As a pioneer of Wisconsin’s cruelty-free retailers, Waukesha-based Vegan Essentials sells hundreds of food items such as dairy-free cheese, meat alternatives, baking supplies, condiments and snacks though its online store, veganessentials.com. The business, which originally began in 1997 with a print catalogue, also offers vegan cosmetics, body care products and home goods.
Owned by the husband-and-wife team of Courtney Ernster and Ryan Wilson, Vegan Essentials carries common brands such as Chocolate Dream semi-sweet baking chips or Upton’s Naturals seitan, as well as unique items not available at health-minded retail stores in the area.
“We try to get a good mix of products at both ends of the spectrum, common items that people are looking for, as well as a lot of obscure brands that don’t get as much exposure but still make a great product,” Wilson said.
One of those is Greece-based Violife dairy-free cheese. Wilson said the company just started a U.S. division this past year, and Vegan Essentials is the first store they’re selling through online. Violife makes vegan cheeses such as provolone, Parmesan wedges, Gouda and Mediterranean-style “grillable” cheese; the latter is a growing trend in the foodie scene, and Violife and Vegan Essentials makes sure vegans aren’t left out.
With the holidays approaching, Wilson said Vegan Essentials would expand their line of home baking products. Those new to vegan diets, or their well-meaning relatives, might accidentally use an ingredient they think is safe, such as marshmallows, that has hidden no-nos like gelatin, which is derived from animal parts. Vegan Essentials carries true vegan marshmallows.
“We’re a one-stop shop for things vegans can trust and know are the real deal,” Wilson said. “As vegan owned and operated, and vegans ourselves, we qualify everything to our own standards so everyone else doesn’t have to scour labels and not be sure of what they’re getting.”
Ernster went vegan in 1996 when she got food poisoning after eating chicken at a restaurant. She figured that if something made her that sick, she shouldn’t eat it anymore, Wilson related. He wasn’t vegan when he met Ernster, but when he started helping her with the business, he decided to give it a try and felt better physically and mentally by not consuming animal products. He’s led a vegan lifestyle since 1998.
Vegan Essentials’ popular items are meat and cheese alternatives. Wilson noted that some customers are not committed vegans, but go meat free a couple days a week. In the two decades that Vegan Essentials has been in business, Wilson has seen the industry grow with more choices and availability, yet becoming mainstream also makes it tougher for a smaller business to compete.
“We stay small and connected with the community in ways you don’t get with bigger box retailers,” Wilson emphasized. “With us, one major reason we have the longevity is because people trust what we’re bringing in. When people shop with us, their money is staying in the vegan community, versus a major grocery store where dollars also go toward non-vegan items.”
Real human beings man Vegan Essentials’ phone lines to address questions and concerns. Although they no longer have a walk-in store (they were formerly located on 92nd Street and Lisbon Avenue) customers can place orders online and save shipping costs by stopping by the Waukesha location to pick up orders. Vegan Essential ships worldwide.
