What VGAN does

VGAN is a privately held Norwegian-founded premium plant-based chocolate company that develops, manufactures, and distributes certified-vegan, organic chocolate bars across the US, European, and select other markets. The company was founded around 2020 by Thomas Kraft (former Norwegian dairy operator turned confectionery entrepreneur) and structured with a Bulgarian production entity (VGAN Export Ltd., Sofia) and a US commercial entity (VGAN, Inc., West Chester, PA), with development operations rooted in Oslo.

Its core technology centers on proprietary dairy-free chocolate formulations that replicate the creaminess and melt of conventional chocolate using organic coconut cream, oat milk powder, cocoa butter, and cane sugar. The portfolio spans three Essentials SKUs (Vegan White, Vegan Milk, and 70% Vegan Dark) plus flavor variants and celebrity/athlete co-branded products developed with Tony Hawk, Jamie Anderson, and Aurora Aksnes. All products carry Vegan, Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Cruelty-free, and Soy-free certifications. Sourcing is positioned around Fair Trade partnerships, including a Tradin Organics relationship for cocoa liquor from Sierra Leone.

VGAN makes money through three channels: (1) wholesale distribution to mainstream US retailers via confectionery distributors, anchored by a placement in 2,300+ Walmart locations; (2) DTC e-commerce on vganchocolate.com priced at roughly $4.88–$7.99 per bar with bundle discounts; and (3) specialty retail such as The Store Fine Foods Market. The go-to-market blends enterprise field sales, athlete/event-driven brand-building (Døds Diving, Pump Track, Ice Cross, NEKROTRAIL, Hollywood Climate Summit 2025), and direct-to-consumer shipping within the lower 48 US states. Capital comes from a EUR 1M private equity round led by Vitosha Venture Partners Fund I, co-financed by EU Structural and Investment Funds.

Name

VGAN

Legal name

VGAN, Inc.

Website

https://vganchoice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VGAN is a Norwegian-founded, Bulgaria-manufactured premium plant-based chocolate company selling certified-vegan organic bars primarily through Walmart (2,300+ US stores) and DTC e-commerce to conscious consumers, vegans, and action-sports enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Plant-Based Chocolate

NAICS

Confectionery Manufacturing from Purchased Chocolate (311352)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Protein Snacks, Bars & RTD Nutrition Manufacturing (AFAKAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Snack Bars (Granola, Protein, Cereal Bars) (CRADABAG)

Keywords

• Plant-based chocolate
• Vegan chocolate bars
• Organic chocolate
• Dairy-free chocolate
• Fair trade chocolate

Headquarters

HQ city

West Chester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Online sales through vganchocolate.com with shipping to US customers. Revenue generated from direct consumer purchases with pricing tiers (single bars, multi-packs) and promotional offers.
2. Wholesale/Retail Distribution: B2B sales to retailers including Walmart (2,300+ locations) and specialty retailers like The Store Fine Foods Market. Products sold through confectionery distributors at wholesale pricing.
3. Wholesale B2B: Wholesale inquiries handled through dedicated wholesale page with sales team contact. Targeting retailers and distributors for bulk orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VGAN produces and sells premium plant-based, organic chocolate bars developed in Norway and manufactured in Bulgaria. The product portfolio centers on dairy-free white, milk, and dark chocolate recipes (The Essentials line) along with specialty flavor variants (Pink Raspberry & Almond, Crunchy Coffee Bean, Almonds & Salty Caramel) and celebrity athlete/artist collaboration bars. All products are certified vegan, organic, non-GMO, kosher, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and cruelty-free.

