The Veggie Karma adventure began as a project between two friends (Giovanni and Julien) who became increasingly concerned about the levels of climate crisis and animal abuse we have reached in recent decades.
In March 2018, we decided to join an artisan and vegan flea market in Borne, Barcelona. We produced 80 pieces of vegan cheese substitutes at home, with hardly any resources, but with a surplus of conviction. We were determined to revolutionise the way cheese is consumed and contribute towards the transformation of the food industry.
We received so much support, energy, and positive feedback that we decided to go ahead with the production of plant-based cheese alternatives.
On market days, we sold out in less than two hours. We received so much support, energy, and positive feedback that we decided to go ahead with the production of plant-based cheese alternatives. "
A short while later, we joined Food Makers, a space that is halfway between a shared workshop and an incubator for innovative gastronomic projects. It’s located on Passeig de Sant Joan in Barcelona, where ambitious projects such as Foods for Tomorrow (Heura) were conceived.
In 2019, we went through the Basque Culinary Center accelerator, where we had the opportunity to understand the trajectory of the European market and plan our growth, together with experts in innovative start-ups.
Accelerated by the Basque Culinary Center
Innovative Start Up 2019
A year later, we opened our own workshop in the Sant Andreu neighbourhood, where we continued to produce and develop our project. In addition to our online shop, you will find us in organic shops, vegan shops, herbalists, market stalls, and traditional cheese shops. To find your nearest shop, visit this section.
A short while later, we joined Food Makers, a space that is halfway between a shared workshop and an incubator for innovative gastronomic projects. It’s located on Passeig de Sant Joan in Barcelona, where ambitious projects such as Foods for Tomorrow (Heura) were conceived.
In 2019, we went through the Basque Culinary Center accelerator, where we had the opportunity to understand the trajectory of the European market and plan our growth, together with experts in innovative start-ups.
A year later, we opened our own workshop in the Sant Andreu neighbourhood, where we continued to produce and develop our project. In addition to our online shop, you will find us in organic shops, vegan shops, herbalists, market stalls, and traditional cheese shops. To find your nearest shop, visit this section.
In 2020, we participated in the “Barcelona Responsible Companies” programme, where we drew up our Corporate Social Responsibility Action Plan in the environmental, social, labour, and economic spheres. This is the cornerstone of our sustainable growth.
In the same year, we were thrilled to appear in national media such as La Vanguardia and Expansión.
In December, the best Christmas present ever came in the form of continuing our international expansion by ranging our products in shops in Paris, Munich, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen!
Our story
Our mission and values
Our mission is to promote healthy and responsible consumption by offering plant-based, organic, fermented protein alternatives with no artificial additives, while respecting the environment and animal welfare and encouraging local commerce.
We are committed to continuous innovation and delivering positive impacts in all areas of our project. Together, with our customers, we promote sustainable habits to reverse the trends created by the mass consumption of animal derivatives.
Vegan substitutes and environmental impact
For us, respecting and caring for the environment is an obligation that forms part of our company’s DNA.
We can’t be Veggie Karma without an honest commitment to protect the world around us, precisely because our idea came about largely as a result of our team's awareness.
Our goal, in addition to producing healthy and delicious experiences for our customers, is to contribute towards changing the harmful mass consumption of animal derivatives, perpetuated for, we believe, far too long.
Our mission? Zero footprint.
Emissions reduction and renewable energy
Our main ingredient, lupin, is grown locally to reduce the need for imported cashew nuts.
Our fair-trade cashew nuts are sourced directly from Senegal, unlike 90% of the cashew nuts consumed in Europe which are harvested in Africa and processed in Asia.
We collaborate with local suppliers to minimise transport emissions.
We use energy from certified renewable sources.
Organic ingredients
The products we use are of certified organic origin, which limit the use of insecticides that are harmful to the planet.
Beyond organic, we look for passionate and dedicated suppliers who aim to offer the best quality in their respective specialities. We do not work with multinationals.
GMO free
Plastic free, less waste
We use recyclable or compostable packaging.
We promote recycling by having a packaging return agreement with our suppliers.
We generate no food waste in our workshop.
Water resources
Less water is required for the production of vegan cheese alternatives versus an animal-derived cheese.
The lupins and cashew nuts we use are grown exclusively with rainwater.
We don’t use water in the production process of our products.We don’t use water in the production process of our products.
Social action: people working with people
100% of our imported raw material comes from fair-trade suppliers, which guarantees the fair remuneration of growers at source.
We prioritise cooperatives, small producers, and conscientious start-ups./p>
Equality, respect, and diversity matter to us. And that’s why we recognise our employees commitments outside of work; so we embrace flexible working hours.
Our lupins are grown on the Iberian Peninsula by a family who love their land and are dedicated exclusively to growing this superfood. #localproduce
Our cashew nuts are produced by a cooperative in Casamance (Senegal): a fair-trade scheme which guarantees a fair remuneration for their growers. #dignifiedwork #fairremuneration
Each year, we choose a charity aligned with our values. This year, we’re raising funds for the "Cau del Bosc" Sanctuary and have donated 2% of our online sales. You can support our work by adding a small donation of 1 € or 2 € at the checkout.
Continuous improvement process
We continue to improve thanks to you.
Measuring our impact is a continuous learning process and will help us achieve our goals.
The more support we gain, the more likely we are to achieve them.
6222
Kilos of plastic saved (1)
88720
Litres of water saved compared to the production of a normal cheese (2)
392.950
Litres of animal milk saved since our first day (3)
0%
Percentage of food waste from our production
100%
Energy we buy from renewable sources (with certification)
100%
Imported ingredients from fair-trade sources(4)
(1) amount of vacuum-packed plastic pouches saved thanks to our compostable pouches, to our packaging "reuse" scheme with our suppliers; in addition to corn starch fillers used in our packaging instead of bubble wrap.
(2) the total litres of water saved, based on the daily water consumption of a cow in Europe. Water consumption for the feed of a cow in Europe (based on a feed of 30% local fodder and 70% purchased fodder, a mixture of soya, grass, and maize), and subtraction of the litres of water needed in the production of our products. Following the AWARE water footprint standard.
(3) the total litres of milk saved since the beginning of our operation, when compared to the production of dairy cheese (calculated by weight with a ratio of 7:1, that is 7 litres of animal milk required for the production of 1 kg of cheese).
(4) the % of the quantity of ingredients sourced from small farmers, cooperatives, and small enterprises specialising in a raw material.
We use quality ingredients and support local producers.
Part of our mission is to promote local agricultural economies, which have suffered so much from the effects of globalisation and falling prices due to cheap (and sometimes exploited) labour in other countries.
Part of our mission is to promote local agricultural economies.
We focus on sourcing the highest quality ingredients from small suppliers who adhere to the highest standards.
In our nutrition section, you can find more information about the ingredients and production process of Veggie Karma Karmages.
Así opinan nuestros clientes de nuestros quesos veganos caseros:
