Snapscan Interview with Werner – The owner & Founder of The Fussy Vegan
Tell us about your business journey. What led to you opening the first branch of The Fussy Vegan?
The Fussy Vegan was born out of my love for animals and nature. I wanted to contribute to an ever growing landscape of Vegan businesses that have shaped the food industry as you see it now. My aim was to create a safe space for all that would allow people to enjoy vegan meals that were delicious and left them craving for more. A way to show people that they could easily incorporate veganism in to their lifestyle. A way to challenge an industry that is currently contributing to environmental destruction and extreme violence against animals.
Why did you choose to name the restaurant The Fussy Vegan?
Our name is completely tongue in cheek. It’s a way for us to bridge the gap between vegan and non vegan. A name that resonates with everyone. Something that just felt absolutely right.
The variety of dishes on your menu proves that vegan food doesn’t have to be boring. Where do you get the inspiration for your menu?
I have always absolutely loved food. Sometimes a little too much. When making the change to Vegan I was amazed at by the fact that there are so many different varieties of plant based ingredient available. It eventually became a celebration of taste, texture and wanting to provide our customers with well rounded, nutritious and yummy meals that would allow them to realise how good and comforting plant based food can be without being unhealthy.
How has The Fussy Vegan evolved since you first opened your doors?
We have just turned 4 and we have certainly evolved in terms of our amazingly loyal community that has evolved around the brand. A brand is but nothing without it’s customers. We get to feed some pretty amazing people.
What would you say are The Fussy Vegan’s core values, and how do these play out in the restaurant’s day-to-day operations?
Community and Consistency. We love to welcome new customers to our store. What we love more is getting to know them and do our very best to provide a consistent product that they are able to rely on. We realise that each meal we make allows us to have the privilege of being in business. We value all our customers equally.
What would you say enabled you to scale your business?
Looking back at the journey I would definitely say learning the importance of admin. Checking the data, making informed decisions, and learning how to remain motivated. The seriousness of the cause also serves as a massive motivation. We are here for the animals that do not have voices to speak for themselves. We are giving our customers what they want, a shift away from animal products. Vegan is the future.
What were some of the things you had to consider before opening up the additional branches?
At first we were forced to expand as we had reached capacity at our first location. It is important to be ready to grow with your business and scale as you grow. Becoming a multi store operation meant we had to ensure consistency across all of our stores. More stores also mean more work, it is very important to have the right staff to populate your business, people that can grow with the business should truly be cherished and empowered.
The past two years have been particularly tough for restaurants. What were some of the tactics you implemented to keep the restaurants going?
Covid has been so tough for the food industry. After the first lockdown we decided to shift away from retail and focus only on our warm meals. We simplified what we did and made sure that we were great at that.
What was one piece of advice you wish you had when starting out?
That finding the balance between work and meaningful life experiences is essential.
What has been the biggest highlight of your business?
Definitely being Voted the Best Vegan Restaurant in Joburg 2021 is right up there.
Why did you decide to incorporate SnapScan into your business?
Snapscan is such an innovative offering that I thought was amazing since the first time I saw it. I also lived the fact that it really empowers small businesses to receive payments.
How have you incorporated SnapScan into your business?
We have actually linked our snapcode on our website for each store. We have a snapcode for online and one for in store so we know which payment is from which platform. It’s really so reliable and often when the card machines bomb out due to network, software or load shedding issues, Snapscan serves as a reliable way to receive payment.
What’s next for The Fussy Vegan?
Being in Joburg and Cape Town we are now a national brand. We would love to expand to more cities and allow more people to try new.
Do you have any tips for someone who wants to move into veganism?
Tip 1:
Start small. Swap out your dairy for a plant based alternative that you enjoy. Oat milks is by far the most sustainable option and personally I think it’s my favourite type of plant milk. The local vegan cheese market has also exploded and most of the big retailers now stock vegan cheese as well.
Tip 2:
Find a few recipes that you enjoy making. It helps to build up a repertoire of some easy recipes that are nutritionally balanced and delicious
Tip3:
Be kind to yourself. It’s not about being perfect but rather about creating a sustainable lifestyle that you are able to maintain.
