Interviews

Vejii: “Vejii Offers the Opportunity For Plant-Based Startups to Gain National Exposure in the E-Commerce Marketplace”

Vejii’s mission entails making vegan certified products more widely accessible; limiting its carbon footprint; sourcing brands that use eco-friendly packaging; and supporting not only a cruelty-free lifestyle but finding ways to support women’s charities and racial equality.

Why did you start?
As a family of 5 with three young kids, maintaining a healthy vegan diet meant that we had to shop at multiple grocery stores on a weekly basis, in order to get everything we needed. We started Vejii in order to provide greater accessibility to plant-based products, in a convenient and inclusive shopping experience. 

By providing access to thousands of vegan products in an online platform and promoting healthy lifestyle choices, we’re moving the world forward, one purchase at a time. 

How are you different?
Vejii is not a normal e-commerce website. We are an integrated marketplace, which means that we offer the ability for brands to list directly on our site, and process and ship their own products. 

Vejii offers the opportunity for plant-based startups to gain national exposure in the e-commerce marketplace at very affordable prices. We also offer local brands on a regional basis the opportunity to list and offer their products to our customers in their area. 

Vejii offers the largest selection of perishable and non-perishable plant-based food products like plant-based meat, dairy and seafood, as well as innovative products across other categories such as vitamins/supplements and cosmetics products and an exceptional customer experience.

What are you seeing transpire in the marketplace now that you are deep in?
In just a few short months, we’ve made great traction in onboarding top brands and in supporting smaller startups who are looking to sell their products online. 

We’ve teamed up with like-minded influencers and brand ambassadors like Tia Blanco to represent the company and promote a healthy lifestyle. 

©Vejii

We launched the Vejii Express platform just a few weeks ago, where we’re offering the most popular plant-based meat, dairy and seafood products that come with guaranteed shipping within two business days, and delivering across the country. 

You work closely with entrepreneurs. Is there anything special about the plant-based entrepreneur?
Absolutely. In having the opportunity to work with other founders and CEO’s of various plant-based companies, it’s very clear that across the board, executives and entrepreneurs in this space are ethically aligned with each other and see the potential for this industry to change the world. 

What are your goals?
My goal is to support mainstreaming of vegan and plant-based alternatives. Vejii is an inclusive shopping platform that caters to vegans and the much larger population of non-vegans. By introducing plant-based products to the masses, and gaining national exposure, we feel that we will have a significant impact on global meat consumption by promoting plant-based alternatives. 

What are the major hurdles you are facing?
Vejii’s platform has been well received and one of the major hurdles we face now is in how we will continue to reduce our environmental impact. We recognize that shipping products across the country, especially with the packing required for frozen items, has a significant impact on our carbon footprint. We are taking initiatives to regionalize distribution so that we can reduce the amount of packing materials required and shipping times. 

Could an IPO already be in your future?
At the moment, we’re focused on growth and customer acquisition. We have plans for expansion and launching into new markets. Vejii is committed to our goals and will plan for a public listing in the short-term future. 

A seasoned entrepreneur, what are your tips for managing stress?
I’ve found that maintaining a consistent routine of sleep, exercise and clean eating habits has a big impact on my ability to manage stress. We are certainly working in a very fast-paced environment, and ensuring my own personal health has an impact on how I can contribute to the company, our employees and our customers. 

What are your predictions for the plant-based market?
I’m so excited for the future of this industry. I think that we’ve seen huge innovations already from innovative brands to the acceptance of plant-based products on a large scale across the globe. I believe that one area that we’re going to see continued growth in is plant-based seafood options. Also, the amount of innovation with cell-based meat and dairy products is incredible. I feel that cell-based meat and dairy will ultimately replace farmed meat and dairy as it becomes more efficient to produce at scale. This is an area that we’re keeping our eyes on as well.

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