Vegan Action - Vegan Awareness Foundation

What Vegan Action - Vegan Awareness Foundation does

Vegan Action, operating as the Vegan Awareness Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The organization operates the Certified Vegan Logo, a registered trademark certification mark for products that do not contain animal products or byproducts and have not been tested on animals (since 2009). The logo was first placed on product packaging in 2000, making it the first third-party vegan certification program in the United States. The organization maintains a searchable online database of certified products and accepts applications from companies in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and US territories, with the logo distributed and recognized globally through certified companies' own retail channels.

The organization's core "product" is the certification service itself, delivered through an online application portal where companies submit products for review by a small in-house compliance team. Revenue is generated through three fee streams: $100 non-refundable application fees, $100 reinstatement fees for cancelled accounts, and annual licensing fees ranging from $150 to $3,000 based on the applicant's total annual revenue band (with unlimited SKUs per company). The company serves a horizontal mix of customer segments including food and beverage manufacturers, cosmetics and personal care companies, clothing and accessories brands, vitamins and supplements companies, and household products manufacturers. Notable certified brands include Amy's Kitchen, Ben & Jerry's Non-Dairy, Dr. Bronner's, Earth Balance, Oatly, Silk, and So Delicious Dairy Free.

The business operates with a lean team of approximately 11 employees led by Executive Director Krissi Vandenberg, supported by a Board of Directors and Advisory Committee. Beyond certification, the organization runs education and outreach programs including a recipe collection, blog, email newsletter, documentary screenings, cooking demonstrations, and an annual sponsorship of the Richmond Vegetarian Festival (10,000+ attendance). The organization also provides financial support to animal sanctuaries, rescue organizations, and vegan festivals. Vegan Action is exclusively US-incorporated (Virginia) with no parent company, no external investors, and no disclosed funding rounds.

Name

Vegan Action - Vegan Awareness Foundation

Legal name

Vegan Awareness Foundation

Website

https://vegan.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Vegan Action (Vegan Awareness Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 that administers the Certified Vegan Logo, a registered trademark certification mark used by over 1,500 companies across food, personal care, household, and textile products globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Product Certification Services

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Supplier Approval & Second-Party Audit Programs (Retailer/Brand/Manufacturer) (AFALACAF), Vegan/Vegetarian & Animal-Derived Ingredient Verification (incl. cross-contact) (AFALAHAI)

Keywords

• Vegan certification
• Product certification services
• Trademark licensing
• Third party labeling
• Nonprofit advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Licensing Fees: Annual licensing fees based on company's total annual revenue from the previous fiscal year, not based on vegan product revenue. Fee bands range from $150 to $3,000 depending on revenue tier. Covers unlimited number of products/SKUs per company.
2. Application Fees: $100 non-refundable application fee for initial certification applications. Applied to first annual licensing fee payment if approved.
3. Reinstatement Fees: $100 reinstatement fee for companies that have had their certification cancelled and wish to reinstate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Vegan Action operates a third-party vegan certification program centered on the Certified Vegan Logo, a registered trademark administered to brands and manufacturers whose products contain no animal-derived ingredients or byproducts and have not been tested on animals. Companies apply for certification, pay revenue-based annual licensing fees, and receive the right to display the logo on certified SKUs across food, beverage, personal care, household, textile, and supplement categories.

Product overview

Vegan Action, operating as the Vegan Awareness Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides vegan certification services primarily through its flagship Certified Vegan Logo—a globally recognized registered trademark. The organization offers a comprehensive ecosystem of products and services including the Certified Vegan Product Database (featuring over 6,267 verified vegan products), the Vegan Certification Application Portal for companies seeking to certify their products, and a curated Vegan Recipe Collection. The Certified Vegan Logo certifies that products do not contain animal products or byproducts and have not been tested on animals since 2009. The certification program serves companies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with products distributed and recognized worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Certified Vegan Logo: A registered trademark certification mark for products that do not contain animal products or byproducts and have not been tested on animals.

