14 Women Entrepreneurs Who Are Changing the World for Farmed Animals

Demand for delicious plant-based options is on the rise! A 2020 survey by Mercy For Animals found that people in the United States, Brazil, Mexico, India, and China had reduced their consumption of animal products because of the pandemic.

Additionally, a recent report by Absolute Markets Insights found that the abundance of plant-based products has been steadily increasing in countries including New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Germany.

In meeting growing demand, women are leading the charge. Meet 14 innovative women who are truly changing the world for farmed animals through their compassionate business ventures.

 

1. Alexis Fox

Alexis Fox is the co-founder of Lighter, a company that helps people prepare vegan meals by giving them personalized menus, shopping lists, and recommendations from “food leaders, including athletes and chefs.
In an interview with Forbes, Fox describes Lighter as “the Pandora for food, because the software used gradually learns a person’s preferences and makes suggestions accordingly. Fox explains that people often feel lost or overwhelmed when deciding to eat less meat, but Lighter helps users find recipes to suit their preferences.

2. Miyoko Schinner

Miyoko Schinner created her own vegan dairy brand, Miyoko’s Creamery. Her products are available in many stores, including Whole Foods. She makes delicious artisanal cheeses, cream cheese spreads, and even cultured vegan butter! Schinner and her husband also founded the farmed animal sanctuary Rancho Compasión. Using the tagline “phenomenally vegan, Schinner is proud of her company for providing products that help protect the environment, animals, and the health of consumers.

 

3. Babette Davis

Chef Babette Davis is the co-owner of Stuff I Eat, a vegan restaurant in Inglewood, California. The restaurant opened around nine years ago and is known for being the first vegan restaurant in the area. Davis says that Stuff I Eat has improved the community by providing delicious and nutritious meals to all her customers, vegan or otherwise. The restaurant serves burgers, burritos, soul food, and other favorites.

4. Liz Dee

Current co-president of Smarties, Liz Dee is an amazing vegan and business owner. The candy company was founded by her grandfather, and when customers asked whether the candies were vegetarian or vegan, Dee’s research led her to become vegan herself after learning about how animals used for food were abused.

 
In addition to continuing to make the “accidentally vegan candies, Dee is in charge of two other companies. She is co-founder and CEO of Baleine & Bjorn Capital, an investment company that invests in creating alternatives to animal products, and she founded Vegan Lady Boss, a network that brings women together and empowers them to become more effective in both their activism and their business.

5. Amy McNutt

Amy McNutt is the founder of Spiral Diner and Bakery in Dallas, Texas. The restaurant aims to provide vegan food in a comfortable atmosphere, serving classic diner food, such as pancakes, burgers, and milkshakes. The business has been running for 16 years, now with three locations, and donates a portion of profits to organizations that work for social, animal, and environmental causes.

 

6. Sara Sohn

Sara Sohn is the founder of Sweet & Sara, a vegan marshmallow company. Sohn was determined to fulfill the need for vegan marshmallows and created her own company! The family-run business was featured in VegNews, in Martha Stewart Weddings, and on Food Network’s The Rachel Ray Show. Sadly, the company closed its doors in 2017, but you can still find Sohn sharing adorable photos on Instagram featuring her rescued dog, Quincey.

7. Maya’s Cookies

Maya Madsen founded her gourmet cookie company, Maya’s Cookies, in 2015. Driven to create the perfect soft-baked vegan cookie, she took her time crafting award-winning desserts that can be shipped across the country. Maya lives in San Diego, where her travels, memories, and experiences inspire her to invent exciting new cookie flavors. Check out our exclusive interview with Maya.

 

8. Chloe Coscarelli

Chloe Coscarelli became a well-known vegan chef after winning on the television show Cupcake Wars. In 2017 VegNews shared that Chloe Coscarelli had made the Forbes list of 30 influential young entrepreneurs because of the success of her all-vegan restaurant chain, by CHLOE. Coscarelli has also authored several books, including Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen and the latest, Chloe Flavor.

9. Sadrah Schadel

A lifelong vegetarian, Sadrah Schadel set out on a journey to make plant-based protein products that rival their animal-based counterparts. The North Carolina-based company she co-founded, No Evil Foods, offers delicious products available in grocery stores across the country.

 

10 and 11. Jenny Engel and Heather Bell

Sisters Jenny Engel and Heather Bell founded Spork Foods. The company leads classes teaching customers to cook delicious vegan meals and offers catering, chef training, private cooking instruction, and cooking parties! The sisters also authored the books Spork Fed and Vegan 101.

 

12. Michaela Grob

 
Michaela Grob is the owner and founder of Riverdel, a cheese shop in Brooklyn, New York. When she realized there wasn’t a shop in the city selling a range of all-vegan cheeses, she decided to open one, selling both her own creations and curated products from vegan cheesemakers across the country. The shop also offers other gourmet vegan products and made-to-order sandwiches!

13 and 14. Erica and Sara Kubersky

Erica and Sara Kubersky are sisters who founded the company MooShoes, a vegan shoe store selling products in New York, Los Angeles, and online. In addition to footwear, MooShoes sells T-shirts, books, and accessories like wallets and bags.
The sisters also founded Orchard Grocer, a vegan New York-style deli next to their New York MooShoes location!
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The success of these incredible entrepreneurs and their companies is great news for farmed animals. Cows, pigs, chickens and other animals raised for food and clothing are subjected to unthinkable cruelties.

With more and more delicious vegan products hitting the market, there’s truly never been a better time to eat more plant-based foods. Order your FREE Vegetarian Starter Guide today. And check out our Pinterest page for thousands of recipe ideas!