El origen, a German snack brand inspired by Latin American ingredients, has received a PETA Vegan Food Award for its organic salted plantain chips.
The brand was founded in 2019 by Gordon Prox, the vlogger behind the popular YouTube channel Vegan ist Ungesund (Vegan is Unhealthy). The channel discusses vegan nutrition and showcases the latest plant-based products. “We are super proud that our delicious chips beat the competition!” said Prox.
El origen’s award-winning snacks are made with just three ingredients — plantain, sunflower oil, and sea salt. Their taste and sustainable production impressed judges enough to take first place in the Best Vegan Chips category.
Creating jobs in Ecuador
Gordon Prox was introduced to Latin American culture by his Mexican fiancee, and became inspired to start el origen after meeting a specialist in snacks from the region. The first products to launch were organic plantain and cassava chips, followed by chocolatey gluten-free snacks made from quinoa and amaranth.
In 2022, the brand generated €3 million in sales, boosted by an appearance on the TV show “Germany’s Tastiest Idea”. So far, el origen has raised €600,000 from investors and has helped to create 20 jobs in Ecuador.
“El origen shows with the Organic Plantain Chips Salty that vegan and animal-friendly taste sensations are possible at any time. A purely plant-based diet is enjoyable, creative and sustainable — for people, animals, and the environment. We hope that many other companies and brands will follow this forward-looking example and example and also make their products vegan,” said Harald Ullmann, co-founder and second chairman of PETA Germany.