The company is vegan owned (by Marc Orme) and operated. This 4 month young business was inspired by the need for more vegan cakes and treats.

Vegan Cakes - www.vegancakes.com.br  - Vegan Cakes is an on-line sales only cake shop in São Paulo, Brazil. They offer cupcakes, cakes, brownies, cake pops and snacks. Totally vegan, no palm oil, owned and operated by vegan staff. Vegan Cakes is a cake shop specializing in vegan sweets. It was created in May 2011 by Cristina Maejima, who always dreamed of uniting a passion for veganism with creating candy. For a year and half they’ve offered custom cakes.

Mighty-O Donuts - www.mightyo.com – Email: info@mightyo.com - Location: Seattle, WA., USA – Ph. 206-547-0335. A wholesale/retail bakery. They deliver daily to over 100 local accounts and distribute nationally to selected natural grocery stores. They do Donuts; cake and yeast raised donuts - and have recently been certified as an organic bakery by OTCO.  The wholesale donuts are certified non-GMO, as well. All their donuts are vegan, however their café is not vegan as they offer dairy milk for customers of the café – they also offer vegan coffee drinks. They say “We take great care to keep our vegan and non-vegan utensils/milk pitchers separate from each other.” “Our donuts are intentionally vegan.” They inform me that “Our palm oil is sourced from Agropalma which has a policy of never replacing forest with plantations. They have reforested 185,000 acres of previously cultivated land which consequentially led to the rehabilitation of 7 previously endangered animal species. They are also certified organic by the USDA.” When asked if they use white refined sugar (often not vegan in the U.S.) they responded “No. Owner: Ryan Kellner, worked very hard to find a vegan source for our sugar and powdered sugar so we would be able to continue to offer our donuts to the vegan community.” The inspiration behind Mighy O donuts: “Experiencing the Northwest culture, the burgeoning organic food movement, and sharing thoughts with our friends and community, we were inspired to create an organic donut.  We couldn’t find anyone making a donut the way we envisioned. A sweet treat with no chemicals, no genetically modified organisms, and no animal products—something everyone could enjoy.” They must be good because they’ve been in business since May 2000.

Lagusta's Luscious – www.lagustasluscious.com - 25 North Front Street, New Paltz, N.Y., USA - Those lucky people in New Paltz; they live near an organic and fair-trade 100% vegan chocolate shop. You can see all their products here. No palm oil or white refined sugar. Since 2003, “our mission is to make beautiful treats without compromising our values. We're happiest when people have no idea that things are vegan or organic until long after they've tasted them, because that means we're changing people's minds about how food that's produced in an ethical way tastes” says owner Lagusta Yearwood. Lagusta says “I've been vegan since I was 15, so it'll be 20 years next year.  I did a lot of animal rights work in high school, and feel happy that having a vegan chocolate shop is a good sort of "pleasure activism" for me.” The staff is mostly vegan. They also make and sell a few savory foods like tempeh, miso and some infused vinegars.

Veganitessen - www.veganitessen.es; is an artisan and vegan bakery in Seville, Spain, but they also offer breakfasts and brunches. The shop is a retail storefront sited in a food market, but they also sell cakes, sweets, pies, etc. to restaurants and other shops. They specialize in vegan cheesecakes and cupcakes. They sell exclusively vegan products to vegan and non-vegan people. “We think that offering delicious vegan food is the best option to help the non-vegan people know veganism” explains the owner: Anabel Reyes. Anabel is the only one working at this business; so she can say it’s vegan owned and operated! Anabel explains the inspiration behind Veganitessen:  “It was a necessity in Spain to have a vegan business like this. We were the first vegan bakery in this country, and we are proud of it!” No honey. No palm oil. Veganitessen has been opened since summer of 2009.

Obsessive Confection Disorder  – Location: Napa, California – Ph. 707.315.9002. A vegan confectioner with mad sugar skills was seeking to bridge the gap between ethics and decadence. Caramels, crunchies, and other confections are sold online, as well as wholesale, and at various festivals. No palm oil use, instead Melodi Brooke Donahue; Owner and Queen Confectioner, uses coconut butter and cocoa butter, and she tells us that her company is on the Food Empowerment Project’s approved list, seen here: www.foodispower.org/chocolatelist - For sweetener, she uses evaporated cane juice, coconut sugar, and pure maple sugar. Melodi tells us “I exhaustively research everything that comes in contact with my confections.  I obsess so you don’t have to. I have found a way to make mental illness work for me rather than against me for a change. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can be very debilitating, but I turned it around and found a way to use my ‘fussiness’ to build a business that caters to kind-hearted folks with an appreciation for sweets they have been missing since making the choice to live vegan.” All products are labeled as vegan, as well as100% gluten and cootie-free (tee-hee)! They’ve been in business since 2010 and they’ve made it to the VegNews List of 12 Vegan Products that have Changed Lives. Melodi shares “I’m loud and proud – vegan is the driving factor on my website, my Facebook page, my Twitter account, my Pinterest boards and my LinkedIn profile.”

Nicobella organics - www.nicobellaorganics.com - Email: info@nicobellaorganics - Location: L.A., CA., USA - Ph. 866.613.8679 - An online business offering vegan, organic and fair-trade chocolate truffles and dark chocolate covered nuts; all made with whole food ingredients. No palm oil or white refined sugar. Owner; Nichole Dandrea, wanted to offer a healthier and animal-friendly, yet tasty, alternative to traditional truffles.This vegan owned and operated businesses was started in 2009. The company name is a combination of half Nichole's name and half her dog friends's name: Isabella.

Eat Pastry - www.eatpastry.com - Email: info@eatpastry.com - Ph. 858.228.6506 - Location: San Diego, CA., USA.  They're a manufacturer; offering 7 flavors of vegan cookie dough, 3 of which are also gluten free! Find this product in the refrigerated section of natural grocers across the U.S. Owners; Jessie Williams and Alfredo Elias were inspired to start this business in 2009 because of their love of sweets, baking, and their vegan lifestyle. The vegan owned and operated business is staffed by people all under the age of 30.

Hannah Banana Bakery - Twitter - Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK - an online vegan and gluten-free bakery offering vegan cakes; from cupcakes to wedding cakes, and cheesecakes, cookies, meringues, cake pops and hand made truffles. Hannah, the owner, has been vegan for 11 years, and started her businesses 1.5 years ago. Hannah's cakes won the "best cake" in the UK vegan awards 2012 and "best vegan cake" at the Bournemouth cupcake convention 2012. On Facebook

All-Vegan Grocery Stores

Bamboo Vegan - www.bamboovegan.com - Bamboo Vegan is a retail storefront located in Athens, Greece; the first (and only) all-vegan mini market/health food shop/bakery in Greece. This small vegan mini market is run by two vegans who were passionate enough about veganism to make it their profession. Connect with Bamboo Vegan on Facebook. They carry all the essential vegan foods (meat/dairy substitutes, Quinoa, grains, cereal, chocolates/sweets etc.) and also ready-to-eat baked foods like savory and sweet pastries. All products are vegan, most are also organic. The two co-owners; Fotis Patikas and Elisavet Sardeli, tell us “We take pride in being the only all-vegan health food shop in our country. We have created a place to cater to vegans. And truth be told, our shop has become an attraction both for Greece's vegans, as well as for vegans who visit Greece.” They continue “We wanted to create the kind of shop we would like to visit ourselves; a place that does not only sell healthy food, but also has the vegan conscience behind it.”

Viva La Vegan Grocery - www.vivalavegangrocery.com – Ph. (909) 941-1892 - I never thought there was a real place called Cucamonga, but there in Cucamonga, California, U.S.A. lives a retail (and online) 100% vegan grocery store. Their products do not contain any animal-derived ingredients including bee products. No products were tested on animals. Co-owner; Isaak Iftikhar, informs “We are the largest all vegan grocery store on planet Earth.” Isaak continues “We have written into the articles of incorporation that Viva La Vegan Grocery shall never sell/profit from any products or services that are not vegan. Viva La Vegan Grocery was established for the sole purpose of ending the unnecessary suffering and exploitation, the adversities to our natural environment, and the impact to human health as a result of the consumption and use of animals. We facilitate the transition into a vegan lifestyle by making products and shopping convenient and affordable. We plan to make a vegan lifestyle accessible to as many people as possible. Our store gives living form to the ethical idea that a grocery store can be free from all animal products. Any economic gain from the revenue/profit is for the primary purpose of advancing Veganism and not for personal concentrated wealth. We support vegan principals as they prevail over self-interest.” A business like this vegan-owned and operated grocery store inspired by animals and the environment – makes Cucamonga a point-of-interest!

Vegan Restaurant and Store - side by side

Essene raw pizza

Kensho Cocina Para Despertar (restaurant) and Kensho Almacen Para Despertar (Grocery) - Website: www.kensho.com.ar - The vegan restaurant and vegan grocery are located next to each other in Palermo Hollywood District, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ph. (for the restaurant and the grocery (54-11) 4778-0655 – Contact:  Betina Canalis In Spanish, "Para Despertar" means "to awaken, to wake up". Kensho is a Japanese word which means "awakening". The grocery sells organic products (yerba mate, olive oil, organic tea) and our vegan products (cashew nut cheese, raw vegetable crackers, almond milk, condiments such as gomasio and rawmesan, activated seeds, homemade bread with organic wheat, and our own organic marmalades and chutneys. Betina explains “As for food, we are 100% vegan. I have invested time to ask wine companies if they used any kind of non-human by-product for filtration purposes - everybody said no. Only one wine maker took his time to send me stickers reading "Vegan" so that I can stick to his bottles. His name is Alberto Cecchin. His wines are organic and vegan. As for the rest, I have to trust what they say.” The restaurant is organic, vegan with many raw options, and is highly ranked. Máximo Cabrera (the chef) and Betina Canalis are the owners; both vegans. Betina tells us the inspiration, “needless to say, is non-humans. I decided to get involved in this business because of them and for them. I owe them, therefore sometimes, when the business is not going well or I have to work double, I just think of them and all hardship vanishes. My problems mean so little when I think of the daily holocaust they have to go through.” Betina informs us “There is no official vegan certification in Argentina, unfortunately, the only certification is honesty.” She continues “The kitchen is open; literally in the restaurant´s salon, therefore, everybody can see who and how we prepare the food. The menu looks divine and includes starters and main courses. Email: kensho.restaurante@gmail.com 

Bliss Organic Cafe and Market – Adelaide, South Australia - Ph. 08-8231 0205. This cafe/restaurant, and a store with a beautiful garden to relax in at the back, does sell some products online, and also offer catering services. The menu consists of awesome meals like Tofu Scramble, Bliss Burger and Tangy Tofu Salad. Bliss offers a variety of products from groceries, books, CDs/DVDs, homewares, household, raw products to clothing, wallets and shoes. Bliss sells and makes only vegan products, intentionally – “No other way for us” as they put it. Regarding their stance on palm oil, “There are a few items with palm oil (cheese, yoghurt) that Bliss has been stocking for a while. They are labeled and Bliss is slowly removing them from the shelves, too. We had some success in manufacturers removing palm oil and replacing it with alternatives. We already removed all cosmetics/soaps with palm oil from our vegan range.” Grace Love and Shane Ward are the owners of Bliss Organic Café and Market; and they are vegan. Grace and Shane say “We wanted to offer a place in Adelaide that feels like home and serves organic vegan food; locally produced whenever possible, sustainable, friendly atmosphere, a place to go whenever one feels like being at home without the need of cooking and cleaning afterwards.” They have been bringing bliss to customers for 3.5 years and they have live music on Friday nights and Saturdays. They also offer cooking classes, movie screenings, talks, dance sessions, yoga upstairs; the owners believe in sharing the love through food and education.

