Business Leaders Panel

What is the impact of mainstream companies bringing out their own vegan or plant-based products having on independent vegan businesses? Is it better for vegan companies to use ‘vegan’ or ‘plant-based’ in their branding and marketing materials? These and other hot topics will be discussed in this panel of vegan business owners. Host Katrina Fox of Vegan Business Media will be chatting with Jessica Bailey (Cruelty Free Shop), Billy Simmonds (Prana On), Jeremy Johnson (Vegan Perfection) and Pana Barbounis (Pana Chocolate).

Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson is the founder of Vegan Perfection, a distribution company that supplies a wide range of exciting products sold in supermarkets, shops, cafes, pizza shops and restaurants right across Australia. Jeremy started the firm 14 years ago to spread the benefits of a vegan lifestyle to all Australians by introducing innovative and high-quality vegan products to what was then a barren market. www.veganperfection.com.au

Jessica Bailey
Jessica Bailey is the founder of the Cruelty Free Shop. Starting as an online store in 2001 from her home. After the business expanded at a rate of 20% per year, Jess opened her first bricks and mortar store in Glebe, Sydney in 2012. In February 2014 she opened a second store, this time in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy. In 2017 she moved her online store into a dedicated warehouse. Jess has also established highly successful outreach activities to influence the general public and business community, including The Cruelty Free Festival and the Vegan Day Out events. www.crueltyfreeshop.com.au

Pana Barbounis
Pana Barbounis founded organic, raw, vegan chocolate brand Pana in 2012. Having started out delivering the first orders himself on a motorbike, the company has grown over the past six years, selling its products across Australia and in 25 other countries, including the UK which is one of its biggest markets. The company employs more than 80 staff members and prides itself on unique flavours and luxury aesthetic. www.panachocolate.com

Billy Simmonds
Billy Simmonds is founder of ECO Superfoods, a natural, vegan and organic health and fitness products company in Queensland. Twenty years ago he worked in in the supplements industry in a health food store that is part of the largest chain in Australia. After working in corporate banking later in life, he left to start Prana ON, a supplement range which is now carried in stores across Asia, including Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand, either directly or through a distributor. www.ecosuperfoods.com.au

Katrina Fox
Katrina Fox is an award-winning journalist, publicity consultant, editor of the vegan business blog VeganBusinessMedia.com, host of Vegan Business Talk podcast and author of Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow an Ethical Business, the first global book providing success strategies for aspiring and existing vegan business owners.

ww.katrinafox.com
www.veganbusinessmedia.com