Online vegan marketplace Vejii has signed an agreement with United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), the largest publicly traded grocery distributor in North America.
The agreement will allow Vejii to supply 5000 of its products more reliably and consistently. It will also significantly increase profit margins, as the company will benefit from UNFI’s tiered discount structure.
Currently, Vejii offers products in categories such as grocery, supplements, and household supplies. It is hoping to expand this to include sustainable vegan clothing and furniture.
In an interview with vegconomist earlier this year, CEO Kory Zelickson said the company had considered an IPO. “Vejii is committed to our goals and will plan for a public listing in the short-term future,” he said. “At the moment, we’re focused on growth and customer acquisition.”
Back in March, Vejii announced it would be partnering with leading marketing agency Strawhouse, and the following month it launched in Canada. Over the past year, it has begun offering several prominent plant-based brands such as Barvecue and Before the Butcher on its platform.
“We are committed to making plant–based products more accessible, while also focusing on sustainability, and having the ability to scale with a distributor like UNFI allows us to remain competitive and committed to our customers,” said Kory Zelickson. He added, “By providing high-quality, plant-based alternatives that [our customers] may not have had access to before, we hope to inspire those who may be interested in incorporating just a little more sustainability into their lifestyles, in an easy way.”