Karmivore  - Email: info@karmavore.ca - Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada - Ph.  604.527.4212 - This Specialty Shop and Cafe offering specialty goods, in-house baked goods, restaurant, cosmetics, footwear, animal rights shirts, buttons, jewelry  and much more, is vegan-owned and operated; in business since 2008. Their inspiration - animal rights. In response to whether they carry products containing palm oil that displaces orangutans and wildlife, they replied "Yes, but that's not the only product that does this, and not all palm oil is extracted or produced in the same way. The majority of deforestation and displacement of wildlife is caused by factoring farming, requiring the clear-cutting of forests to grow soybeans and other products for livestock feed." They explain their position of products that have been tested on animals: "All products must not be tested on animals, not just the finished product, but also the source ingredients. For example, some will sell products that contain chemical food coloring which has been tested on animals, we do not." Visit Karmavore on Facebook and Twitter. The photo is their stickers they put on purchased packages.

Vegan Cafe or Restaurant

Pizza Pi Vegan Pizzeria – www. pizza-pi.net - In University District, Seattle, WA., USA – Ph. 206-343-1415. They offer all-vegan pizza; both veganized classics and unique creations-- as well as salads (with house-made dressings), sandwiches, desserts including house-made ice creams, appetizers, beers (vegan beer!) and organic sodas. They do use Earth Balance margarine (Palm Oil) and they didn’t clarify if it is the organic, ethically-sourced variety. Their “honey-mustard” dressing is really made with agave nectar. Pizza Pi is owned by newlyweds Darcy Fawcett and Charles Reeder. They are vegans and their staff is all vegan! They are the 4th owners. Pizza Pi was the first vegan pizzeria in the country, started back in 2002. It has been vegan non-stop since then. In November 2012, they will be celebrating a decade of Pizza Pi and one year since Darcy and Charles took over as owners. They live in a house 2 blocks away with a bunch of all-vegan room-mates. Darcy used to be an employee at Pizza Pi. The previous owners had too much on their plate running two restaurants (they still co-own Wayward Vegan Cafe) and were happy to sell the business to their employee. Darcy also used to work as a vegan pastry chef so she also bakes cakes to sell. Charles and Darcy have an amazing vegan dog who likes to come visit and eat faux pepperoni. Darcy Fawcett states “We are proud to be vegan. We support all our friends trying to help animals, either through activism or through their own vegan businesses!” Connect with them on Facebook 

Nature's Express - www.natures-express.com - Email: maher.regan@gmail.com – Location: Berkeley, CA., USA - This explicitly vegan restaurant offers mostly take-out food. The menu features soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, burritos, smoothies, and fresh organic juices. They offer Non-GMO certified menu items, and gluten-free pastries and meal options. All of the burger patties, soups, and seitan are made in house. They also include a small selection of vegan books. Only one item currently contains palm oil, but they are working to find an alternative. The owner; Dr. Carl Myers, is a Medical Oncologist and Chief Medical Officer of Yuma Regional Medical Center. Regan Maher explains the owner’s inspiration: “As the scientific data continues to pour in, confirming that our “modern” diet of processed food and factory-produced animal products is causing many types of cancers, he wanted to be part of the effort to prevent the tragic results of our unhealthy diet.” Their inspiration was to enhance health through nutrition. They believe that offering vegan food choices, is one of the most sustainable things that can be done for the planet. They’ve been in business for 3 years and they report to us “We are the first restaurant in the country to have Non-GMO Project certified menu items.”

Café Gratitude – 5 restaurant locations:  Los Angeles, Berkeley, Santa Cruz, and Venice – California, USA – They offer healthy farm fresh, organic, vegan food. Matthew and Terces are the co-owners of Cafe Gratitude; a family-owned business. Café Gratitude has been in business for 9 years, since 2003. They tell us that “Cafe Gratitude is a Bright Green Company. We choose to work in partnership with vendors, customers, and the community in making choices that support the environment we share. Plastic containers and water bottles have been eliminated from our retail store, and we often request that new and treasured vendors repackage their products in cellophane or glass - just for us. But that is only the start. Here is a short list of the environmental commitments we are steadfastly loyal to: If the organic variety of produce is not available, we do not choose conventional. We use unbleached, 100% cotton cloths for napkins. After used, these napkins are sent to the auto industry for rag-use purposes. This creates an additional life-cycle and eliminates the use of harmful chemicals such as bleach, which is used in common laundering practices. All our food scraps are composted and are often sent to the Be Love Farm. We recycle our paper and cardboard. Our dishes are washed with the most environmentally-friendly products. All of our books, private labels, and menus are printed on recycled paper with soy based ink. Our offices also use recycled paper. We take pride in our high standards, and we thank you for every dollar you share with us, further empowering our investment in the environment.”

Imagine Vegan Café - www.imaginevegancafe.com - on Facebook and Twitter: Imagine Vegan Café – Location: Memphis, TN., USA – Ph. 901-654-3455 – They offer 90 items on their menu of Vegan Southern Comfort Food: "Chicken Drumsticks, BBQ, Philly Sandwiches, Beef Tips, etc. They don’t use honey and they use vegan sugars: sugar in the raw, agave and or evaporated cane juice. Husband and wife; Adam and Kristie Jeffrey, are the owners. They tell me that all of their cleaning products, soaps, dish detergents and such are eco-friendly and not tested on animals. Kristie tells us her motivation and inspiration “We wanted a place where everyone (vegans, vegetarians, meat-eaters, etc.) could come and get a vegan meal unlike any other. We wanted to open a place where kids could come and get pizza, "chicken" tenders, "hot dogs" and more without ever harming their animal friends. A place that didn't limit your dining choices just because you wanted to go cruelty-free (that's why there are 90 items on the menu). And most of all we wanted to open to help people in their transition.” They’ve been in business since April 2011. Kristie concludes with “All the scraps go to feed a hog who we rescued from becoming bacon, so food never touches the trash can. She is roughly 400 pounds right now. All the waste vegetable oil is used to power our car so we never have to buy gasoline. All of our children are just as much a part of this restaurant as we are, so they are always here. When we say family restaurant, we mean it.”

Evolution Fast Food  - Location:  San Diego, CA., USA - Ph. 619-550-1818. Evolution Fast Foods offers Burgers, Fries, Shakes, Salads, Wraps, Fresh Juice, and Desserts. Evolution Fast Food, LLC is the owner and the staff is mostly vegan. I love Mitch Wallis’s response to the inspiration behind starting this business: “to save the world”. They’ve been in business approximately 3 years and they produce and host many vegan community events also. It is stated in both their logo and on the website that they are vegan.

Plum Restaurants (5 of them) - www.plumbistro.com - Plum Bistro - Seattle, WA. USA - Ph. (206) 838-5333. Plum Market - Seattle, WA. - Ph. (206) 428-6337. Plum Café - (Formally known as Sage Bakery and Cafe) in Seattle, WA - Ph. (206) 325-6429.  Hillside Quickie - Seattle, WA - Ph. (206) 632-3037. Quickie Too - Tacoma, WA. - Ph. (253) 572-4549. Makini Howell; the owner of these 5 (above mentioned) restaurants has been eating a plant-based diet her entire life, apparently. They are developing wholesale products to sell online and to grocery stores and restaurants. To quote Adam Williams “Plum offers a variety of vegan dishes and products at our restaurants. We want our love of a plant-based diet to be the embodiment of the change we are all going to meet in the coming years, with regards to how we harvest food and how we treat our host planet. We have worked to develop a sustainable business model using what the earth provides to supply wholesome nourishing food to our community; Plum’s food is honest and straight forward, yet remarkably forward-thinking. It tells the story of life-long vegans, and it’s made and served by a group of people who love the space they are in.”…“We are bold and sophisticated, yet through our promise to do no harm to our animal neighbors, peacefully extend to you all of the bounty and beauty of the earth.” Plum’s been in business since 1972!

Vgango - www.vgango.co.uk – Location: Battersea, London U.K. – Connect with their good vibes on Facebook or Twitter - Ph. 0207 228 0078. They are a recently opened Vegan Delicatessen offering Panini’s, wraps, burgers, bagels, hot dogs, pies, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, jacked potatoes, korma curry, etc. They’re also a small shop selling vegan products such as Vegusto cheeses, redwood bacon, fry's nuggets, etc. When I asked if they had any products that were tested on animals, they replied “Not a single product has been tested on animals, although they do like testing our food! Animals are also welcome inside our shop.” I’m told Mario is the owner; and it’s vegan-owned and operated. The inspiration behind Vgango: “Making the world a better place; wellbeing for the planet and its inhabitants, both humans and animals.”

Blackbird Pizzeria - Philadelphia, PA., USA - Ph. 215.625.6660 – Blackbird is an all vegan Pizzeria; a counter service restaurant with approximately 30 seats. They offer a large selection of specialty pizza, sandwiches, salads, and dessert, and  everything they sell is 100% vegan. “Blackbird Pizzeria is owned by people who are vegan” says Ryan Moylan; owner. He continues “We believe that to be a bigger comfort to the customer. You can be assured that we will not run out to the store and pick-up some non-vegan product when we run out. Because we care about being vegan, we do not cut these corners unlike someone who may get certified because it is a good business decision.” Not only are owners; Mark Mebus and Ryan Moylan - both vegan, but nearly the whole staff is too. Mark and Ryan tell us “As vegans, we always felt the thing missing in the vegan community is a real quality vegan pizza. When the Daiya cheese product was created, we realized that we could make a very good pizza that would appeal to non-vegans as well as vegans. Owner/chef Mark Mebus has followed up with creating delicious recipes for dough and sauce that in most cases are much better than other pizza businesses around Philadelphia.”  They just had their 2nd anniversary at the end of September. Email: contact@blackbirdpizzeria.com

Au Lac Vegan Living Foods - www.aulac.com - Location:  Fountain Valley, California, USA – Ph. 714-418-0658 – offering Vietnamese cooked vegan cuisine, and multi-cultural living vegan cuisine that is created by two kitchens; one kitchen for cooked, and one kitchen for living foods. All foods are available for dine-in and take-out. Essential oils, elixirs, juices, and juice blends are also sold at the restaurant or through their website. This intentionally vegan establishment is owned by Mai Nguyen. Mai suffered illnesses such as high cholesterol, before she started a vegetarian diet. In 1997, she wanted to share with the community her success in conquering illness and feeling healthy. She did so by serving vegetarian food at Au Lac Restaurant, surprising guests each day with the tasty dishes that dropped all conventional meat, and showed off the compassionate way of eating. She became vegan in more recent years, and changed the restaurant menu to be all vegan in 2008. Au Lac Restaurant has a sign outside the door that marks the belief of Chef Ito, the living foods chef. The sign says, "Humanese Cuisine," which is a coined term by Chef Ito that means we are a multi-cultural establishment. He does not believe in man-made borders that mark humans as Vietnamese, or Japanese, for example. Chef Ito believes that we can identify ourselves through one term, as we are simply human. Through this belief of unity and passion for peace, Chef Ito has brought together many people through his living foods cuisine. They tell us “We are against animal testing and cruelty. We do not use any products that we know take part in any animal cruelty.”