Product overview

VGAN produces premium plant-based, organic chocolate bars developed in Norway and crafted in Bulgaria. The product portfolio centers on three core Essentials products (White, Milk, and Dark chocolate) complemented by specialty flavor variants and athlete/artist collaboration products. All products are certified vegan, organic, non-GMO, kosher, gluten-free, dairy-free, and cruelty-free. Key collaborations include Tony Hawk's Salty Almonds, Jamie Anderson's Matcha Lemon, and Aurora's Hazelnut Guarana & Ginger. The company targets conscious consumers seeking sustainable chocolate alternatives with mainstream availability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vegan White Chocolate – The Essentials Organic vegan white chocolate with minimum 44% cocoa content, made with organic cane sugar, cocoa butter, coconut cream, oat milk powder, sunflower lecithin, and bourbon vanilla; contains almonds, coconuts, peanuts, hazelnuts and pistachio allergens. Part of VGAN's Essentials line.
• Vegan Milk Chocolate – The Essentials Organic vegan milk chocolate made with organic cane sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, coconut cream, coconut sugar, coffee beans, oat milk powder, sunflower lecithin, and bourbon vanilla. Part of VGAN's Essentials line.
• Vegan Dark Chocolate – The Essentials 70% cocoa organic vegan dark chocolate, part of VGAN's Essentials selection.
• Pink Raspberry & Almond (Pink Love) Dairy-free white chocolate with raspberry and almond bits, part of VGAN's Pink Love line.
• Crunchy Coffee Bean Velvety vegan chocolate with rich coffee undertones and the satisfying crunch of premium coffee beans.
• Almonds & Salty Caramel White chocolate with almonds and salty caramel. Nominated for Best Vegan Chocolate in the 2025 VegNews Veggie Awards.
• Tony Hawk's Salty Almonds Organic vegan chocolate with salty almonds, a collaboration with skateboarder Tony Hawk; a portion of proceeds supports The Skatepark Project.
• Jamie Anderson's Matcha Lemon Organic white chocolate with matcha and lemon, a collaborative creation with four-time X Games gold medalist and professional snowboarder Jamie Anderson; proceeds support the Jamie Anderson Foundation.
• Aurora's Hazelnut, Guarana & Ginger Organic vegan chocolate with hazelnuts, guarana, and ginger, a collaborative creation with Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora Aksnes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Available in 2,300+ Walmart locations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Hollywood Climate Summit 2025coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 June 2025VGAN serves as the official chocolate sponsor of the Hollywood Climate Summit 2025, taking place June 2-4 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles. The summit gathers professionals from film, TV, music, gaming, journalism, and marketing for climate action discussions. VGAN will sample their full range of vegan chocolate bars to attendees.
• Mercy For AnimalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVGAN partners with Mercy For Animals, an international animal protection organization founded in 1999 by Milo Runkle. The partnership supports VGAN's commitment to animal welfare through plant-based alternatives. VGAN participated in MFA's 25th Anniversary Gala and supports MFA's three core approaches: making alternatives attractive, making animal products less competitive, and reducing suffering for animals in the current food system.
• Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World ChampionshipsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVGAN is a partner with the Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World Championships, a global pump track racing series. VGAN supports the events featuring local heroes, elite BMX racers, and MTB World Champions competing on pump tracks worldwide.
• Tony Hawk / The Skatepark ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTony Hawk collaborated with VGAN to develop 'Tony Hawk's Salty Almonds' organic vegan chocolate bar. A portion of proceeds supports The Skatepark Project (formerly Tony Hawk Foundation), a nonprofit that builds public skateparks in underserved communities. Tony Hawk is a skateboard legend and the first to land a '900' at X Games 1999.
• Jamie Anderson / Jamie Anderson FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJamie Anderson, four-time X Games gold medalist and professional snowboarder, collaborated with VGAN on White Chocolate with Matcha and Lemon bars. Proceeds support the Jamie Anderson Foundation which funds youth snowboarding and healthy active lifestyle programs.
• Aurora AksnesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian singer-songwriter Aurora Aksnes (known mononymously as Aurora) collaborated with VGAN on 'Aurora's Hazelnut, Guarana & Ginger' organic vegan chocolate. Aurora is internationally acclaimed for her ethereal voice and unique artistic vision.
• Tradin OrganicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVGAN partners with Tradin Organics for Fair Trade cocoa liquor sourced from Sierra Leone. VGAN is working with Tradin Organics on incentive programs to improve farmworker conditions and reward fair wages for cocoa farmers.
• Innovation NorwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation Norway supports VGAN's sustainability projects and transparency efforts. VGAN participated in the Norway and California Business Festival organized by Innovation Norway and the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, attended by Crown Prince Haakon.
• Walmart / Confectionery DistributorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVGAN products are distributed through confectionery distributors to Walmart stores, achieving distribution in over 2,300 Walmart locations in the US. Initial placement of 400+ stores with strong per-store sales averages.
• NEKROTRAILminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVGAN partnered with NEKROTRAIL, an 80km ultra-marathon event through Oslo's landscapes including forests and graveyards, showcasing VGAN's connection to Norwegian culture and active lifestyle.

Scale indicators5 records

Direct peers

• NibMor: Organic, vegan chocolate brand focused on clean-label, dairy-free products. Comparable premium positioning and ingredient philosophy targeting the health-conscious chocolate consumer.
• Hu Kitchen: Premium paleo and vegan chocolate bar maker with similar ingredient philosophy (organic, no refined sugar, dairy-free) and comparable retail positioning. Direct head-to-head competitor in the better-for-you chocolate category at similar price points.
• Endangered Species Chocolate: Ethical chocolate brand with strong sustainability messaging and vegan product lines. Competes for similar shelf space and conscious-consumer positioning in mainstream grocery and natural food retail.
• Pascha Chocolate: Specialist vegan chocolate brand focused on allergen-free, organic chocolate bars. Direct competitor in the plant-based chocolate bar category with similar certifications (vegan, allergen-free, fair trade).
• Alter Eco: Organic, Fair Trade, and carbon-neutral chocolate brand with similar regenerative sourcing and sustainability positioning. Direct competitor in the ethical chocolate bar category with overlapping certifications.
• Tony's Chocolonely: Mission-driven chocolate brand focused on slave-free, Fair Trade, and ethical sourcing. Competes directly with VGAN on the ethical/sustainability narrative in mainstream US retail, with stronger brand recognition but at lower price points.

Emerging players

• Raaka Chocolate: Bean-to-bar chocolate maker with vegan and specialty offerings, focused on transparency and ethical sourcing. Comparable mission-driven brand positioning but with smaller distribution and craft-focused approach.

Broad incumbents

• Chocolove: Premium chocolate brand with vegan and ethical offerings distributed in mainstream grocery. Overlapping consumer segments with broader conventional chocolate positioning.
• Hershey's: Largest US chocolate manufacturer with newly launched plant-based product lines (Hershey's Plant Based). Vastly larger scale, distribution, and marketing capability create direct competitive pressure on premium vegan chocolate brands.
• Lindt & Sprüngli: Global premium chocolate incumbent with expanding plant-based chocolate lines (Lindt Excellence Vegan). Represents the major competitive threat at scale with vastly larger marketing budgets and retail relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vgan

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 VGAN