Products and services

• Certified Vegan Logo Certification A registered trademark certification mark licensed to companies whose products contain no animal-derived ingredients or byproducts and have not been tested on animals since 2009. Brands pay revenue-based annual licensing fees and receive the right to display the logo on certified SKUs across food, beverage, personal care, household, textile, and supplement categories.
• Certified Vegan Product Database A searchable online directory of products that have been verified to meet Vegan Action's certification standards. The database covers food, beverages, personal care, household products, textiles, and supplements, and serves as a discovery resource for consumers seeking verified vegan options.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15,000 products have been certified vegan across 1,500+ companies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Girls for A ChangeminorCommunity/ Developer relationsNonprofit empowering young women to design, lead, fund and implement social change projects. Vegan Action provides vegan cooking demonstrations for their young girls.
• Keep Virginia CozyminorCommunity/ Developer relationsNonprofit focused on keeping Richmond and Virginia parks beautiful. Vegan Action has sponsored and co-hosted trash cleanups with vegan lunches for volunteers.
• VCU Veg ClubminorCommunity/ Developer relationsStudent-led club at Virginia Commonwealth University promoting veganism through social events, giveaways and outreach. Co-hosted screenings, virtual reality education days, and other events.
• Richmond Vegetarian Festival (VeggieFest)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of annual Richmond Vegetarian Festival, one of the largest of its kind in the country with 10,000+ attendance. Distributes product samples at the event.
• Piedmont Farm Animal RefugeminorOthersFarm animal sanctuary receiving financial support from Vegan Action.
• iAnimal EqualityminorOthersAnimal equality organization receiving support from Vegan Action.
• The Invisible VeganminorOthersDocumentary receiving support from Vegan Action.
• CVille VegFestminorOthersCharlottesville vegetarian festival receiving sponsorship from Vegan Action.
• Richmond Environmental Film FestivalminorOthersEnvironmental film festival receiving support from Vegan Action.
• Animal PlaceminorOthersAnimal sanctuary receiving financial support from Vegan Action.
• Food Empowerment ProjectminorOthersOrganization working on food justice and animal rights receiving support from Vegan Action.
• Porchlight Animal SanctuaryminorOthersAnimal sanctuary receiving financial support from Vegan Action.
• Grateful Meadows Retreat & SanctuaryminorOthersRetreat and sanctuary receiving sponsorship from Vegan Action.
• Brother Wolf Animal RescueminorOthersAnimal rescue organization receiving sponsorship from Vegan Action.
• Ziggy's Refuge Farm SanctuaryminorOthersFarm sanctuary receiving sponsorship from Vegan Action.
• BlackVegfest.orgminorOthersBlack vegan festival receiving sponsorship from Vegan Action.
• Vine SanctuaryminorOthersAnimal sanctuary receiving sponsorship from Vegan Action.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Vegan Society (Vegan Trademark): UK-based nonprofit operating the original Vegan Trademark, the most direct international counterpart to Vegan Action's Certified Vegan Logo. Both certify individual products against no-animal-ingredient and no-animal-testing criteria and license the mark to consumer goods brands globally.
• BeVeg Vegan Certification: Vegan certification body that audits and certifies food, cosmetics, and consumer products as vegan. Operates as a direct competitor in the third-party vegan certification category targeted at CPG brands.
• V-Label (European Vegetarian Society): Internationally recognized vegetarian and vegan label licensed through the European Vegetarian Society. Competes for the same brand-owned shelf space as Certified Vegan, especially across European markets where Vegan Action does not accept applicants.

Broad incumbents

• Leaping Bunny (Cruelty Free International / CCIC): Coalition for Cruelty-Free Cosmetics and Cruelty Free International administer the Leaping Bunny mark, a third-party cruelty-free certification heavily overlapping with Vegan Action's no-animal-testing standard across cosmetics and personal care brands.
• PETA 'Beauty Without Bunnies': PETA's cruelty-free and vegan certification program for personal care and household brands. Overlaps substantially with Vegan Action's no-animal-testing standard in cosmetics and cleaning products, offering brands an alternative third-party mark.
• NSF International: Established third-party certification body offering dietary supplements, personal care, and food safety certifications. Provides a broader incumbent alternative for brands seeking a multi-attribute trust mark that could displace a single-attribute vegan certification.
• BRCGS: Global food safety standard (BRC) operator offering retailer-driven certification across food and consumer goods. Represents the broader incumbent certification ecosystem in which Vegan Action's mark sits alongside scheme audits.

Emerging players

• EWG Verified: Consumer-facing certification for personal care and food products that screens ingredient safety. Represents an emerging alternative trust mark that competes for the same shelf-space decision among natural and clean-label consumer goods brands.

Regional players

• Choose Cruelty Free: Australian-based cruelty-free accreditation body for personal care and household products. Operates in one of Vegan Action's accepted applicant markets (Australia) and offers a regionally recognized alternative for vegan and cruelty-free claims.

Others

• A Greener World (Certified Animal Welfare Approved): Nonprofit certifier focused on farm animal welfare, sustainability, and related claims. Adjacent in mission focus — both organizations promote third-party verification of animal-related claims — and serves some of the same values-driven brand and consumer audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1E2sd0TpbTKbe0jds9WX-g
• Facebookfacebook.com/VeganActionOrg
• Instagraminstagram.com/veganorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vegan Action - Vegan Awareness Foundation