Vegan Food Bar

Hibiscus Wilde, Dublin, Ireland's first 100% Vegan food bar. Operating since August 2012 - Contact via Facebook: www.facebook.com/hibiscuswilde or Email: hibiscuswilde@gmail.com - A very intentional vegan food bar with sit down eating and takeaway options. The Hibiscus Wilde menu currently offers lentil burgers, salads, sandwiches, soups, falafel, organic homemade muesli, cupcakes, cakes, some raw and sugar-free deserts, smoothies, juices, teas, chicory, and vegan sushi. The food is homemade and all ingredients used are organic when possible, free from preservatives, artificial colors or flavors. They aim never to support the use of palm oil. Owner; Laura McGlynn says “Our peanut butter cupcakes for example are made using palm oil free organic fair trade peanut butter. Delicious! And devastation free.” They use demerera/muscovado brown sugars, unrefined, and other sweeteners such as Agave syrup, Maple syrup, molasses, stevia and xylitol. Laura assures us “No we do not want to use any products tested on animals or support any form of vivisection.” Laura explains that her inspiration was “the longstanding need for a wholly vegan food place in Dublin. Being Vegan myself, I felt this longing and decided to just do it! Not only for all others within Dublin, Ireland’s vegan community, but also to show non-vegans how easy and awesome vegan food can be! Also, to win everyone over with yummy vegan cupcakes of course.” Based within an indoor bohemian bazaar style market; it's a great hangout place.

Vegan Meal Delivery Services, Caterers, Mobile Food Truck or Cart

lining up for the mobile vegan food cart

The Cinnamon Snail Food Truck; Certified Orgasmic -New York, N.Y. USA  - Ph. 201-675-3755 – a food truck and catering service offering a huge variety of breakfast, lunch, pastries, and donuts. It’s a full service catering business including wedding cakes. They are intentionally 100% vegan. When I asked if they used any bee products, they replied “They wouldn't bee vegan then... so no.” I and my whole family are long time (11+ to 24+ years) vegans and we CERTIFY that everything we make is vegan for sure!” They are not hiding the fact that they’re vegan; the food truck does say vegan on it. They have 25 staff members, and only a couple cleaning people aren't fully vegan. Their inspiration, they tell me, is “turning the world vegan”. During the last 3 years of being in business, they've racked up a slew of awards from various sites and “Vendy Competitions”. Facebook - twitter: @veganLunchTruck

Homegrown Smoker Vegan Barbecue – Mississippi Marketplace, USA - Ph. 503-277-3823 - Chef Jeff is a food service mobile cart. Owner; Jeff Ridabock, offers smoked Soy Curls, Smoked Tempeh, Smoked Seitan Psstrami, Mac-NoCheese, Fufish Fillets, Greens, BBQ Beans, Cornbread, and Smoked 3 Bean Chili. Everything is intentionally vegan. For sweeteners, they use raw sugar, agave and maple syrups. The standard questionnaire asked if any products were tested on animals, and Jeff made me smile with his response “None of the ingredients in our products is tested on animals, except Homo Sapiens.” Then he got a laugh out of me with his response to the question ‘Is your business vegan-owned and operated?’ Jeff’s reply: “Yes, One Vegetarian, but he is ok as far as murderous bastards go.” The inspiration behind starting up Homegrown Smoker Vegan BBQ according to Jeff : “I owned a large smoker and we had a Vegan BBQ for my son’s birthday with about 30 vegans there. They loved it. I was unemployed and needed something to do” and hence Jeff started up in 2009. This family owned and operated cart reads ‘100% vegan’ on logo. Their mission statement on menu: "All Vegan. All the time." www.homegrownsmoker.wordpress.com –

Fairfoods - www.fairfoods.org.uk - Email: fairfoods.uk@gmail.com - Based in Devon, U.K. - Fairfoods vegan catering business was founded by Clare and Paul, in 2009. It was born out of their love of preparing and sharing yummy vegan food. Products are sold online and then they deliver. They also take part in vegan outreach events, voluntarily, such as free vegan food fairs and vegan outreach stalls. They now use only ethically sourced palm oil in a small number of products. They are certified vegan by The Vegan Society UK. Fairfoods is owned and run by vegans. However, they are happy for non-vegans to help as long as they are open to veganism, as it gives them the opportunity to experience vegan catering. The inspiration for Fairfoods was simply to promote veganism. They have an expansive menu – making it easy for anyone in or around Devon U.K. to eat vegan food. www.facebook.com/fairfoods.org.uk - www.fairfoods.wordpress.com

Veggytopia – www.veggytopia.com – Located in Texas, U.S.A. - Ph. 512-843-7700 or 877-588-8349.  Veggytopia is a commercial kitchen offering delivery and pickup of 100% plant-based (fully vegan) meals. They are servicing, and delivering to residents across Central Texas; from Austin to the north, from San Antonio, to the south. They’re offering both online and offline sales of fresh, chef-prepared vegan cuisine, desserts and baked goods. Owners; Veronica & James Chapa are advocates of a whole food, plant-based diet to promote health and well-being. Only vegan sugars are used:  No refined sugar whatsoever; raw sugar products, agave, etc. This vegan owned and operated business is 15 months young. The inspiration was “Providing a healthy, vegan meal solution for individuals and families at an affordable price with turnkey convenience of online ordering and doorstep delivery” explains James Chapa; owner and general manager. James says “We are the only service of its kind in the area and we're focused on healthy, organic ingredients with convenience and affordability. In addition, the owner/executive chef, head chef, sous chef and pastry chefs are culinary graduates with natural food specialty. Our in-house vegan bakery, Signature Sweets, is currently in operation offering 100% plant based baked goods and sweets.”

Gobble Green - www.gobblegreen.com – Email: info@gobblegreen.com - Serving customers throughout the continental US - Ph. 1-800-684-7618. This Vegan Meal Delivery Service offers a variety of vegan breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts. Some of their most popular items include Kung Pao “Chicken”, Macaroni and “Cheese”, Asian Vegetable Salad, Tortilla Soup, and Chocolate Chip Cookies. They’re intentionally 100% vegan and ensure that no animals are in any way harmed in the making of their company’s products. They are certified by The Vegan Society. Jennifer Clary and Kevin Haberer founded and currently manage the business. They are both vegan and many Gobble Green employees are vegan, however, not all. Their inspiration was “a desire to make healthy vegan meal delivery available to as many consumers as possible, regardless of whether they live in a vegan mecca like Portland or Los Angeles, or in an area with fewer readily available vegan options, like towns in Georgia, Alabama, or Arkansas.” Green Gobble has been operating since 2009. Visit them on Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook: www.facebook.com/gobblegreen

Ruuts and Shuuts Vegan café - www.ruuts-and-shuuts.tumblr.com - On Facebook 

Ruuts and Shuuts are a mobile cafe and are actively looking for a space to become a cafe and vegan social space in Dublin, Ireland. They cater for public and private events, and host a stall at markets. They offer Vegan, delicious seasonal, local, organic and wholefood meals, salads, baked treats, and raw treats. They are absolutely vegan; a vegan-run outfit. Pears informs us that all core group workers co-share power and responsibilities for ownership. When I asked about honey, Pears responded “No! Bees are animals and as such we could not be vegan if we use them!? He also goes on to say “No Palm oil is used in our foods. We have an ethical stance on not using palm oil. There is no such thing as sustainable palm oil use in the West at the moment.” He continues “We only use vegan certified cleaning products that have never been tested on animals.” The inspiration behind this business, in his words “The need for a real vegan cafe in Dublin and social space for community, arts, action and delicious nutritious food of course!” Finally, Pears adds “We are a volunteer-run vegan nonprofit cafe. We work with the universal principles of cooperatives, example: engagement and service to the community, a commitment to learning and education, autonomy and independence, democratic fair control. We are not a coop though, but rather a collective, and are involved in animal rights work. We use consensus decision making. We don't have a boss. We share responsibility. We care about each other. We use empathetic and creative communication tools in our work. We are working to generate community and build a safe, welcoming social space.”

Shambhu's - www.shambhus.co.uk - Location: London, U.K.- Ph. 020 8931 0030 - Twitter: @Shambhusvegan - Shambhu's provides events catering and meal deliveries, and also supply vegan & gluten-free cheesecakes to shops. Orders are placed online or via email, and then they deliver. They run vegan catering stalls at festivals. They're certified by The Vegan Society. Vegan-owned and operated by Mahersh and Nishma Shah who are from the UK Jain community, and therefore have lived their lives immersed in a culture that embraces peace and compassion (ahimsa) to all life. One of the activities that Shambhu's owners are involved in on a voluntary basis, is in outreach work through a grassroots group called Jain Vegans: www.jainvegans.org - aiming to raise awareness among the Jain community about the vegan lifestyle.The vision for Shambhu’s came about when Nishma Shah realized in 2005 that she could contribute good quality, home-cooked food, inspired from cultures around the world, and made using organic/fair-trade/UK-produced ingredients where possible. Shambhu's founder & chef was born in Kenya. She can cook in a variety of styles inspired from around the world, including European, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African. The Shah's, husband and wife, inform us "We strive to be as ethical as we can in our approach to running the business, e.g. use of eco-friendly packaging, eco-friendly crockery, use of organic & fair-trade ingredients as far as possible." www.facebook.com/ShambhusVeganCaterers - Email: contact@shambhus.co.uk

Vegan Food Manufacturers/Brands; sold in various outlets

Fry’s Distribution – U.K. - Ph. 01489 574593 They're an import and distribution business that import FRY’S Vegetarian Foods and distribute them to the retail and foodservice industries. FRY’S Vegetarian range are vegan meat replacement products that includes sausages, burgers, nuggets, schnitzels, pops, hot dogs, pies, sausage rolls, cottage pies, strips, mince……the range is free from meat, fish, eggs, milk, nuts, cholesterol, hydrogenated fats, GM ingredients, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. The FRY’S range is palm oil free – the products contain sunflower oil. The Vegan Society approves the entire FRY’S range; with their logo appearing on all packages. Patrick Drummy and Lisa Drummy (father and daughter!) run this distribution business.Lisa tells us “We stocked FRY’S in our health food shop – it sold really well as it’s so ethical and tasty – when the supply ran dry we met Wally Fry and signed a sole import contract so we could start importing and distributing FRY’S ourselves – business has grown and grown ever since!” Email info@frysdistribution.co.uk 

Fry’s Family Foods - www.frysvegetarian.co.za - Email: brett@frygroup.co.za - Location: Westmead, Durban, South Africa – Ph. +27 31 940 7798 – This manufacturer of vegan meat analogues: hot dogs, burgers, strips, pies etc., sells both online and at retail outlets. Wally Fry is the owner. They're certified by The Vegan Society, U.K. Since 1991, the business is driven by the family’s passion to create delicious, cruelty-free food that has as little impact on the natural environment as possible with emphasis on putting principles over profits.

Vegusto cooking show; award winning Vegan chef Tony Bishop

Vegusto UK LTD - www.Vegusto.co.uk – Location: United Kingdom - Ph. 01273 936010 – Vegusto is a business of food production and distribution. They sell online, and through health stores, and they supply restaurants and catering companies. They offer 8 flavors of dairy free, palm oil-free, cholesterol-free cheese, and up to 40 wheat based meat alternatives including burgers, sausages, steaks, sandwich slices, etc. All Vegusto products are 100% vegan, natural, GMO-free, and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Vegusto are certified by the UK Vegan Society. The owner is Mark Galvin; all owners and staff are vegan. For 15 years they have been providing great-tasting vegan food.

Good Karma Foods - www.goodkarmafoods.com – USA – This branded natural foods company sells on line and at natural food stores and supermarkets in the U.S. and Canada. They offer the world’s first flax-milk and organic whole grain rice-milks. They are also Non-GMO Project certified. Their products are marked “vegan” as a bullet point. Loren Wallis, President, is a vegan. Dan LaValley is the CEO. Their inspiration was to launch Vegan, Natural and Organic Products – founded in May 1996.

