Vegan Hospitality

What Vegan Hospitality does

Vegan Hospitality is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation founded in 2019 and registered in Georgia, USA, that operates as the leading certification body, consulting network, and educator for plant-forward service in the hospitality industry. Co-founded by Meredith Marin (Executive Director) and Hayley Cooper, who together bring 35+ years of hospitality experience, the organization serves hotels, resorts, restaurants, safari camps, and travel operators across at least 32 countries. Its mission is to make plant-based dining a standard offering in hospitality by combining proprietary consulting frameworks with a distributed global delivery network of 150+ trained consultants (50+ actively operating in local markets).

The company's core product is the Vegan-Friendly Hotel Certification, an independently audited program that bundles menu audits, staff training, and strategic planning aligned with Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria. Supporting offerings are delivered through the Vegan Hospitality Academy Portal — including the Vegan Guest Services Course for hotel staff, the 90-day Vegan Hospitality Training program for consultants, and the newer Navigating Vegan Client Needs course for travel agents — alongside the proprietary High Impact Hospitality Consulting methodology and the Vegan Guest Journey framework that covers booking through check-out. The organization also runs the annual Global Vegan Hospitality & Tourism Conference, now in its fourth year with 200+ attendees from 40+ countries, plus a Smart Menus podcast launched in partnership with Buyers Edge Platform in April 2026.

Vegan Hospitality monetizes through four streams: paid consultation services, certification fees, online course revenue on the Academy portal, and donations to its 501c3 structure. Its go-to-market blends enterprise field sales, event-driven demand generation, and a community-led model in which trained consultants serve as independent local-market delivery partners. Named enterprise customers include Hyatt, Marriott, Iberostar (JOIA Aruba), Rixos, and Sunway, with documented outcomes such as a 30% plant-based menu transition and 200+ staff trained at JOIA Aruba within six months and Neptune Mara Rianta achieving certification in under one month.

Name

Vegan Hospitality

Legal name

Vegan Hospitality & Tourism Worldwide, Inc.

Website

https://veganhospitality.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vegan Hospitality is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2019 that certifies, trains, and consults for plant-forward service across the hospitality industry, serving hotels, resorts, restaurants, and safari camps through a global consultant network spanning 32+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Consulting and Certification

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrition, Special Diets & Wellness Cooking (EDAOAKAJ), Plant-Based & Vegetarian/Vegan Nutrition (HSADAFAJ)

Keywords

• Hospitality consulting services
• Vegan certification programs
• Plant-based training
• Hospitality education
• Sustainability consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake In The Hills

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consultation Services: Expert consulting services tailored to hospitality businesses including menu reviews, recipe development, staff training, and strategic planning for plant-forward dining transitions. Services are customized to business needs and delivered by trained consultants.
2. Certifications: Certification program for vegan-friendly hotels and hospitality properties including full audit process, staff training materials, and ongoing support. Certification signals genuine commitment to vegan guests.
3. Online Courses: Practical virtual training courses including Vegan Guest Services Course for hotel staff and Vegan Hospitality Training for consultants. Courses provide certificates upon completion.
4. Donations: 501c3 nonprofit accepting donations to support mission of making plant-based dining a standard in hospitality. Donations mentioned as helping scale at critical growth stage.

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Provides consulting, certification, and training services for the hospitality industry focused on vegan and plant-forward operations. Operates the Vegan Hospitality Academy Portal to deliver online courses and has produced 150+ graduates since 2019 through a network of 50+ consultants across 32 countries.

Product overview

Vegan Hospitality operates as a platform-plus-services model offering certification, consulting, and education to the hospitality industry. The core offering is the Vegan-Friendly Hotel Certification program, which includes menu audits, staff training, and strategic planning. Supporting this are online training courses (Vegan Guest Services Course, Vegan Hospitality Training for consultants, Navigating Vegan Client Needs for travel agents) delivered through the Vegan Hospitality Academy Portal. The company also offers consulting services using the High Impact Hospitality Consulting Methodology through a global network of certified consultants. Additional offerings include the free Hotel Self-Scorecard tool, the Smart Menus podcast (in partnership with Buyers Edge Platform), and the annual Global Vegan Hospitality & Tourism Conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vegan Hospitality Academy: Online learning portal for the Vegan Guest Services Course and other training programs for certified hotels and aspiring consultants.

Products and services

• Vegan Hospitality Certification Formal certification program for hospitality operators and professionals pursuing credible vegan/plant-forward credentials. The certification marks graduates as trained in plant-based hospitality practices and supports operators seeking third-party validation of their vegan offerings.
• Vegan Hospitality Academy Portal Online course platform delivering vegan and plant-forward training to hospitality professionals worldwide. Used by individuals and supported by the organization's consultant network across 32 countries.
• Consulting Services Consulting engagements for hospitality operators seeking to develop, expand, or refine vegan and plant-forward menus and operations. Delivered by Vegan Hospitality's international consultant network.

Quantifiable outcome

• JOIA Aruba achieved 30% plant-based menu transition within six months with 200+ staff trained
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Buyers Edge PlatformcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 April 2026Partnership to create Smart Menus podcast series for foodservice operators. Buyers Edge Platform works with thousands of operators providing data, supply chain intelligence, and technology. Goal is to put practical, margin-minded plant-forward guidance in hands of menu decision-makers.
• World Sustainable Hospitality AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership working through the Alliance representing top 35 hotel chains to embed plant-based standards directly into corporate guidance. Vegan Hospitality's work influences hundreds of properties simultaneously through training and certification programs.
• World Sustainable Hospitality AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough partnerships with the Alliance representing top 35 hotel chains, Vegan Hospitality embeds plant-based standards directly into corporate guidance, enabling one training and certification to influence hundreds of properties simultaneously.
• Food Allergy AwareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Caroline Benjamin from Food Allergy Aware for award-winning allergen training content. Expert interview featured on vegan hospitality blog addressing crossover between vegan-friendly and allergen-safe considerations.
• World Vegan TravelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTour operator that selects certified properties for vegan travelers. Certification acts as differentiator in property selection. Tour operator invests significant effort auditing properties; VH certification streamlines this process.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Plant Based World Expo: Plant Based World Expo is a B2B trade show focused on plant-based products and services for foodservice and retail. Comparable as an event/community-building vehicle for plant-based professionals in food service, though structured as an expo rather than a consulting/training/certification organization.
• The Vegan Society: The Vegan Society is the original vegan organization (founded 1944), providing trademark certification (Vegan Trademark) and promoting veganism globally. Comparable as a vegan-focused certification/trade body, though operating across food products broadly rather than hospitality-specific guest experiences.
• ProVeg International: ProVeg is a food industry advocacy organization working to transform the global food system by accelerating plant-based and alternative protein adoption. Comparable as a mission-driven organization pushing plant-forward practices into food service and hospitality channels, though with a broader food industry remit rather than hospitality specialization.
• Vegetarian Resource Group: VRG is a nonprofit focused on educating the public about vegetarianism and veganism through publications, research, and outreach. Comparable as a plant-based advocacy organization with educational content focus, though not specifically hospitality-certified or industry-targeted.
• HappyCow: HappyCow is the leading online directory for vegan and vegetarian restaurants worldwide, listing 180,000+ venues. Comparable as a discovery and rating platform serving vegan/vegetarian travelers seeking plant-friendly hospitality, though operating as a directory rather than a certification and consulting body.

Others

• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC): GSTC establishes and manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, with criteria that VH's certification program explicitly aligns with. Comparable as a standards-setting body that VH references for credibility, rather than a direct competitor; functions as an enabling framework for VH's certification.
• World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance: The World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance represents the top hotel chains globally in advancing sustainability commitments. Currently a partner of Vegan Hospitality rather than a competitor, but represents the broader institutional channel through which VH is seeking to scale plant-based standards into mainstream hospitality procurement.
• Food Allergy Aware: Food Allergy Aware provides award-winning allergen training content for the food service industry and is a current partner of Vegan Hospitality via expert content collaborations. Comparable as an adjacent training/certification provider operating in the food service safety space with overlap on hospitality staff training needs.

Direct peers

• Green Restaurant Association: The Green Restaurant Association certifies restaurants using environmental standards covering topics including vegan/vegetarian options, sustainability practices, and supply chain. Comparable as a certification body for hospitality businesses, though GRA focuses more broadly on environmental sustainability rather than specifically vegan/plant-forward hospitality.
• EarthCheck: EarthCheck is a sustainability certification program specifically for the travel and tourism industry, benchmarking hotels, tour operators, and destinations. Comparable as a certification and consulting body operating in sustainable hospitality, with overlap on GSTC-aligned frameworks that VH's certification also references.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vegan-hospitality
• Instagraminstagram.com/vegan.hospitality

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Hospitality