As a vegan it can at times feel like our grocery expeditions are a mix of scavenger hunt + luck of the draw if we’ll be able to find exactly what’s on our list! Not to mention if we want to find the unique small batch vegan options that are appearing in the market!
As many of us here at vKind have voiced this frustration, we connected with one of NoPigNeva’s founders, Stephania Bernard about her journey and how this new 100% Vegan, Black and Woman owned online grocery store can support YOU!
NoPigNeva is about supporting Vegans, Vegetarians and VegCurious alike to get those unique and hard to find brands and options we so crave❤️ They have some special options to cater to our East Coast friends, but are here and ready to support the hungry vegans throughout the United States as well!
Q: So… first off, what is NoPigNeva and what do you offer?
Our name, NoPigNeva, is exactly as it sounds: “No-Pig-Nevah” – it’s Never but with a Boston-accent! We are an exclusively 100% online Vegan grocery store that ships nationwide!
Q: When and why did you start your business?
I started NoPigNeva after witnessing firsthand the frustrations with grocery shopping as a Vegan. A typical weekend consisted of me visiting 3 to 4 different grocery stores to round out my weekly grocery checklist. Most of the time it took all day!
Oftentimes I would arrive at a grocery store only to find the item was out of stock leaving me to check on it the following week. Just as the pandemic started, the already-limited Vegan items became absolutely impossible-to-find. Even searching online I found the options for Vegan groceries to be very limited.
I wanted to start a company that would prevent other people from experiencing the frustration that I went through. Every thought that goes into how NoPigNeva operates is to ensure that our customers have the best Vegan grocery shopping experience possible. We wanted to bring Vegans convenient, delicious foods that are easy to get a hold of.
Q: What differentiates NoPigNeva from other vegan groceries?
First and foremost our selection is truly curated. It’s not about carrying every Vegan product out there. We focus on providing a unique selection of delicious, hard-to-find food!
You can still make your taste buds happy and be kind to animals while doing it! Even people who aren’t Vegan find our selection to be pretty amazing.
Another unmistakable quality about NoPigNeva is the dedication to customer service. These days, stellar customer service is a lost art. Exceptional customer service applies to each and every customer that shops with us. Because we are a small but growing business, we truly do appreciate every customer and understand that they have a valued impact. We always strive to offer speedy processing and delivery.
Q: There are a lot more vegan options at mainstream grocery stores now so do you feel there’s still a need for what you do?
- Sadly, the increased options are not leading to an increased diversity of Vegan brands. Aside from the fact that mainstream grocers have limited shelf space, they are always looking to carry the more established, well-known brands.
What you see in your mainstream grocery store is not necessarily the most diverse option out there for Vegans. Additionally, these grocery stores will often remove the brands that Vegans have come to love and replace them with their own brands to increase profit.
NoPigNeva wants to support and showcase the small, unique Vegan brands that may go unnoticed otherwise.
Just SOME of NoPigNeva’s unique offerings are:
- Vegan Lobster by May Wah: A little taste of Maine without a trip to the ocean.
- Seitan Nuggets by Bartleby’s: Perfect pop-able crispy Vegan nuggets! Simply irresistible!
- Vegan Goat Cheese Chips by Plant Snacks: A delicious Vegan Goat Cheese Chip for your afternoon snacking habits!
Q: Why did you go vegan?
Going Vegan was a complete accident! While surfing on YouTube to find videos on how to cure your acne naturally – I saw a videolink for Earthlings. Once I discovered the horrors of factory farming I instantly became Vegan which was 6 years ago. Even before I went Vegan I was always cautious of what I ate. In that sense, I was probably destined to be Vegan.
Q: What do you like best about your work:
The best part about my work is meeting great, ambitious small-business owners like myself. I love being a brand ambassador to all the great Vegan companies out there since we share a common goal!
Q: What are you the most afraid of as a business owner?
My biggest fear is unsatisfied customers because so much thought goes into each order to make sure it’s packaged correctly and delivered on time. The most vulnerable aspect of the business is shipping. Once the package leaves our facility, it is at the mercy of our shipping carrier.
Q: What do your customers love most about your products?
Our customers love how much we care! NoPigNeva is attentive and incredibly responsive to their needs.
Here’s some customer love we recently received:
“This is the best vegan grocery store! They have amazing vegan food that you can’t find anyway else. They have products that I never knew existed before discovering this store. I highly recommend it.” – Reign Walker
“Incredible selection of vegan groceries, fast delivery, and awesome customer service!” -Lucy Lee
“Outstanding all the way around! I order every week now. Super fast service with almost every order arriving the next day here in Maine. The packing list is obviously hand-picked and verified. I’ve had zero-order errors. Highly recommend!” -Matt Leonard
Q: What does the future look like?
NoPigNeva has a promising future ahead. I’m an optimist who believes in our ability to bring a great and quality selection of groceries to Vegans. We remain both excited and hopeful as we continue pushing forward with NoPigNeva!
Q: Who’s your personal hero?
My personal hero is singer/songwriter Kay Cola who created OrganiGrowHairCo. She’s been through both ups and downs even before starting her company. She’s a modern example of a black, female entrepreneur who created a successful company based on trying to solve a personal need. What inspires me most about her is her perseverance and desire to give back to the community.
Use the code VKIND10 for 10% off your order!
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
LEARN ABOUT PEELED, OUR BRAND NEW TV SHOW: VKind is making VEGAN HISTORY by introducing the first and only all vegan cast cooking competition TV show! Be sure to visit our new Peeled website for the latest news, contests, giveaways, and raffles. Visit PeeledShow.Com now to learn more!
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