Organic Nectars - www.organicnectars.com

Location: N.Y., USA -  Ph. 845.246.0506 -  Email: customerservice@organicnectars.com – They describe themselves as a boutique manufacturer. They sell online and wholesale to other physical and online retailers, such as Whole Foods and Amazon.com. They create and produce gourmet organic, vegan, mostly raw, gluten-free, low-glycemic, non-GMO gelato, sorbetto, chocolates, sweeteners and superfood ingredients. Their inspiration was to produce gourmet-quality sweets and ingredients that are healthier, more environmentally-friendly, and friendly to animals. In business for 7 years, Organic Nectars was the first company to produce and market an agave-sweetened frozen dessert. They’re also the first company to have a nut-based frozen dessert in national distribution. And they inform us that they’re the first to have a coconut sugar sweetened line of chocolate bars.

Mary’s Gone Crackers -  Gridley, CA. –USA. - Ph. 888-258-1250. (In Canada they're Mary’s Organic Crackers - www.marysorganiccrackers.com. They are a manufacturer of gluten-free, organic, vegan food that is certified gluten-free, organic, in a kosher facility. They sell online and are distributed in retail stores all over the US and Canada, offering crackers, pretzels, and cookies; all gluten free, vegan, organic and delicious! Mary Waldner, co-founder, explains “Our crackers and pretzels are vegan by nature of the ingredients used. Once we started making cookies, the decision to be a vegan company became more intentional.” They do use palm fruit oil that Mary says “is sustainable  and part of the consortium that’s committed to source palm oil in a way that does not destroy rain forests.” This business of over 200 employees is not vegan owned and operated, but all product packaging says ‘vegan’ on it.

Organicville - Location: Emeryville, CA., USA – Ph. (510) 655-1755 - A product line that is certified organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, no added sugar, and tastes great too! The company owner; Rachel Kruse is a third generation vegetarian who has never eaten animal products. They offer numerous salad dressings, sauces, ketchup, BBQ  and Teriyaki Sauce, Agave Salsa, and sparkling citrus beverages.

Cavewoman Bars – Southern California, USA. This energy bar company offers delicious, organic, vegan energy bars made with fruit, nuts and spices - that's it! Owner; Alyssa Boyle informs us “Even though I wasn't a vegan when I created Cavewoman Bars, I wanted something pure and healthy. A year later, I became vegan myself. My husband, aka Caveman Steve, is vegan too and does the accounting. In business for 3.5 years, their labels say “vegan” right on the front of each bar. Email: info@cavewomanbars.com

Conscious Cuisine/Bounty Burgers - www.bountyburgers.com.au  - Location: Australia - Ph. 0421 202 555 – They are a manufacturer that wholesales to retail shops; offering pre-cooked, gourmet frozen soy burgers. No palm-oil. This totally intentional vegan business is owned by Loren Lembke. Loren shares her inspiration: “As a long-term vegan, I was over having to 'doctor' the taste of many products so that I could eat them. I wanted a delicious, healthy product that actually rewards vegans - and seduces meat eaters. In business since 2008, Loren tells us “We love doing in-store tastings where we witness the surprised and happy responses from many mainstream consumers.” I enjoyed Bounty Burgers when I visited Australia!

Love and Joy Foods - www.Nacheez.com – Email: Ilsa@Nacheez.com - Location: Sacramento, CA, USA – Owner; Ilsa Hess, explains “I have Nacheez made by a co-packer and then I sell it to stores wholesale. I also sell on Amazon and via the website. I make a vegan nacho cheese sauce called Nacheez. It comes in spicy and mild. Nacheez is soy and gluten-free. Each jar is only 140 calories.” Ilsa is a vegan and she tells us the motivation for starting this brand “I had been craving nasty old nacho cheese and decided to search on the internet to find a vegan version. Some were disgusting and the ones made with raw cashews tasted the best. I created my own recipe and my friends loved it. I also wanted to offer something to give people an alternative to cow's milk cheese. At the same time, I was laid off. My desire to fill my stomach, pay rent, and my love for animals, is what caused Nacheez to be born” in March 2010. Nacheez is a play on word between nachos and not cheese. Isla concludes with “I have a "why vegan?" page on my website. I wanted to let people know the realities of the dairy industry and how Nacheez does not add to the suffering.”

Owner; Michael Baldulcci

VeggieBrothers.com – is a unique manufacturer of over 150 gourmet chef made vegan dishes, sold online and shipped anywhere in USA and Canada. They have a food service line for businesses (restaurants, pizzerias, colleges, etc.) offering vegan versions of America's favorite dishes; from chicken pot pie, to beef wellington, from beef teriyaki, to French toast. Owner; Michael Baldulcci, informs us that his business is “100% vegan-owned, vegan operated-mostly (but I’m doing a good job on the converting - no one does it better than me and my products).” VeggieBrothers has been in business since 2005. They source out vegan, organic and non-GMO ingredients. Michael had a vision to help people enjoyably transition into a healthier and sustainable plant-based diet. Eager to give people lots of variety, he sought the most brilliant vegan chefs and the greatest recipes he knew everyone would enjoy, whether they were vegan or not, to introduce to others the guiltless pleasure their special vegan cuisine can offer. They provide customers with effortless access to vegan dining anywhere in the USA, via their vegan food delivery website. Part of their mission is to educate about the benefits of a vegan diet such as spiritual (karma), non-violence (ahimsa), animal rights and compassion, physical health and medical science (humans do not need meat to survive), global and environmental health, and socio-economic reasons through web links, articles, e-books, newsletters, affiliations and other practical means.

Sophie’s Kitchen (TM) Vegan Seafood - www.sophieskitchen.net - Contact: Susan Carskadon, Marketing Manager – Email: info@sophieskitchen.net - USA - Ph. 303-329-8476 - They are a food manufacturer selling to retailers. Since 2010, they offer a revolutionary line of vegan seafood products. The product line features Konjac, a traditional Asian Superfood, which is a naturally low in calories and high in fiber. Perfect for vegans, vegetarians, those allergic to seafood, and those who want to add plant-based foods to their diets. This ancient staple has been used across Southeast Asia for centuries and is especially popular in Japanese cuisine. They promote their products as vegan on their labels and on the website. On Facebook: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/VeganSeafood

RawFoodz - www.rawfoodz.com – Email: Info@rawfoodz.ca – Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Ph. 416-736-6700 – They are a manufacturing facility with a line of raw salad dressings, dips & spreads. All of their products are raw, vegan, organic, nut-free, gluten-free traditional style salad dressing, dips, spreads and marinades. Their aim is to make traditional style foods super healthy. No palm oil; they use organic coconut sugar and organic extra-virgin coconut oil. The two owners; Michelle Cass and Sher Kopman, are vegan. They both wanted to help revolutionize the food industry by creating healthy, vegan, preservative-free, healthy - convenient creations. In business since 2010, they tell us “We work very hard to give the consumer the cleanest, highest standard, quality, health promoting ingredients infused into a delicious functional food. We create every product with passion, integrity and pride. We opened our own facility to ensure it was done right.”

Heidi Ho Veganics, LLC – Ph. 503.935.9206 - Location: Portland, Oregon USA – Heidi Ho Veganics is a plant-based, vegan food processor that specializes in making vegan cheese alternatives, that are sold online and available in retail locations. Current marketed products are:  Hazelnut-based Smoked Gouda, Chipotle Cheddar and Monterey Jack, Soy-based Feta Crumbles, Cashew-based Chia Cheeze Sauce – and soon to come: Vegan cultured cheezes! They intentionally create all products to be vegan. The owners tell us “We do not use palm products, all of our ingredients are chosen with animal liberation at the forefront of our minds. We are vegan certified by Vegan Action. We are a 2 person team and we are both vegans. We wanted to make a plant-based cheese alternative that had the characteristics of dairy cheeses but were made of nutritious, real foods.” In business since 2010, Heidi and Lyssa share “We have been together for 4 years and have both dreamed of running our own business! We have a dog named Tucker, we love to hike, shop at farmer’s markets, entertain at our home and snuggle up to a warm fire. Starting a vegan business in Portland has been amazing and the community is very supportive.” Email addresses: theboss@heidihoveganics.com - thechef@heidihoveganics.com

Five Star Foodies – www.fivestarfoodies.com – Email: valerie@fivestarfoodies.com - Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA – Ph. 513-272-6555 – They are a Vegan Food and Beverage Manufacturing Company who sells wholesale to many different stores, and online through veganessentials.com. They offer Veggie Burgers - Holiday Season Items - Cider Beverages. Valerie Williams is the owner and the company is owned and operated by vegan staff. Five Star Foodies is a family-based, women-run company in existence for 5 years, though Valerie Williams; the company's’ founder has been working in the vegan/vegetarian industry for over 20 years. Employee; Christian Stroud tells us “We are proud that our products are all vegan and we advertise them as vegan whenever we have the chance.”

The Vegg LLC - www.thevegg.com - Email: rocky@thevegg.com – Location: Stroudsburg, PA., USA  - Ph. (570)460-2139 – The Vegg is a manufacturer and wholesaler of a powdered vegan egg yolk, sold online. It’s a one person business owned by Rocky Shepheard, who is vegan. In business since the 1st of January, 2012, Rocky wanted to create a product to draw business away from the  egg industry, and also to provide a product to help vegetarians/omnivores considering veganism not have the egg excuse anymore. He invented the world’s first vegan egg yolk!

Tree Nut Cheese Corp., also known as ‘dr-cow’ - www.dr-cow.com – Email: info@dr-cow.com - Location: Williamsburg/Brooklyn/N.Y., USA – They’re a manufacturer of  cheeze nuts and biscotti’s, and granola's. In business since 2005, the CEO is an excellent pastry chef; she worked in many of the best restaurants in NYC. Products are clearly marked as vegan.

Ethical Bounty Gourmet Nut Butters www.ethicalbounty.com - Location: Pompano Beach, Florida, USA - Email: contact@ethicalbounty.com – cs@ethicalbounty.com - Ph. 954-621-5676.  Ethical Bounty is an internet retailer/mobile food vendor that ships nationwide, as well as offering products locally in South Florida at farmer’s markets, local retails stores, etc. Owner, Founder: Katherine Botelho, says “For now, I'm an "Army of One".  Once I'm able to expand the business however, I will be opening up opportunities for vegan employees only.” She continues “I craft organic raw nut butters in varieties not offered in a typical retail store. These products are not mass produced, but crafted in small batches. There are no added oils, salt, or sugar added to any product. The unique stone grinding method used insures that the products never reach temperatures exceeding 115 degrees (typically far less), thus maintaining the nutrients, and living enzymes present in the raw nuts. Products offered include a truly raw Almond Butter made from unpasteurized Italian almonds, and my most popular item; the slightly spicy, mildly sweet (from organic raisins) Cinnamon Raisin Cashew Butter.” Katherine assures me “The products are intentionally vegan. As a vegetarian of 28 years (since 1976), and now vegan of 8 years (since 2004), I am living proof that one can not only survive, but thrive happily by living a vegan lifestyle. I clearly and proudly label my products as vegan.” Responding to my palm-oil question, Katherine says “I'm anti palm oil, and boycott any products that contain it, as I've seen no evidence that there is such a thing as ethically obtained palm fruit oil. I'm actually experimenting with creating an alternative to a wildly popular palm oil based "buttery spread".”  Ethical Bounty has been selling online, and shipping nationally since 2009. Nothing is pesticide tainted, or GMO. Katherine remarks “I played "mad scientist" in the kitchen, developing flavors such as Banana Walnut, Cherry Pistachio, and Cinnamon Raisin Cashew.

Taft Foodmasters, LLC - www.taftfoodmasters.com – Location: Whitestone, NY, USA – Ph. (212) 644-1974. A manufacturer, who sells through distributors. They offer seitan gyro and sausage (for retail), plus smoked applewood and plain for foodservice. In business since 2011, owner Jessica Taft says “I’m proud that our product, though vegan, is in mainstream restaurants. My motto is: You don’t have to be a vegetarian/vegan to eat like one.”

Daiya Foods – www.daiyafoods.com – Located in Vancouver, BC, Canada; Products available across U.S. & Canada - Email: cr@daiyafoods.com or contact via Facebook and Twitter. Daiya is a food processor and manufacturer with their own facility in Vancouver, BC to ensure products do not undergo cross contamination. They offer 2 types of vegan cheeses (shreds or wedges) in 3 flavors each. All products are dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and contain no nuts except for coconut. Daiya co-founders (both vegans) intentionally wanted to create a cheese alternative that melts like and tastes like cheese, after being dismayed with what was currently on the market. The whole vegan community is thrilled, as they have made excellent tasting vegan cheese! Their wedges do contain some palm oil but are sourced from sustainable sources in Brazil, which is not a habitat to orangutans. You can find the Vegan Action (vegan certification) logo on all Daiya products. Co-founders & CEO’s are Andre Kroecher and Greg Blake. Daiya currently employs over 50 employees, not all of which are vegan. Everyone is however open-minded and respectful to the company’s core of ethics. TThey'vebeen in business since 2007. Alivia Prattas; Daiya Brand Ambassador, reports that their products have been featured on the Oprah Winfrey’s and Ellen DeGeneres’s shows, and they’re still a privately owned company.

Foods Alive - www.foodsalive.com – Location: Waterloo, IN., USA – Ph. 260-488-4497 – Foods Alive is a manufacturer offering Organic Flax Crackers, Artisan Cold-Pressed Oils (Flax, Chia, Hemp, Black Sesame), Super Dressings, Super Foods (Chia, Hemp, Maca, Goji) They are certified vegan by Vegan Action. Since 2002, they have been offering healthy whole foods.

Lydia’s Organics  – Location: Petaluma, CA., USA – Ph. 707-765-9200 - Founder, Owner and Operator:  Lydia Kindheart – Email: Info@lydiasorganics.com - They have a storefront, online store at website, and sold in retail stores. Lydia's Organics is a dried food line available nationwide.  Lydia's Lovin’ Foods is a fresh food line serving the SF bay area – Ph. 707-792-5302  - Lydia certainly keeps busy as she also operates The Sunflower Community Center and Restaurant - Ph. 707-792-5300 AND Festivals and events along the West Coast from Oregon to L.A. – www.lydiaslovinfoods.com/fairsfests.html - Ph. 707-792-5304 – Lydia runs a Community Center, Restaurant and is a manufacturer; selling wholesale goods both fresh and dried; organic, vegan, gluten-free, raw & cooked. In stores, she offers shelf stable-cereals, bars, crackers and refrigerated products like salads, entrees, pate`s, desserts, and alkalizing soup. The Restaurant and festivals offer a large variety of dishes. Her motivation is in having a positive effect on a planetary level through what we eat. She started out 17 years ago, as a small deli type retail frontage and has gone through many transformations through the years.

Superfood Snacks Inc. -www.SuperfoodSnacks.com Location: Lihue, HI., USA –Ph. 1-866-771-5683. They are a manufacturer of Vegan and Organic Raw Food Energy Snacks; sold at various health food stores around the country, including Whole Foods Market, as well as online sales. Products include raw chocolate based fruit, nut and seed energy snacks; organic and superfood based! The company intentionally only sells vegan foods, and the product is marked ‘vegan’. They are vegan-friendly, but owners are not pure vegans. In business since 2007, and they print and package their packaging on materials that are certified biodegradable and compostable. They insist on sustainability. 

Facebook.com/SuperfoodSnacks,

www.Pinterest.com/SuperfoodSnacks - www.Twitter.com/SuperfoodSnacks -

Hail Merry Snacks and Desserts - Hail Merry is a national brand; sold at Whole Foods Market, natural food specialty stores as well as airports, hotels, stadiums, universities, and medical centers. They have an Internet storefront, too. Hail Merry manufactures vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and kosher snacks and desserts; products include: granola, seasoned nuts and seeds, cookies (macaroons), and tarts. Hail Merry is a women-owned business based in Dallas, Texas, USA. They use coconut oil but, but not palm oil. They tell us "We use organic palm sugar which is also called coconut sugar. I don't know if any orangutans have been displaced by our use of this product." This vegan company started, they tell us, "in Maui where Founder, Susan O’Brien fell in love with the raw food lifestyle. Her curiosity took her to California where she trained with raw food chef, Juliano. Returning to Dallas, she transformed her cabana into a test kitchen for raw snacks...She wanted to help others reach her level of health and happiness. Hail Merry quickly gained a devout following of vegan, gluten free and raw enthusiasts who all share a love for fresh, plant-based, whole foods which heal the body." From CEO Sarah Chapin: “Working as an executive in the public and private food industry for more than 20 years, I realized I was not healthy. I knew my body was not working at its capacity. That’s when I began my journey for improved health and wellness. That significant declaration of love for my own body led me to agree to lead Hail Merry when it incorporated in 2009. At Hail Merry we seek to heal people through life-giving foods."

Vegan Vitamins/Supplements

NuTru, Inc. www.nutru.com - Email: support@nutru.com  - Location: Chicago, IL., USA - Ph. 773-348-8452. NuTru is a manufacturer of high-end vegan products sold through online retailers. NuTru offers vegan supplements; especially for brain, heart and relaxation health. Their products are intentionally vegan. “None of our ingredients are tested on animals” and “We are vegan certified by vegan.org” and “Yes, our products say vegan on the label and we have the stamp” says owner; Jim Donovan. “Yes, we are owned and operated by staff members that endorse the vegan lifestyle” explains Jim. He continues “The inspiration was to have a vegan omega-3 alternative, for example, to fish oil.” NuTru has been in business for over 10 years (2002). Jim says “The interesting thing about our company is that we are a small company that really cares about our customers and their vegan sources. We are not owned or affiliated with any larger companies.”

www.VeganProteins.com - is an online one-stop vegan supplement shop. Location:  MA., USA- Email: veganproteins@yahoo.com -This store offers a variety protein formulas, energy bars, green superfood blends, and vegan fitness apparel. They only sell cruelty-free - vegan products that are also gluten and soy free. Being vegan is intentional and part of their core vision, and therefore there is no honey or white refined sugar in their products; that are never tested on animals. Products have a vegan stamp on them. Giacomo Marchese and Dani Taylor are co-owners who collaborated with fellow members of VeganBodybuilding.com to provide a service that they saw did not exist. In business for over 3 years now, Giacomo and Dani package up orders in reused boxes sourced from local stores and their recycling center. Everyone who orders from them receives a handwritten note, a hand-decorated box with drawings, and extra products to try out.

Vegan Wine

Vegan Sommelier, LLC - www.vegansommelier.com – Email: service@vegansommelier - Located in Arlington, Virginia - Ph. 202-436-6743 - twitter handle is @vegansommelier, and both facebook and pinterest can be accessed at Vegan Sommelier. Vegan Sommelier is an internet wine retailer licensed in Virginia; sold by internet only and shipped by carrier. Owner; Gina Trippi, shares with us “Vegan Sommelier sells and ships wine made by smaller wineries, both domestic and foreign, made the traditional way with no fish or farm animal products used in processing. Wine that is not vegan may have been processed with shrimp shells, bovine tissue, eggs, dairy, or even a sturgeon's bladder.” Gina continues “We search for high quality vegan wines that we can offer at a good price. We taste the wines to insure that our customers are receiving the best there is to offer. We offer convenience, credibility and a smaller carbon footprint. At Vegan Sommelier, we say that we offer great wine that just happens to be vegan!” Gina discloses “If you are buying wine that is not vegan, bovine tissue including hooves may have been used in the processing. You are not all vegan until your drink vegan wine.” Gina clarifies “No one has certified our wines but we take every step possible to verify that our wines are vegan. Many of our wines are produced by smaller wineries in France and Italy, by family-owned wineries in Australia, and here in this country in great wine-making states including Oregon and Washington. We research and consult personally with either the winemaker or the representative of the winery who can verify how the wine was processed. It is our job to know what's in your wine.” Finally, Gina explains the inspiration behind this business: “Three years ago, we read an article in Forbes Magazine discussing the fact that many wines are processed with isinglass, the bladder of a sturgeon. We did not know. In talking with friends and acquaintances, we determined that many did not know. Even many vegans did not know. And, sadly, many vegans still do not know. The learning curve is steep but we are not only working to sell great wine, but to educate consumers about the processing, and also that these wines just taste better. Because there is less processing of any kind in vegan wines, these wines tend to win wine-tasting competitions.”

The Vegan Vine Wines - www.theveganvine.com – Email: cheryl@clos.com – Location:  San Martin, CA, USA – This vegan winery offers four wines under The Vegan Vine, a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Wine Blend. They sell online and they sell to restaurants and wine shops around the country. The Vegan Vine sells only Vegan Wines, certified by Vegan Action. Cheryl Durzy tells us “We have several owners, but one of our main ones is former NBA champ, TV host and health and wellness advocate; John Salley. He is a vegan.” Cheryl reports the inspiration behind the Vegan Vine Wine “The owners of Clos LaChance Winery has a vegan family member that was asking questions about the vegan winemaking process. After a lot of research, it was determined that there was need in the marketplace for a vegan wine that was high quality and educational as well. All the details about the vegan winemaking process are included with each bottle on a necker.” The winery where Vegan Vine is made is one of the few wineries that are Certified Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance .

www.veganwinesonline.co.uk – Through the website, they only sell vegan wine, online. Location: South of England. Twitter: @VeganWines. Ph. 01243 887 508 The wine retailer is not vegan-owned and operated, however they have intentionally created the online store for vegan wines. The online store began in July of 2012 that sells ONLY vegan wine. The inspiration for starting this business, in their words “Our research showed many vegans believed all wine is vegan. We could also see how poorly vegans were served when it came to wine. Our research at http://veganwinesonline.co.uk/vegan-wines/supermarkets/”.

La Isha Natural Skincare - all vegan

La Ishá -Therapeutic Grade Anti-Aging Organic Skin Care. Essential, Effective, Empowering Formulas Created for Women Over 35.
Visit and Shop La Isha

Vegan Cosmetics (plant derived as well as not tested on animals)

Alythea - www.alythea.com.au – Email:  info@alythea.com.au  - Based in New South Wales, Australia - Ph. +61 (401) 884016 - Alythea is currently operating as an on-line store and direct selling through workshop method. They offer a carefully selected range: cosmetic liquid and powder foundations, eye shadows, blushers, concealers, bronzers, lipsticks, and mascara. The private company’s founder and CEO is Aspasia Kalogirou; Professional Beauty Therapist with many years of experience in the Beauty Industry. After having worked with many products available in the industry, Aspasia always felt she wanted to create a product that was beneficial for all without any of the unnecessary cosmetic ingredients.  She believes that the skin is an organ with the capacity to absorb whatever is applied to it, and many of the ingredients used in mainstream cosmetics and skin care are potentially causing harm to women unwittingly. Her dream was to create a range of cosmetics and skin care for all without any of the suspect ingredients. Hence their slogan: ‘True Skin Nutrition’. Give the skin food in the form of antioxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids and it will be healthy. Cosmetics Pty Ltd was launched in 2008. All products are made in Australia. In their words “With our strong love for humans and animals, it has always been our intention to provide cruelty-free and harmful chemical-free products. None of our products contain any animal or bee derived ingredients. Our ingredient suppliers and product manufacturers for ALYTHEA products are Vegan Certified and are also accredited by CCF (Choose Cruelty Free – A non-for profit organization that promotes cruelty free living).”

