It’s not just soy milk and veggie dogs: plant-based food products of all kinds are blowing up. “The growth of plant-based foods that directly replace animal products has surged 29% in the past two years to $5 billion,” reports The Beet. “Since the pandemic hit, it's grown even faster.”
Steven Smith noticed – and took action.
He’s the founder of Vegan Fine Foods, a supermarket and café that has found massive success in Florida. Now, he wants to take the brand nationwide.
Two crowdfunded investment campaigns have already brought in nearly $2 million – but he’s not just doing it for the money.
“I spent years living in food deserts with little to no accessibility to nutrient-dense foods and I see how damaging that can be for underserved communities,“ he told Veg News. Smith says he believes in the health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle, and wants low-income communities to have more access to the benefits – affordably.
With health, food justice, community support and, of course, profit on the table, this could be the blueprint for Black entrepreneurship. Keep an eye out for a Vegan Fine Foods store in your city soon!