Vegan Branding 101: How To Develop a Vegan Brand Identity

The vegan lifestyle has gone mainstream. US plant-based retail food sales more than doubled, from about $3.9 billion in 2017 to $8.1 billion, in 2024, according to Good Food Institute data. Walk down any grocery aisle or scroll through social media, and you’re bound to see signs of this growing market. Think plant-based snacks with bold packaging design, classic comfort foods reimagined as vegan food—even skin care companies proudly spotlighting what they don’t use. Done well, vegan branding communicates trust, intention, and quality without sounding preachy or exclusive.

Learn what vegan branding means today, how to connect with customers no matter their commitment to the vegan diet, and how to build an authentic, competitive brand. Whether you’re selling meat alternatives or cruelty-free skin care, there are some best practices for every vegan brand to consider. 

What is vegan branding?

Vegan branding means building a brand identity around your commitment to selling goods and services free of animal products or animal testing. Branding is an ongoing process. Your website and logo design, packaging materials, social media profile, and tone of your messaging all regularly reinforce your brand image. 

Vegan branding incorporates ethical considerations around animal rights, environmental benefits, and/or plant-based eating as a healthier lifestyle. Some brands lean heavily into activism and ethics; others take a lighter approach in their marketing efforts, emphasizing taste or convenience first. 

When customers see the word “vegan” on a label, they expect no animal-derived ingredients, no animal testing, and supply chain transparency. For many consumers, especially those committed to vegan values, trust is essential.

How to develop a vegan brand identity

1. Identify your audience
2. Lean into your strengths
3. Consider getting certifications
4. Build a cohesive visual identity
5. Be consistent across marketing channels

Building strong vegan branding is less about shouting your values and more about subtly weaving them into customer touchpoints. From packaging materials and on-shelf cues to product naming, visual language, and tone of voice, there are many opportunities to reinforce your brand.

1. Identify your audience

While it might seem natural to focus your target market exclusively on committed vegans, limiting your target market this way could mean missing significant opportunities. In the US, consumer eating patterns reveal a much broader potential customer base. According to Gallup, only 1% of the country is completely vegan, and 4% of the US population is vegetarian. With that said, 59% of Americans have purchased plant-based food. Of that group, 96% of plant-based buyers also eat meat. 

Plant-based brands can craft messaging that resonates with vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians (who eat mostly plant-based foods but occasionally meat or fish), and the more than 90% of consumers who still eat meat but are open to eating less of it. 

Veestro, a plant-based delivery service, addressed this by creating distinct customer segments. “We created personas based on the type of customers we wanted to reach,” co-founder Monica Klausner says on Shopify Masters. “Strictly vegan, vegetarian/vegan, moms who want to eat healthy, young professionals.” The messaging flexes depending on the audience, while the brand’s ethical foundation—its commitments to animal welfare, environmental responsibility, and transparency—stays intact.

By contrast, plant-based chicken company Daring takes a more focused approach. When founder Ross MacKay spoke with Shopify Masters, he said his company actively targets meat-eaters with its advertising. “There’s a tendency that a company with a mission as strong as ours can eliminate a lot of consumers,” he says. “Our target audience is chicken lovers.” Committed vegans are welcome, but not the focal point.

2. Lean into your strengths

Whether you sell vegan products like skin care or ready-to-eat meals, think about how to center the flavor, texture, performance, and convenience first. Brand values alone won’t sell products. Vegan branding works best when it supports your strengths rather than compensating for weaknesses.

Veestro takes this approach with its pre-cooked meals. “What we wanted to do was encourage everybody to eat more plants,” Monica says. “Our goal is not to make everybody vegan but to encourage people to eat more plants, to add more plants to their diet.” For Veestro, that meant making plant-based meals affordable and accessible. 

Veestro’s messaging emphasizes convenience, flavor, and everyday ease, positioning plant-based meals as a practical choice rather than a moral commitment. From clean, approachable packaging to simple meal descriptions and straightforward subscription options, the brand removes friction at every touchpoint. This perspective lets it lead with taste, nutrition, and convenience while still reflecting vegan values—and reach a broader audience because of it.

3. Consider getting certifications

In competitive markets, certification from vegan or environmental organizations can be a quiet but powerful differentiator. Third-party verification, from an organization like Vegan Action or The Vegan Society, helps brands substantiate their claims. Certification doesn’t just reassure customers; it also protects businesses from accusations of greenwashing or vague marketing. 

That said, certification isn’t mandatory for every vegan brand. Some businesses choose to clearly explain their sourcing, production, and testing processes instead. The key is clarity. That said, certification can be especially valuable in categories where consumer scrutiny is high, such as food, cosmetics, and personal care. That’s because it provides an external layer of trust. Regardless, if you’re using the word “vegan,” customers expect transparency and consistency in how you source, test, and manufacture your products.

4. Build a cohesive visual identity

Visual choices do heavy lifting for vegan brands. Your logo, color palette, typography, and packaging often serve as the first proof point of your values. The look can signal plant-based ingredients, ethical sourcing, or environmental care before a customer ever reads a label. 

Earthy color palettes, minimalist layouts, and recycled and compostable materials reinforce these commitments at a glance, while keeping designs polished enough to compete with mainstream products on crowded shelves. Think Beyond Meat, Earth Grown, or Gardein. Shoppers actively look for visual cues when shopping for plant-based meat alternatives in a grocery freezer. They use recognizable signals (greens, neutrals, clean typography) to quickly understand what your product is and why it aligns with their values.

With that said, you can also make your brand stand out by going against the grain and using a more vibrant color palette and maximalist design approach, so long as it’s clear what you’re selling. If you sell direct to consumer (DTC) or compete in a crowded, visually homogeneous space, a bolder palette or more distinctive design can help you stand out and capture attention.

By establishing clear brand guidelines, you can apply visual standards consistently across your website, packaging, and sales channels. Put together, this ensures your sustainability story looks intentional and cohesive as the brand scales.

5. Be consistent across marketing channels

Vegan branding works everywhere: your website, product pages, packaging, email marketing, and social media channels. Tailor your branding across these channels:

• Website and product pages. Focus on clarity and reassurance. This is where customers decide whether your product fits their lifestyle. Lead with benefits like taste, nutrition, performance, and ease of use, supported by transparent ingredient lists and sourcing details.

• Packaging. Signal values clearly and confidently. Use obvious vegan markers, recognizable certifications (if applicable), and a tone that communicates credibility and care at a glance. This is especially important in retail environments where shoppers make decisions in seconds.

• Email marketing. Reinforce value and build trust over time. Emails are ideal for storytelling, education, and reminders. Share recipes, usage tips, behind-the-scenes sourcing stories, or product updates to deepen the customer relationship.

• Social media. Lean into your community for inspiration. Use social platforms to showcase real customers, everyday use cases, vegan meals, routines, or transformations. Aim to invite conversation rather than deliver polished brand statements.

For instance, Kopari, a vegan skin care brand, leans on influencer partnerships to show how its products fit naturally into daily routines. In this TikTok, the influencer describes in detail what she loves about the brand’s spray-on sunscreen.