Prirodna Vegan Cosmetics – Based in Australia  - They are a cosmetics brand which is 100% Vegan and sold online, offering vegan mineral makeup; free from nasties.  They are certified Vegan by Choose Cruelty-Free-Australia.  Their brand name has the word ‘vegan’ in it hence enabling vegans to identify suitable products. In business since July 2011, owner; Tijana Stefanovic, explains the company is vegan owned and operated. She continues “I indeed wanted a vegan make-up brand that was purely for vegans. I wanted to create a brand which people need not worry or think twice whether the products had animal/insect-derived ingredients, as well stand by a quality Australian-made cosmetic which I myself and others would benefit from enhancing ones appearance.” Email: info@prirodnavegancosmetics.com.au

Vegan Faces - www.veganfaces.co.uk – Email: info@veganfacesuk.co.uk – Based in the United Kingdom - Sole trader - online sales offering natural face paints, mineral cosmetics and brushes. Vegan Faces explain that they are the only company selling Face Paints which are 100% Vegan - replacing beeswax with natural oils such as Organic Jojoba oil. “All products are manufactured by a cruelty-free makeup manufacturer with many ethical certifications” explains owner; Metala Theart. Metala assures us “I am vegan and therefore against animal testing. All products are free from animal testing and ingredients.” Products are certified vegan by The Vegan Society. Metala further explains her inspiration “I am a freelance face painter who spent months searching for vegan face paints - I was in contact with many vegan charities and The Vegan Society who confirmed that there were no known face paints on the market which didn't contain lanolin or beeswax, so I began to get them manufactured in 2011. Since launching the first range of face paints I have expanded with cosmetics and brushes and hope to continue with a line of skincare products.” Metala began ‘Vegan Faces’ in 2011 - and she does all the web design, copy-writing, graphic design, packaging herself, which means she doesn't currently hire anyone, therefore keeps costs low for her customers!

Visit Valana Minerals - all vegan

Vegan Toiletries/Skin Care/Body Care/Hair Care

SKIN all natural™ and Choice All Natural Inc.- www.skinallnatural.com – Email: info@skinallnatural.com – Location: Apex, NC., USA – Manufacturer and marketer of vegan skin care products and nutritional supplements; both online sales and a retail store. They are certified vegan by Vegan Action and certified cruelty-free (free from animal testing) by Leaping Bunny. Owner; Sudhir M. Shah - wanted to offer 100% natural, plant-based vegan choices to consumers. This vegan owned and operated business has been in existence since 2010.

Hope Street - www.hope-street.com - Brixworth, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom - Hope Street is an online shopping site offering organic, natural skin care and body care products that are nutrient packed and of premium quality that moisturize and care for your skin. They carefully create their own innovative recipes using botanicals rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Owner; Gill Whiffen explains: “We individually source certified organic and fair-trade ingredients where possible and hand-make in small fresh batches. We aim to produce a natural handmade skin care range that is affordable to buy, but which also fairly pays suppliers and workers. It is also important to us that our products reflect our concern for our wonderful planet and all the creatures sharing this amazing living space.” Gill assures us “Our products are not tested on animals and we make sure that none of the ingredients we use are either. Animal testing is an issue that we are totally against.” They’re registered with The Vegan Society and their products are labeled with a vegan stamp. Gill explains the inspiration behind Hope Street was born from a desire to create a range of skin and body care products that supported local farmers by using their organic ingredients which did not pollute our soil and environment. We wanted our money to help these people and not large profit-making corporations. Hope Street has been in business since 2009.

Kalliste Soap Shop - www.kallisteshop.com - Email: info@kallisteshop.com - Dobbs Ferry, NY, USA – Ph. (914) 574-5467 – This vegan soap shop offers handcrafted soap. The owner; Marie Labropoulos, is vegan and she informs me that “Palm oil is a very common material used in soap-making, however we DO NOT use it. Soap is also typically made with animal fat, we use only vegetable oils.” Marie said the inspiration for this business was “Carrying on the generations-old family tradition of olive oil-based soap-making in order to provide a healthy and vegan alternative to conventional detergents.” In businesses since 2008, their customers, as well as employees, are encouraged to bring their loving animal companions along to their shop!

The Little Blue Hen Soap Crafting Co. - www.littlebluehensoap.co.uk - 

Email: info@littlebluehensoap.co.uk – Located in United Kingdom – This small hand crafted soap business offers vegan soap (lip balms and facial oils to be added soon). Shop owner; Michelle Hen, is strictly vegan, and her inspiration for starting this business “To change the world for the better, little by little - healing the planet and all who live on it. Also I enjoy making soap.” She clarifies “I am very strict on the root of my ingredients. It is of utmost importance to me that I source ingredients that have never been tested on animals at any stage of production.”

Raw Gaia Ltd - www.rawgaia.com –Email: info@rawgaia.com – Located in Brighton, U.K. – Ph. 01273 311 476 – This manufacturer and online retailer offer 100% natural and organic skin care products without any alcohol, parabens, fragrance, wax, dyes, toxic contaminants, sodium lauryl or laureth sulphate, petrochemicals, artificial colorants and perfumes, glycols, synthetic preservatives or additives, bulking agents or hidden ingredients of any kind! They make a point not to use bee products. They say they use sustainable/ethical palm oil for their cold pressed soaps. They have certification from all of our suppliers that assures us they don’t test on animals. Raw Gaia is certified vegan by The Vegan Society, UK. Owners; Tom and Jessica Fenton, explain the origins of the business: “It was our friend Lisa Lennon who started the company way back in 2005. She had really dry skin and couldn't find anything to help her and so decided to make her own product using cacao butter as a base. Now we have around 40 products and sell to around 15 countries while growing rapidly year on year!” Tom and Jessica are health nuts and eat a high proportion of raw food. Raw Gaia has been in business for 7 years and they 110% promote the fact that they are vegan! You can follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Raw Skin Food - www.rawskinfood.com - Based in the West Midlands, U.K. - A Vegan/Non Animal Tested/ Health and Beauty Brand, sold online. Raw Skin Food is a brand, a manufacturer, and a skincare company. They are not only 100% vegan, but also 8 common allergen-free. The owners reassure us that they would never sell honey. They also don’t use palm oil and don’t really understand why people even use it as it’s a drying-out agent which doesn't hydrate the skin. Products are BUAV approved; no animal testing. They are certified by The Vegan Society. The owner describes the inspiration behind starting Raw Skin Food “Due to my intolerance with dairy, nuts and also not finding skincare that relieved my eczema, I decided to start learning how to wash with raw fruit and natural ingredients, and then explored making my own skincare products and the rest is history.” He also said “I am a man running a company who makes, creates, markets and sells his products, quite rare in this industry.”

MuLondon - www.MuLondon.com - Location: London, U.K. – Ph. +442035826035 - Manufacturer of all-natural, organic and 100% vegan skincare products sold to customers around the world through the website, and through numerous selected outlets in many countries. MuLondon products contain no artificial preservatives, emulsifiers or fragrances. Instead, pure natural essential oils and herbal extracts are used to divinely scent and gently preserve, such as: White Chocolate Truffle Moisturizer, Relaxing Lavender, Luxurious Rose, Mystical Marigold, Frankincense & Myrrh or the woody and masculine Hemp! MuLondon is 100% vegan and free from all animal-derived ingredients like beeswax, shellac, lanolin and others. In line with MuLondon’s cruelty-free and environmental policy, the entire range is free from palm oil. The owner has worked hard to find an ethical and palm-oil free source for all ingredients, including the range of cleansers. Boris explains that “The decision to make the MuLondon range vegan was very intentional. I have been vegan for many years now and it was only natural for me to go 100% cruelty-free with my skincare line. Boris; the founder and head cream-whipper of MuLondon assures us “I do not use any ingredients that are tested on animals. I also require that all my suppliers show that they do not conduct any animal testing on their ingredients. In addition to that, MuLondon products only contain safe, naturally-derived ingredients that, unlike novel chemicals, do not require testing. MuLondon is registered Cruelty-Free and vegan by PETA, and MuLondon is a full member of Green America, which shows dedication to sustainability and fair labor practices throughout the whole manufacturing process. MuLondon is registered with The Vegan Society.” Boris continues “MuLondon started out of a simple idea: Make natural, effective skincare products that contain no additives of any kind. I wanted to create a safe, 100% vegan skincare range to help people with dry and sensitive skin.” MuLondon has been in business since 2008.

Strawberry Hedgehog – Email: strawberryhedgehog@gmail.com Phoenix, AZ. – Ph. 928-637-6270 – Vegan bath product handcrafter that sells online and to retailers in Arizona, Southern California and Montana. Owner; Tracy Perkins, explains that they are best known for luxurious and beautiful organic oils soaps that you can find in the bulk section of all Arizona Whole Foods. They also carry a full line of fabulous facial care and pampering spa-quality body products! Tracy says “We pride ourselves on small batches, high quality ingredients, and no animal byproducts, testing, or synthetic fragrances, parabens, or chemical fillers. Fresh, gentle and effective plant-based products are what you will find with Strawberry Hedgehog! My soaps do contain organic palm oil, primarily from South America (no orangutan displacement) where it is my understanding that practices are more regulated than those of Southeast Asia. I have tried other formulations but cannot get the bars of soap the right consistency without it. I have seen other companies stop using palm oil and opt for SLS instead changing what was a natural soap into a chemical detergent, but that is not something I am willing to do. I am aware of the controversy and do my best in every way to be kind to the planet and to animals, with my products and in my regular life.” Tracy started experimenting and making products in 2003 but officially started her business in 2007. She moved production from her home kitchen into a small "factory" (1950's house kitchen and living space) one year ago. Finally, Tracy adds “My day job is as a community college instructor of geological sciences and I get to geek out when I design my soaps, as I use crushed minerals to color them! Crushed lapis lazuli produces the intense blue of the blueberry-lavender and pure lavender bars, crushed hematite produces a beautiful rusty red for sandalwood-patchouli, crushed goethite, a close relative of hematite, lends its powdery presence to produce a lovely yellow… it is pretty awesome!”

Cocoon Apothecary - www.cocoonapothecary.com – Email: info@cocoonapothecary.com – Location: USA - Ph.1 800-920-0754 – Manufacturer of skin care products, sold online. Owner; Jessica Burman, was motived to start this business because of her “love of all things botanical, and a concern about toxic chemicals in consumer products.” This vegan-owned and operated skin-care provider has been in business since 2003. Jessica tells us “We have signed a contract with PETA and use their Cruelty-free and Vegan stamp on our labels and our website.”

Dolma Vegan Perfumes - www.dolma-perfumes.co.uk - Email: info@dolma-perfumes.co.uk – Location: U. K. - Dolma is an online and mail order shop offering vegan perfumes and aftershaves. Sole trader; A. Farnath, explains “All Dolma  products are blended from safe, high quality, long established ingredients including a large proportion of natural essential oils with perfumery compounds and ethyl alcohol. They are suitable for vegans, vegetarians or anyone wishing to avoid animal-derived and animal-tested products. A fixed cut-off date of 1976 applies.” Dolma is certified vegan by The Vegan Society and BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection). The company has been in business for 30 years.

