After living as a vegan in a world without vegan marshmallows, Sara Sohn was determined to fill that gap by creating mouthwatering marshmallows that vegans and non-vegans could all enjoy. This was the simple idea behind the celebrated Queens-based company Sweet & Sara, which has been featured in VegNews magazine and Martha Stewart’s Weddings magazine, as well as on the Food Network and the Rachel Ray Show. Sweet & Sara’s lineup of delicious vegan treats includes a variety of marshmallow flavors, such as Smores, Rice Crispy Treats, and Rocky Road Bark, all of which can be found throughout the United States and select locations in Canada and overseas. We recently spoke with Sara to find out more about the vegan marshmallow that’s changed the world!
MFA: Why did you first become interested in veganism?
Sara Sohn: When I was 12, the sweetest, most adorable bunny came into my life. Skipper was my baby and she immediately changed the way I viewed animals. One day at my neighborhood street fair, I came across an animal rights table and the first thing I saw was a huge picture of a rabbit with blistered eyes and exposed flesh, and I was sickened to find out she was a victim of cosmetic testing. The whole time I kept thinking about Skipper. If someone even petted her a little rough I would get upset, so I could only imagine how I would react if chemicals were being burned into her eyes and skin. The lady behind the table asked me if I would ever eat my rabbit, to which I replied, “Of course not!” She then asked me why I ate cows and pigs if I wouldn’t eat my rabbit. Good question – and I didn’t have a good answer. The very next day I became a vegetarian. A year later I became vegan. Two decades later, I have never looked back. Going vegan is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.
MFA: What inspired you to start Sweet & Sara?
Sara Sohn: Being vegan meant I could no longer have my favorite sweet snacks – rice crispy treats and Korean moon pies – because both were made with marshmallows, and marshmallows contain gelatin, which is made from the tendons, ligaments, and bones of animals. Years went by, and I honestly thought someone was going to come out with a vegan marshmallow, but no one did, and I really, really wanted a rice crispy treat. I decided to take matters into my own hands, and though it was far from easy, I created the first vegan marshmallow! Sweet success.
MFA: What are your favorite ways to use Sweet & Sara Vegan Marshmallows?
Sara Sohn: I love to roast Classic Vanilla Marshmallows so they get nice and puffy and caramelized, then I smoosh them between graham crackers and chocolate to make the ultimate Smore. The Toasted Coconut Marshmallow is heavenly and amazing to eat as is – just pop ’em in your mouth. Strawberry Marshmallows are awesome to dip in chocolate. They are made with real strawberries, so it’s like eating chocolate-covered strawberries. Cinnamon Pecan Marshmallows are a dessert on their own: candied pecans atop a fluffy cinnamon mallow, and they are out of this world melted on candied yams. Mmm-mallows.
MFA: How do you go about developing new flavors and products?
Sara Sohn: I’m always testing out new products because my mind is always thinking about food, my stomach is always demanding food, and I’m always wishing that the non-vegan snacks I am constantly surrounded by could be made vegan. Most of my ideas come at night right before I fall asleep and research and development begins the next day. I’m obsessed with perfecting textures and keeping flavors simple but flavorful, and being the perfectionist I am, it can take over a year to put a product out on the market.
MFA: Where can our readers pick up some of your amazing cruelty-free delights?
Sara Sohn: Our vegan marshmallow treats can be found nationally and also in the UK, Canada, and Australia. You can find Sweet & Sara in supermarkets, delis, chain stores, mom-n-pops, movie theaters, online shops, and at our factory in Queens, NY. Oh, and we recently got picked up by Duane Reade, NYC’s largest chain convenience store (and subsidiary of Walgreens)! I am over the moon and proud that our vegan delights can be purchased in such mainstream places and are easily accessible. And it’s really sweet that our award-winning, scrumptious vegan marshmallow products have been featured on the Food Network, CNBC, and Rachel Ray’s talk show, and mentioned in Martha Stewart’s Weddings magazine! We are taking over the world one vegan marshmallow at a time.
If you haven’t already tried one, find a store near you or go online and try some of these delicious treats from the company that is helping people go vegan, one cruelty-free marshmallow at a time.
To learn more about choosing a compassionate vegan lifestyle, visit ChooseVeg.com.
