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Plant Based News (PBN) has now closed its first-ever crowdfunding campaign. The vegan media outlet secured more than £1 million from 367 investors, doubling its £500k target in the process.
The campaign, which launched on Seedrs, was open to the public. But several investment funds jumped onboard too, including Veg Capital, Kale United, MVK Group in Europe, and Eat Well Group in North America.
Media entrepreneur Derek Holder was also a key investor. Holder, along with his partner Cannis, co-created one of the largest channels on YouTube. Called Little Baby Bum, the children’s animated series has upwards of 37 million YouTube subscribers.
The support from the Holders is fitting, considering PBN’s roots. Headed by Founder Klaus Mitchell, PBN started out as a social media channel in 2015, with a large focus on YouTube.
“I noticed that there wasn’t a portal out there collating plant-based content, so my motivation at the time was to share useful information about plant-based health and nutrition, while also finding a community of like-minded people,” Mitchell explained.
He later joined forces with Co-founder Robbie Lockie, and the pair officially launched the company in 2017.
Since then, PBN has accumulated 2.5 million followers across its social media platforms, totaling 1.62 billion impressions.
“Being part of Plant Based News and seeing it grow over the past five years has been a truly humbling experience. When Klaus and I first met, we really had no idea of the impact working together would have on us and the community,” commented Lockie. “Being a part of an international community powered by compassion and a love for animals, the planet and people has been the fuel that gets me out of bed most mornings.”
“Building this company has been a lot of blood sweat and tears and I am incredibly honored and proud to be a part of something so important,” they added.
Mission-driven
With its newly acquired financial backing, PBN is gearing up to reach more people than ever. And ultimately, help usher in a new era that puts plant-based living centerstage.
“We hope that by investing in our company, people will recognize that they aren’t just making a financial investment, but helping to make the world a more sustainable place too. With the incredibly generous support of our funders, a fast-growing plant-based economy, and a genuine belief in our aims, we’re determined to achieve our goals. And transform the views and opinions of millions of people when it comes to the consumption and use of animals in our food system,” Lockie continued.
“Through education, we have the power to change hearts and minds the world over.”
Veganism is cutting through the noise like never before. The figures speak for themselves – the alternative protein industry raked in $3.1 billion in investments last year. Additionally, $2.1 billion was invested in plant-based meat, dairy, and egg companies.
Animal-free products are carving out a significant space in the food industry. Last year in the US, the vegan food market boosted by 27 percent, expanding nearly twice as fast as the country’s total food market. Similarly, the plant-based meat category grew twice as quickly as animal-based meat.
