Earlier this year I invested in Vegan Fine Foods through their Equity Crowdfunding campaign on the Wefunder Portal
I know some of us have decided to invest in Vegan companies for ethical reasons, to help push Vegan businesses forward so that they can overtake their non-Vegan competitors.
It’s my dream to one day walk down the street and walk into any restaurant knowing that they will be 100% Vegan. At the same time, when I invest I want to make sure I’m going to be putting my money into a successful business; I want to make sure the company will be around for a while and that I have the potential to earn some financial return. When I do, I could then use that money to invest in more Vegan businesses, as well as give myself some financial security down the line.
Things I Looked for When investing in this Vegan Business
- The Company has a Long-Term Vision – Steven Smith, the Founder and CEO of Vegan Fine Foods, has a vision for his business that includes over 100 franchises of his all-Vegan supermarket throughout the U.S., and eventually beyond.
- The Company Has a Clear Path to Exit – With equity crowdfunding, I expect to earn a return through a sale of the company or an IPO that would then allow me to sell my shares. Steven mentioned in his offering that it’s in his plans to move towards an IPO.
- The Company is Already Making Sales – Many startups spend the time to grow sales past $50,000 or $100,000 before attempting to raise funds through equity crowdfunding. This shows would-be investors that their products and services have a space in the market, and it increased my confidence that this company will continue to grow in the future.
- The Company Has a Vision I Believe Can Succeed – The final decider on whether or not I invest will always come down to my impression of whether the vision and mission of the company is both feasible and will help the Vegan movement. With the near-exponential growth of the plant-based industry, and the mounting importance of a global shift away from animal products, in the case of Vegan Fine Foods, I felt that a chain of all-Vegan supermarkets is a realistic and needed venture.
Finding out if I earn a return on my investment in Vegan Fine Foods is still years away. But at the very least, it makes me feel a little bit better that my investment holdings are being put to good use: making Vegan products more accessible to the world.
So my here’s my message to you: just like donating your time volunteering – what if you put aside the money you earn from a few hours each month, to invest in a vegan business?
Together, and as individuals, we can help make the world kinder and more Vegan; and maybe even share some of the rewards in the process.
