Over the last decade more Black Americans have made the shift to a vegan lifestyle. The heightened importance of a healthy diet to combat obesity, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, cardiac disease and strokes has motivated a life of plant-based eating for many. Aside from the rising consumer awareness, this is a pivotal period in society where more Black Americans are passionate about social justice, self-care, and animal rights. All of which influence the lifestyle shift to veganism.
No longer is the idea of a vegan diet categorized by just plain steamed broccoli and carrots. The vegan cuisine, and product categories, have developed into meals and desserts with high flavor components that mimic many of the traditional foods we love; and vegan friendly products that don't harm animals in the process. Veganpreneurs are creating offers that are significantly more appealing than ever before. The rise of the vegan lifestyle has been fueled by a new generation of vegan influencers, like actress and our virtual Auntie, Tabitha Brown, known for her vegan cooking videos and inspiration on Tik Tok and Instagram, and Pinky Cole the owner of one of Atlanta’s most iconic vegan joints, Slutty Vegan, which is set to open their fifth location since its inception in 2018.
Sistahs are stepping into the vegan space in a big way. Here are 7 Black Woman-Owned Vegan businesses you should know and follow.
Founder, Laaiquans Harvey Davis started How Delish HD when her son asked her to create a cookbook for him with all her recipes. After transitioning to a dairy free diet it was Laiquan’s goal to master dairy-free desserts. She decided to take it a step further, baking vegan and gluten free desserts. A local restaurant decided to add Laiquan's desserts to their menu which inspired her to create How Delish HD. Now How Delish HD offers a wide menu of foods, sweets, and drinks that cater to a plant based diet!
Dr. Tabatha Carr created Good Girl Chocolate in an effort to support her healthy lifestyle—and her sweet tooth. The good-for-you product line ranges from vegan milk chocolate to caramel cake truffles. Plus, five percent of sales go towards supporting underprivileged orphan children in Haiti.
3. Hella Nuts
Mieko Scott, and her daughter, Kami Quiñones, plant-based eatery specializes in using an array of nuts, seeds, and legumes to create plant-based yumminess. This vegan friendly eatery has created a patent-pending vegan ground meat made from walnuts. Hella Nuts™ patent-pending walnut meat resembles traditional ground meat. This pre-seasoned, preservative-free & oil-free product can be used for tacos, pasta, burgers, shepard's pie, pizzas, burritos, and an array of other dishes. Hella nuts offers 100% soy free and gluten free options as an alternative to existing vegan establishments in the Bay Area.
Founded in 2015 by Maya Madsen, Maya's Cookies is America's #1 Black-owned gourmet vegan cookie company. As a vegan with a sweet tooth, she had not been able to find that perfectly delicious, soft-baked gourmet vegan cookie, so she spent years crafting her award-winning and crowd-pleasing recipes. From the classic to unique and forward-thinking flavors such as "Chocolate Chip S'mores" and "Marble Fudge", every flavor has a story grounded in Maya's travels, memories, and experiences. Alongside providing the highest quality product that appeal to everyone, Maya's Cookies is committed to superior customer service and community engagement, with a focus on youth and underserved communities. Maya's Cookies ships nationwide.
From the founders of New York-based Whipped Urban Dessert Lab comes Oaté, a line of “ice crème” pints available for nationwide shipping through Goldbelly. Founded by sisters Courtney Blagrove and Zan B.R, Whipped Urban Dessert Lab made headlines for being the first ice cream shop to make oat milk soft serve. This duo noticed a lack of a good plant-based substitute for ice cream and found that a lot of individuals are either lactose-intolerant or are have lactose sensitivities. You don't have to be a vegan to know that Oaté is the perfect treat to satisfy any sweet tooth.
This San Antonio, TX-based online bakery recreates Southern classics with a vegan twist—from bundt cakes and brownies to buttermilk pancake mixes. Husband-and-wife team Marcus and Cara Pitts launched the bakery in 2018 after watching the documentary What the Health, which inspired them to go vegan.
This Husband and Wife duo co-founded Serenity Nail Polish in the summer of 2020. During a global pandemic, the two were able to spend more time with their daughter, Serenity. What started as a moment shared between a mom and daughter grew into an entire business plan. They are on a mission to create more priceless experiences with loved ones.
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