Veganz: Difference between revisions

| founder = Jan Bredack and Juliane Kindler

'''Veganz''' Group AG''' (formerly '''Veganz GmbH''') is a vegan brand headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Veganz was founded as the first vegan supermarket chain in Europe.

AtAs presentof (2020), Veganz offers a portfolio of around 165 products, featured in over 15,000 salespoints in 26 countries, as well as in online stores.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.presseportal.de/pm/137749/4460284</ref>|title=Veganz According toals Veganz itself,Group itAG isneu theaufgestellt|website=presseportal.de|date=5 world’sDecember biggest2019 full-range provider of plant-based products.}}</ref> Based in Germany, the company opened its first store in Berlin [[Prenzlauer Berg]], in the summer of 2011, with 250 square metresmeters of space. Since July 2017, Veganz has four branches, three in Berlin and one in [[Prague]].<ref name="stores">[{{Cite web|url=https://veganz.de/encom/stores/|title=Visit "Stores"our veganz.com]Veganz supermarkets in Berlin – 100% vegan in Berlin|website=Veganz}}</ref>

The group turnover increased by 28 % to 26.6 million Euros in the whole of 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.presseportal.de/pm/137749/4504558|title=Veganz: Gruppenumsatz wächst 2019 um 28 % auf 26,6 Millionen Euro|website=presseportal.de|date=28 January 2020 }}</ref> Veganz employs around 64 people.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://veganz.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/prospekt-veganz-group-ag-approval-version-20191220.pdf | title=Wertpapierprospekt (Securities prospectus)| access-date=2024-01-07}}</ref> The company motto is "{{Lang|de|Gut für dich, besser für alle}}" (Good for you, better for everyone).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://veganz.de/|title=Veganz ♥ Veganer Genuss aus Berlin – Gut für dich, besser für alle ✓|website=Veganz}}</ref>

Veganz was founded in 20112010 by [[Jan Bredack]], a  former senior manager at [[Mercedes -Benz]] and his former wife Juliane Kindler, a heartfelt vegan. Wanting to simplify vegan food shopping by bundling vegan products in one sales point, hethey started to build a chain of vegan supermarkets. When the company opened its first store in Berlin, Bredack told the Berliner Zeitung that he had anticipated 100 customers a day, but instead averaged 400. More supermarkets were opened across Europe, but the sales volume declined and the concept proved ineffective.  

The imminent extinction of this business branch caused a change in strategy and Veganz began to transition into a wholesaler, starting its own production in 2015. The supermarket branch was declared bankrupt. Since 2016, Veganz’Veganz' main business consists of distribution and wholesale, with a small remaining side business of three supermarkets in Berlin and one in Prague.

In 2019, the GmbH turned into an AG and issued bonds in 2020 with an initial interest rate of 7,.5%. This step enabled the raise of funds for further growth and international expansion.  

Veganz supermarkets sell only vegan goods. In their own Veganz outlets, the company offers a balanced, full-rangean assortment of over 4,500 products from more than 30 countries to their customers, including 45 different kinds of [[plant milk]] and [[Plant cream|cream]], vegan ice-creams, [[vegan cheese]]s such as Happy Cheeze (now [[Dr Mannah's]]),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-11-05 |title=Happy Cheeze founder Dr. Mudar Mannah on the rise of vegan cheese, winning lawsuits and looking for more investment - the bitesize interview |url=https://www.just-food.com/interviews/happy-cheeze-founder-dr-mudar-mannah-on-the-rise-of-vegan-cheese-winning-lawsuits-and-looking-for-more-investment-the-bitesize-interview/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=Just Food |language=en-US}}</ref> mayonnaise and other dressings, [[mock meat]]s, fish substitutes such as veggie fish steaks, breads, pastries, and 80 vegan cheeses. There is vegan chocolate, biscuits, sweets, food for companion animals, coffee, toiletries and cosmetics. The company's goal is to establish the brand Veganz as a synonym for fair trade, ethical and sustainable business and for products that are devoid of animal suffering. They place the utmost importance on natural and organic foods choices. 85 percent of the sold products are certified [[Organic farming|organic]].<ref name=about>[http://www.veganz.de/ueber-veganz.html "Ueber Veganz"], veganz.de</ref>

In the spring of 2015, the company launched their own brand for vegan products. By the end of the year, a product range of around 50 plant-based products was available, with about 100 more to follow in 2016. Today, Veganz is one of the few companies worldwide that offer a full range of vegan products. Their assortment includes sweets, meat-, fish- and cheese alternatives, protein products, breakfast items, chilled goods and frozen food. All products are strictly plant-based and a large part is certified organic.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Veganz regularly introduces innovativehas plant-based alternatives, such as ‘The'The Gourmet’Gourmet', a mock-cheese based on cashews that won the [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]] vegan food award in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.peta.de/vegan-food-award-2019|title = PETAs Vegan Food Award 2019: Das sind die Gewinner| date=7 May 2019 }}</ref> Veganz further launched a vegan smoked salmon alternative based on Atlantic seaweed. This global novelty is low in CO₂ in production, protecting the world’sworld's fish stocks and at the same time outperforming conventional salmon in its omega-3 share.

According to Bredack, most of his customers are between 18 and 34 years old, although the over-55 age group is increasing. About 60 percent of the store customers are vegan and 10 percent of them are tourists.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Veganz products are internationally listed in the UK, Belgium, SloweniaCyprus, Slovenia, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Czech Republic, Portugal, Singapore and South Africa. They are marketed in the following drug stores and discounters (amongst others): [[Dm-drogerie markt|dm]], [[Müller (company)|Müller]], [[REWE]], [[Lidl]], Globus, Kaufland, Spar, COOP, Vegasme, WholefoodsWhole Foods and Planet Organic.