Vkind 2023: Building the VegEconomy Together

DeliveryRank chats with Star Simmons – a visionary entrepreneur who is leading the charge for a plant-based economy with Vkind. Vkind is a comprehensive directory of vegan businesses and professionals, making it easy for conscious consumers to connect with ethical and sustainable companies. With a mission to revolutionize the current food system, Vkind is dedicated to promoting animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and healthy living. As the founder of Vkind, Star Simmons is committed to creating a community of like-minded individuals who want to co-create a better future for all.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Vkind and how you hope to revolutionize the food system and supply chain?

The inspiration behind Vkind arose from being a vegan who felt frustrated from working with establishments/individuals that didn’t “get it”. I once had a plumber show up at my home with their fresh fried chicken order to eat for lunch.  I felt uncomfortable allowing him in my home to eat his chicken and my place smelled like it after.

I wished at that moment to have a resource at my fingertips for finding businesses and professionals, in addition to food and dining establishments, that were aligned with my ethical values.

After an exhaustive search, I discovered there wasn’t an app or service out there with everything I wanted; I knew if I wanted it, so did other vegans.

Rather than wait for someone else to create the resource I wanted, I chose to assemble a team of passionate individuals possessing the skills and talents to make my vision a reality.

Vkind hopes to revolutionize the food system and supply chain by continuing to grow The VegEconomy®, a network of plant-based businesses and professionals co-creating a plant-powered economy.

How do you go about identifying value-aligned businesses and connecting them with consumers who share their values?

For years I’ve been referred to as a “professional connector” by friends and colleagues. I’m intrigued by what makes impact-driven companies tick and get inspired by the entrepreneurs behind them.

The Vkind team is always on the lookout for the latest innovations in the vegan sphere,  we love helping others find ways to make simple diet and lifestyle changes that have a positive impact on animals and the planet.

How do you ensure that the businesses you work with are committed to promoting animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and healthy living, and what criteria do you use to evaluate them?

A vegan brand or business will embody the values of animal welfare, and environmental sustainability.

Vkind only lists 100% vegan brands and businesses on our platform. We have an extensive vetting process in place by which multiple team members research each business or product before publicly listing them.

Once they’ve been verified, we provide them with a “Vkind Verified Vegan Business” badge to display on their website, letting their potential customers know at a glance that this is a company they’d like to support.

What role do you believe technology plays in promoting sustainable and ethical food choices, and how is Vkind leveraging technology to achieve its mission?

We can all agree that food technology is rapidly evolving to meet consumer preferences. Advancements in AI, 3D printing, cell-cultured meat, and precision fermentation processes are allowing us to develop bioidentical products and plant-based alternatives that keep consumers satisfied while removing animals from the equation.

Vkind is leveraging technology through our newly redesigned app and website that puts plant-based businesses and resources at your fingertips. We’re also testing a fully-vegan AI tool that we hope will help our platform be the ultimate resource for our community.

What are some of the biggest challenges that you’ve faced in your efforts to promote ethical and sustainable food choices, and how do you see Vkind evolving in the future to address these challenges?

The biggest challenge is the cost associated with getting things to market; not only is there a large investment required up front but also the ingredients needed to produce goods with ethical and sustainable standards are often higher than conventionally-sourced goods. Naturally, this drives sales prices up for the consumer and can be a huge barrier for lower-income households.

Also, many people haven’t been educated about the harm animal agriculture causes to their health and the environment. They’ve been misinformed about nutrition by industry-funded pseudo-science that can close their mind to the alternatives.

Vkind is a vegan platform but we’re evolving to connect more with mainstream audiences and those who identify as “flexitarian” or “veg-curious”. Our goal is to make this lifestyle so fun and accessible that those remaining on the fence can’t help but make the full transition to a plant-based diet and lifestyle!