Yakshi Naturals, A division of Lotus Brands, Inc. -Twin Lakes, WI. USA - Phone: 262 889 8561 - Email: yakshi@lotuspress.com -Manufacturer of Yakshi all natural fragrances; fragrances that capture the wonders of the world. Products are available through the Natural Products Industry, and through website -www.yakshifragrances.com - Not tested on animals. Not vegan certified, but is 100% vegan, though not marketed as such. Yakshi Naturals is the new line from Yakshi Fragrances, which has an all-natural base with fragrances.

Beauty Without Cruelty -  Email: bwc@lotuspress.com – Location: Twin Lakes, WI., USA - Ph. 262 889 8561 – A manufacturer of natural cruelty-free personal care & cosmetics products, sold through numerous natural food outlets in the USA and Canada.  Products are also sold through online retailers as well, including an online store at their website. They offer hair care, skin care, facial care, color cosmetics, sunscreen, moisturizers, lotions, etc. It is very much intentional that all products are vegan. ‘Beauty Without Cruelty’ was the very first brand to develop a product line that is not tested on animals, going back to the work of the Lady Dowding in the UK, which started in 1959, with the brand launched in 1963. All their vendors for this brand have certified “no animal testing” including their raw material vendors. They are certified vegan by The Vegan Society UK. Owner: Santosh Krinsky, further explains the inspiration behind this product line: “The Beauty Without Cruelty brand was started by Lady Dowding when her husband, the air Marshall Dowding of the UK, challenged her to not just complain about animal testing cruelty but to “do something about it” by making cruelty-free products available as an alternative. The brand has maintained this inspiration and mission since its inception.” Santosh expounds “We try to bring awareness about the ongoing cruelty to animals in the name of beauty. I have been active writing articles, being interviewed and posting on our facebook page, to ensure people are aware of these issues and the choices they have.”

NeemAura Naturals; A division of Lotus Brands, Inc. - website - Twin Lakes, WI, USA - Email:  NeemAura@lotuspress.com - Phone: 262 889 8561 - Brand Owner/Manufacturer with sales through the website, etc. NeemAura Naturals brand are intentionally 100% vegan. They offer Neem based Personal Care, Herbal Dietary Supplements, Bulk Neem, Neem Cream, Hand & Body Lotion and Neem Soap. No honey, no unethical palm oil, certified that products are not tested on animals by Leaping Bunny. They are not certified vegan nor do products say "vegan" on the label. Lotus Brands, Inc. is a majority woman-owned company started for the purpose of providing safe, effective and natural alternatives to people for maintaining their well-being in harmony with the planet. When they moved to the Midwest in 1981, Santosh and Karuna Krinsky decided to start a natural products company to help educate the people about natural, cruelty-free alternatives to the chemical products found in mainstream markets. From a small beginning in their residence, the business continued to expand into successively larger facilities until in 1991 it relocated to its present facility in Wisconsin. In 1992, the brands owned by the company were spun off into Lotus Brands, Inc. in order to provide a focus and a dedicated staff to develop and manage these brands. The founders of Lotus Brands, Inc. have been practicing integral yoga since the early 1970’s and Santosh Krinsky is instrumental in founding the Institute for Wholistic Education. The Institute is dedicated to the development of human potential through the integration of spirituality into daily life. The focus is on exploring human evolution and creating opportunities for individuals to bring about meaningful change in their own lives and in human society. ~ Neem has been used for thousands of years and has been documented in the ancient herbal healing science of India, Ayurveda, as well as having hundreds of scientific papers written about its helpful properties.

Sevani Botanica – PA., USA – Ph. 610 260 9930 - Manufacturer of non- toxic vegan skin care products. Products are sold online and they have a skin care studio. Owner; Sheryl L. Gibbs, is a vegan and an animal rights activist. She tells us “We are certified cruelty-free with PETA and Leaping Bunny but we go the extra mile and research our raw materials suppliers.” The packaging and website denote the word 'Vegan. In business since 2011, the founder; a holistic aesthetician for 25 years, has always known the importance of using truly natural non-toxic, non-animal derived ingredients for radiant beauty and overall wellness. They use glass (more eco-friendly). They don't use chemical preservatives or artificial fragrance. They're rated "Champions" by the EWG's database for safe cosmetics. They're a Green America company. Email:  - info@sevanibeauty.com 

Wellinhand Action Remedies - www.wellinhand.com - Location: Forest, Virginia, USA – Ph. (434) 534-6050 - Manufacturers of certified vegan personal care products sold online at their website, and they accept walk-in customers during the week. Linda Doby; Director/Product Formulator,  offers herbal and aromatherapeutic remedies for common and confidential conditions such as warts, herpes, acne, fungal nails, arthritis, skin issues, insomnia, deodorants, yeast infections, etc. They are intentionally vegan as Linda describes “We are certified vegan by VeganAction.org for the past 18 years because it matters!”  Linda shares “Our first product, THERAPY OIL, was awarded Grand Prize at the International Herb Symposium in 1994. From that day and for the past 18 years people have asked to purchase THERAPY OIL. We now have over 100 personal care products.” In business for 18 years, Linda says “25% of our beloved staff are disabled workers. 100% of our workers set their own hours to accommodate their families. We all enjoy our spacious 13,000 square foot manufacturing facility in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”

Skin Free RX Skincare - www.skinfree.net - Location: Virginia Beach, VA, USA – Ph. 1-888-450-2450 toll-free. Skin Free is an online skincare line for people with sensitive skin; offering soaps, cleansers, moisturizers, and herbal remedies. Julie Hilton is a pharmacist with a background in compounding, and she realized that artificial fragrances, colorants, and harsh chemicals can cause a great deal of the skin issues that she saw in her patients. She wanted to use the natural ingredients found in oils and butters such as olive, shea, tamanu, coconut, and macadamia to prevent and alleviate skin issues. She uses soy over bee products. She uses palm oil, but says it is sourced from places that do not displace wildlife. She's opposed to animal testing of any kind and does not use ingredients that have been animal tested. Julie began formulating products for her Skin Free line in 2005. Julie is not vegan; however her products are! She feels that plant sources are the best for the types of products she makes.

Pure Snickety Vegan Body Care – www.puresnickety.com – Email: info@puresnickety.com – This online store selling vegan body care products has many online locations with information and shopping options. The main shop offers PayPal for payment processing. Their Etsy shop offers payment processing through Etsy. Also find Pure Snickety on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. The products are artisan, hand-blended, vegan and cruelty free, made from naturally derived ingredients using organic content when possible and are scented using only pure essential oils. They currently offer body scrubs and body butters in three essential oil blends. Owner; Sally Birch informs us that “‘Pure Snickety’ is a play on the word: persnickety. Persnickety describes a person who is picky, choosy, and particular. Since there are many harmful chemicals in products today, we believe that being choosy with what you put on your body is essential. That's why we say, ‘be picky about purity.’” When asked if they use palm oil they say “Our body butters contain palm oil. Our palm oil is from a sustainable source that consciously uses harvested palm from areas that will not affect the indigenous species or habitat. It is also worth mentioning that our body scrubs use sugar from sugar beets instead of cane juice.” They also tell us “Our labels contain an image of an adorable little mouse with the word "vegan" at the bottom.” Sally Birch has been a vegetarian most of her life and considers herself “an aspiring vegan as she continues to learn more from the amazing online vegan community.”

Sonoma Soap Company; a division of Lotus Brands, Inc. - website  - Twin Lakes, WI, USA - For Order Inquiries call 1-800-824-6396 - Email:  info@sonomasoapcompany.com - Brand and Manufacturer, products for sale on website and retail. All products are intentionally 100% vegan. "There may be small amounts of palm oil used, but we have been assured that it has been sourced from the rain-forest alliance/sustainable palm oil round-table to avoid habitat destruction." says Tom Olson; company representative. He continues "We absolutely maintain a cruelty-free - not tested on animals - requirement on all of our products.  We are certified and listed as cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics as seen here  - Sonoma Soap Company  is a majority woman-owned family business. Santosh krinsky is the CEO. Ownership is strict vegetarian. Some members of the staff are vegan, but this is not a requirement to work at the company. In the late 1990s, exceptional natural soaps were carefully hand-crafted in the beautiful wine country region of Sonoma Valley, California. Those unique soaps were the precursor to today's Sonoma Soap Company, makers of premium quality all-natural body care products including shampoos, conditioners, liquid hand soaps, bar soaps, bath and shower gels, and body lotions.

Visit Valana Minerals

All natural mineral make-up for
people of color. And lip gloss

Vegan Canine and Feline Food and Supplements

V-dog –www.v-dog.com - Email: info@v-dog.com - Ph. 888-280-8364. Locations: Sacramento, CA. and Memphis, TN. Sells Vegan Dog Food and Treats. Unlike many other providers of vegan dog food, V-Dog sells ONLY vegan products. The company is owned by David Middlesworth, who is a long time vegan who loves dogs. V-Dog is a dedicated vegan family business devoted to bringing the very best vegan dog food and treats to market, since 1995.

Harbingers of a New Age - www.vegepet.com - Email: info@vegepet.com – Location: Troy MT., USA - Ph: 406 295-4944   Fax: 406 295-7603. HOANA manufactures a line of supplements that enables cats and dogs to eat vegan and maintain excellent health, and is sold online. All products are labeled vegan. The owner; James Peden is a vegan, the rest of his personnel are vegetarian. HOANA has been in business since 1986 (26 years!) providing a means for dogs and cats to be healthy on a vegan diet. This unique product is distributed in 38 countries!

VeganPet – www.veganpet.com.au/articles/ - Email: veganpet@bigpond.com – Victoria, Australia - Phone - 03 59 427461. VeganPet is an Australian on-line shop specializing in all types of vegan, high quality, human-grade, organic dog and cat food which is nutritionally complete and balanced. Vegan Pet is owned and operated by Sandy Anderson; who is not herself 100% vegan, but she sells ONLY vegan products, very intentionally. The idea for developing VeganPet food began in 1999. The testing was completed in 2001. VeganPet food is clinically tested and scientifically evaluated. Sandy explains the inspiration behind VeganPet is her great love of animals that made her a veggie person. Then a few friends who are vegan had companion animals (especially cats) who were vegan and they really didn't look so good, so with great encouragement, she embarked on studies to find out if an animal that is obligate carnivore could eat a vegan diet. In response to an interview question, Sandy explains: “The pet food industry is self-regulated, meaning you can do anything you like to make pet food; which is shameful. I only have my reputation and my ethical standards that keep the vegan high quality food going. Many pet food companies claim their food is vegan and it is not. The raw materials and the finished food are stored together with the meat-based food. The vegan food is made through the same mixing/cooking machine as the meat-based food is. They use additives that are cheaper, for example Taurine; which at inception comes from bovine bile, but is claimed to be synthetic - BUT NOT vegan, are used and claimed as vegan. They are driven by greed and I worry for the poor animals eating the food. I have all additives certified as vegan and human-grade.”

