A Kelowna-based vegan marketplace is making waves in the U.S. and soon enough, locally as well.
Vejii launched three months ago, offering a marketplace with 3,000 plant-based products.
CEO Kory Zelickson said the goal is to provide a centralized shopping experience to make going vegan less intimidating. He added that Vejii’s goal is to be able to promote animal welfare and support for our environment through their vegan offerings.
“Unfortunately still today, although there’s been a lot of growth and availability of plant-based products in supermarkets, the offerings still aren’t really there,” he said.
“As somebody who is vegan and with a family with kids, I always end up having to go to two or three different grocery stores to get what we need for the week.”
Vejii offers plant-based dairy, meats, seafood, supplements, as well as skincare products. Zelickson said the point is to have more variety when it comes to vegan food items than what is available in big box stores.
Besides trying to make plant-based food items more accessible, Zelickson added that Vejii’s goal is to support plant-based food producers, especially small businesses, which is why the site doesn’t function like a traditional e-commerce website.
“We actually offer a platform for startup brands to list their product on the website and then gain national exposure,” he said.
“This is something that’s very important to us in supporting local businesses in the plant-based food space.”
He said they’re excited to support more plant-based small businesses and that they are looking forward to working with B.C. plant-based manufacturers to help distribute their products to a wider range of people.
“We’re planning on launching in Canada very soon, and Vejii will be available locally here (in Kelowna) very soon.”
If you wish to find out what Vejii has to offer or if you’re a plant-based business and would like to work with them, you can visit Vejii’s website.
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