vKind: Digital Platform Launches To Provide Consumers Easy Access To Vegan Products &Services


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The vegan culture is on the rise around the world. Recent figures reveal that in South Korea, vegan diet followers have almost tripled while in Europe, more than 3% of the total population now eat plant-based meals. In the year 2019, the global vegan population increased at such an unprecedented rate that The Economist declared it the ‘year of the vegan’.

Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has made consumers more conscious about the hazardous outcomes of consuming animal based products. Therefore, people are now more inclined towards plant-based products. In the US alone, the sale of plant-based meat alternatives increased by 280% this past year.

These growing numbers underline how much vegans across the globe need good guidance, resources and tools for following a healthy sustainable lifestyle now more than ever. A strong support system is required that could further encourage people to flourish on a plant-based lifestyle  and vKind, a digital platform dedicated towards empowering vegans and vegan marketplaces is on a mission to change this. 

vKind is one such solution. Originally an online community based in the United States co-founded in 2019 by Arizona resident Michon Javelosa, a digital entrepreneur and long time vegan, vKind is a recently launched online directory and a mobile app with the aim of helping vegan consumers in their search for plant-based products available near them, and accelerate the growth of the vegan industry by bringing together all kinds of plant-based brands, businesses and vegan professionals on one single platform.

“Interest in plant-based products has exploded in recent years and the need for a platform like vKind is greater now than it was a few years ago,” Javelosa told Green Queen.

Interest in plant-based products has exploded in recent years and the need for a platform like vKind is greater now than it was a few years ago

Michon Javelosa, Co-founder, vKind

Javelosa strongly believes that an online directory and vKind app will increase the reach of eco-friendly products and enable vegan consumers to find their favorite plant-based food with just one click.

vKind’s online services can turn out to be a revolutionary step toward creating an organised vegan marketplace, and through the app, the vKind founders also promises to solve some of the basic problems that plant-based diet followers encounter while looking for suitable vegan products.

The vKind app will let the users know of all the nearby vegan businesses, stores, outlets, plant-based restaurants, bakeries around them. It will also provide consumers access to various offers, discounts and useful tips related to plant-based products. Moreover, users will  be able to read reviews and compare different cruelty-free products on the vKind app.  

For vegan entrepreneurs, vKind is offering basic free listings of eco-friendly vegan products on their app. There are various other tools and resources that vKind is providing to businesses through its website for increasing their sales and online presence.

When users visit our platform, they can be assured they are engaging with vetted businesses they know they can trust.

Michon Javelosa, Founder vKind

Similar to vKind’s directory and app, there are some other digital platforms for vegans which makes it easy to explore plant-based products and services. However, each platform has its own unique approach towards helping vegan followers around the world. 

vKind is a new entrant  in the digital vegan service segment, which already boasts bigger, more established players such as the vegan & vegetarians dining search-engine like app HappyCow which enables users to locate plant-based foods and groceries near them, Cruelty Free, a mobile app-based online store that is popular with shoppers looking for animal-free products and The Vegan Passport app, which serves as an extensive guide to living a plant-based lifestyle.

These apps and services not only offer information to users about vegan eateries, grocery stores, bakeries and more, they also provide useful content on  trending vegan topics

vKind is firmly committed to curating the brands and services they feature on the app. Their screening process is a key difference from other similar platforms, according to Javelosa. online services are in terms of their screening process. “When users visit our platform, they can be assured they are engaging with vetted businesses they know they can trust,” she adds. The team ensures that all brands listed in the vKind directory are certified cruelty-free.

We aim to power up the VegEconomy™ by cultivating an economic ecosystem where consumers can align their purchasing decisions with businesses and brands that share their values. It’s a powerful win-win proposition

Michon Javelosa, Founder vKind

vKind’s online services are free as of today, allowing anyone to access the vKind mobile app and its features. Javelosa is passionate about making vKind accessible. “We aim to power up the VegEconomy™ by cultivating an economic ecosystem where consumers can align their purchasing decisions with businesses and brands that share their values. It’s a powerful win-win proposition,” she explains.

She also adds that a vegan lifestyle goes way beyond making plant-based food choices. It is about creating effective solutions to fulfil the needs of the increasing vegan population, so under the umbrella of vKind’s online services, she has brought together various eco-friendly lifestyle brands, professional services, nonprofits as well as health and wellness products.

We aim to power up the VegEconomy™ by cultivating an economic ecosystem where consumers can align their purchasing decisions with businesses and brands that share their values. It’s a powerful win-win proposition

She also adds that a vegan lifestyle goes way beyond making plant-based food choices. It is about creating effective solutions to fulfil the needs of the increasing vegan population, so under the umbrella of vKind’s online services, she has brought together various eco-friendly lifestyle brands, professional services, nonprofits as well as health and wellness products.


All images courtesy of Unsplash

Author

  • Rupendra Brahambhatt

    Freelance writer, researcher and filmmaker: Rupendra Brahambhatt has been involved in projects focused on promoting veganism, sustainability and other eco-friendly initiatives for many years. With a background in science and journalism, he has previously worked with documentary filmmakers, digital brands, green entrepreneurs and NGOs from different parts of the globe to spread vegan culture and environmental awareness.


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