Eric Weisman

Evolution Diet Vegan Pet Food and Holistic Health Consulting Service – www.petfoodshop.com. Evolution Diet is a vegan pet food design, manufacturing and distribution company. Evolution Diet sells food directly from their offices and warehouse in downtown St. Paul, MN., USA - and online. They provide a full line of gourmet dry and moist dog, cat, and ferret foods along with a full line of vegan supplements; everything is vegan as they are an animal-rights based organization. They certify that their products are vegan themselves. Evolution is owned and operated by vegan staff. CEO is Eric Weisman; Dr. of health sciences, holistic practitioner, and the president is Lynn Crandall Weisman. In 1988, the inspiration for the company came when the Weismans “witnessed how horribly the animal farming industry tortures and kills animals” – and they've been operating the last 24 years since then. Their gourmet pet foods can be modified for specific health conditions and palatability requirements just by adding different foods and supplements to them.

Augustine Approved - Facebook   - E-mail:  info@augustineapproved.com - Ph. +61 402 213 300 – Location:  Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - Manufacturer of Augustine's SuperBoost - the world’s first and only100% certified organic wholefood supplement (no synthetics) formulated for canines. Augustine's SuperBoost - Vegan; the world’s first and only 100% certified organic wholefood supplement formulated for canines fed a vegan diet. (It’s also a great addition to smoothies.) Their primary focus is making human food for dogs, however all products are 100% certified organic, vegan-friendly and approved by the Vegan Society, and are made to human standards so you can eat them too. There’s an online store for international orders. Their products are stocked by health food stores, vet clinics, etc. They are currently working towards distribution to the U.K. and the U.S. All products display the Vegan Society trademark. Phivo Christodoulou is the owner and the businesses is owned and operated by vegan staff. The world's greatest dog food began with a puppy named Augustine; who was plagued with digestive issues; story here: http://augustineapproved.com/our_story.php  - The very new company just started trading as of August 2012. They claim “The difference in dogs has to be seen to be believed.” When the standard questionnaire asked ‘do you test your products on animals?’ – their response was: “Our products are tested on many animals. The poor souls are burdened with eating fresh certified organic food full of powerful nutrients.  We make no apologies.”

Max and Ruffy's Natural Organic Treats for Dogs - www.maxandruffys.com/ - Location: Maryland, USA - From the small Max and Ruffy’s bakery, they offer a wholesome selection of delicious, healthy dog treats that are crafted with the human-grade, certified organic ingredients. They are also free of wheat, corn, soy and GMO's. The treats contain no no additives, no artificial coloring, no flavor enhancer and no preservatives, no ingredients that were sourced from human or animal exploitation. Treats include Five-Star Blueberry, Butternut Squash & Kelp flavor, Coconut, Molasses and Flax flavor, Mother Quinoa's Pumpkin Patch and Powerhouse: Sweet Potato and Alfalfa flavor. Kelly Raiser and Beth Grace are the owners. The business is owned by vegans -  and staff are constantly inspired to become vegan! They tell us "Our passion and love for dogs was the driver for starting Max & Ruffy's. We had been baking homemade treats and food for our pack, and then began sharing the goodies with our friends and veterinary professionals. Everyone who tried the stuff pushed us to start a business, so in 2009 Max & Ruffy's was born." The owners, Beth and Kelly, are partners in life and in business. They're three dogs, Edith; an 18 year old Beagle, Grover; a 10 year old Chihuahua mix, and Jyoti; a 5 year old Chihuahua mix go to work with Kelly everyday at the bakery!

Vegan and Environmentally-friendly Cleaning Products

Planet Inc.  - Email: contact@planetinc.com - Ph. 1-800-858-8449 - Victoria, British Columbia, CANADA. Planet Inc. is a manufacturer and its products are sold in major grocery chains, health food stores and co-ops as, and online. They offer:  dishwashing liquid, powdered and liquid laundry detergents, and all-purpose spray cleaner. Planet Inc. has chosen not to use products that contain animal ingredients or byproducts. However, none of their products are vegan-certified. They explain “We do not test, and have never tested, any of our final products or product ingredients on animals, and we do not subcontract, and have not subcontracted, any animal testing of our products or product ingredients.” Planet Inc. was founded in 1989 by a group of friends who were concerned about water and soil pollution. They took action by launching a company committed to developing and selling environmentally-friendly products. “Planet products are plant-based, hypoallergenic, and do a great job cleaning. But, the main thing that sets Planet cleaners apart from other eco-friendly products is that they are certified to be 100% biodegradable by an independent authority; Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). As most people know, the word “biodegradable” is not a regulated term, and even mainstream brands use it on their packaging – after all, most everything does biodegrade over time. But the SCS certification requires three things: First, each ingredient must break down into basic minerals, carbon dioxide, and water, and a minimum of 70% of it must degrade within 28 days. Second, each ingredient must be able to degrade, even in worst-case conditions (for example, without oxygen). Third, no ingredient may harm aquatic life while it is degrading. If any ingredient does not meet these stringent standards, a product does not get the SCS seal of approval. This is your assurance that Planet’s claims are valid.”

Vegan Accommodation/Retreats/Lodging/B and B

Nikki and friends

Bed and Broccoli - www.bedandbroccoli.com.au - Vegan Bed & Breakfast in Australia; offering vegan food, sauces, jams, preserves and chutneys, etc. and they make the bulk of their cleaning products, and purchased ones are always ethical. Their label/logo: Bed and Broccoli...a very vegan experience. Their policy is NO animal food by-products allowed on property.  Vegan owned and operated by Nikki Medwell, who explains “Being vegan and unable to find vegan accommodation is what inspired Bed and Broccoli to open for business in November 2011.” Nikki tells us that they rescue abandoned animals and that makes them what they are, and that those animals have the ability to educate non-vegans by just 'being'.

The Ginger Cat Bed and Breakfast of Watkins Glen, N.Y - www.gingercat-bb.com - located 5 miles north  Contact:  Gita Devi - Ph. 607.535.9627  Email: stay@gingercat-bb.com – All food and bath products are vegan. The vegan margarine does contain palm oil.  Gita tells us “After working at Farm Sanctuary and helping with the B&B cabins, I knew there was a need for a 100% vegan B&B in the area.” Owner; Gita Devi is a long-term vegan, animal activist who opened the Ginger Cat’s doors in 2008.

The Lodge - www.thelodgegrenada.com - Email: thelodge@spiceisle.com - St. George's, Grenada, West Indies - Ph. +1 473 440 2330 - Freephone (US and Canada only): 1 877 528 6120 - 100% Vegan Guest House – Bed and Breakfast, certified by U.K. Vegan Society. Mark Hardy is the owner and he tells us the inspiration for The Lodge was “to offer fellow Vegans/Veggies the vacation that my late wife and I were never able to find.” The Lodge has been in business for 10 years (2002). 100% Vegan (including all cleaning materials, etc.) The owner is organic and vegan for 26 years.

Hepburn Retreat Centre - www.hepburnretreatcentre.com.au - Hepburn Springs, Victoria, Australia – This Retreat Centre/Guest House offers food, accommodation, workshops, retreats – and is a vegan sanctuary. Owner; Zalan Glen, says ‘life’ is what inspired him and wants to show just how natural a vegan life is. Hepburn Retreat Centre is vegan-owned and operated and in existence for 24 years! Email: enquiries@hepburnretreatcentre.com.au

The Barn Vegan Guest House - www.veggiebarn.net – Located in New Forest, South of England, U.K.  - Exclusively vegan accommodation; providing vegan food and household goods (soaps, duvets, products that were not tested on animals, etc.) They are certified by The Vegan Society U.K. The owners are a joint partnership of Richard and Sandra Barnett; both vegans. They were inspired by visiting a vegan guest house in Ireland 15 years ago, and The Barn Vegan Guest House (which is in a real house, not a barn) has been in business since 2003. Richard and Sandra tell us that they are 100% solar powered, too.

Vegan Camps and Youth Services

Andy Mars with kids

*Camp Exploration - www.CampExploration.org and www.VeganCamp.org - vegan camps for children during summer and winter vacations - 100% vegan - U.S. since 1992. *Mars Academy - www.MarsAcademy.org and www.VeganSchool.org - vegan school for children - * www.KidsMakeADifference.org - vegan weekend programs for children - *www.VegKids.org - club/group for children who are vegan to get together and realize that they are not alone in their conscious choices and living. *Perpend Educational Services - www.Perpend.org - educational consulting, counseling, tutoring, etc. for children, parents, schools, etc. These educational, family, youth, services are offered by Andy Mars, Ph.D of Tarzana, CA., USA - Ph. 818.344-7838. Dr. Mars has been on the Board of Trustees of The American Vegan Society for a quarter of a century. He is actively involved as a leader of the vegan community of Los Angeles. He set out to provide “the most completely conscious, best programs for kids and our world.” All snacks offered are 100% vegan. Staff is vegan. These camps and programs have allowed children and families to explore vegan living and they've had hundreds of kids who have gone vegan from attending these programs.

Youth Empowered Action Camp - www.yeacamp.org - is a summer camp for youth 12-17 who want to make a difference in the world. YEA trains young activists and builds knowledge, skills, confidence and community with youth change-makers. YEA Camp serves all-vegan food, although being vegan is not a requirement to come to the camp. YEA Camp is operated by two vegan directors who are activists on a variety of issues. YEA Camp was founded in 2009 and operates camps in Oregon, California, New Jersey and adding a fourth location in 2013.

Vegan Public Relations/Marketing/Consulting Businesses

Evolotus PR - www.evolotuspr.com – Email: info@evolotuspr.com - Los Angeles, CA., USA - Ph. 818-783-0569. Public relations agency owned by vegan animal rights activists: Gary Smith and Kezia Jauron. Evolutus is a vegan-owned and operated company - since 2006. Evolotus PR was created to serve socially beneficial clients such as nonprofits, documentary films, animal advocacy campaigns, books, health/wellness and vegan products. Our mission is to help like-minded organizations and businesses tell their story and gain visibility to in turn create a better, more sustainable and peaceful world. Gary and Kezia explain: “After six years of focusing on issues like animal rights and veganism, we have a perspective and expertise that our clients appreciate and so do journalists. Getting media attention for these issues is a form of activism for us.”

Vegan Edge Consulting -  Email: simon@veganedgeconsulting.com - Facebook Page  - Operates worldwide online (with physical bases in England, UK and Ontario, Canada) – Ph. 613-967-7989 - Vegan Edge Consulting is a full service Business Development & Marketing agency working exclusively with vegan businesses & entrepreneurs. They offer Strategy & Planning, Branding & Marketing, Web Development & Graphic Design services. Owner; Simon Allard is a business coach and marketing strategist by profession and has been running his own consulting company since 1999. Simon explains “However, because I am passionate about my veganism (my whole family are strict vegan too) I have newly set up "Vegan Edge Consulting" as a separate business to EXCLUSIVELY help vegan businesses and entrepreneurs. This means I can now combine my years of business and marketing experience with my ethical lifestyle choices to help other vegans in their business pursuits.” They also run several other Vegan Facebook pages: Vegan Business Guide, Toronto Vegan Guide. Become A Vegan, and Vegan Maven.

Vegan Investing

Cruelty Free Super, offered by Ethical Money Pty Ltd. - www.crueltyfreesuper.com.au. There's also a separate Blog looking at global aspects of Cruelty Free Money - www.crueltyfreemoney.com. Cruelty Free Super has been designed to be Australia's first on-line only Superfund, promoted via social media and our members. It’s a vegan-friendly Superfund, investing in line with cruelty free principles. Lee Coates OBE, founded Ethical Money Pty Ltd in Australia on 10/10/10 (2010) and remains Managing Director. Lee tells us that there’s “No animal testing - it wouldn't be cruelty free if we allowed any testing, even for pharmaceutical research.” This very innovative vegan business takes cruelty free principles to the heart of the very animal unfriendly financial system.