Support Small (& Ethical) Businesses

If you are looking for more ethical and eco-friendly alternatives to stock your pantry and fill your belly, this is an excellent place to start! While stay-at-home restrictions are easing up, we are still being reminded to keep up our social distancing efforts to protect those at-risk. At the same time, we need to continue to support the local, ethical businesses that we love. Staying in, plus supporting small, means now is as good a time as ever to peruse online and click that “add to basket” button.

In no particular order, here are 5 of our favourite Sydney-based businesses to check out –

Animal-free, eco-product paradise – The Vegan Grocery Store. The store boasts a wide selection of plant-based food, health and beauty products, and everything you need to reduce single-use plastics and shift to a more eco-friendly home.

The Vegan Grocery Store also spoils you for choice when it comes to treats and gifting. They stock vegan leather bags and shoes, cute reusable eco-wares, and a drool-worthy range of sweets.

If you’re a bit like us and overwhelmed by choice, or want to send some love to someone special, The Vegan Grocery Store Vegan Mystery Box is an excellent option. They’ll send out a surprise box jam-packed with vegan snacks, pantry essentials, and treats.

With online delivery available and physical stores in Sydney and Melbourne, The Cruelty Free Shop is undoubtedly in our top five vegan businesses to visit soon.

Online: http://www.vegangrocerystore.com.au/
Instagram: @vegangrocerystoreau
Sydney address: 90 Glebe Point Road, Glebe, NSW 2037
Melbourne address: 124 Johnston St, Fitzroy, VIC 3065

Flora and Fauna cover all the essential categories – food staples and treats, health and beauty, pregnancy and kids, home and living, and fashion and gifting. If you are shifting towards plant-based eating or waste-free living, a browse of this online store is a must.

The company is devoted to leading the way as a retailer, constantly making positive changes to help the planet and its inhabitants. In 2016, Flora and Fauna removed the use of all plastics from their orders – so your delivery will arrive in a box, sealed only with paper tape. For once, you won’t be stuck with all the unnecessary plastic wrap, stuffing, and enviro-guilt that usually come with your online orders.

If you weren’t already sold on their eco-ways, Flora and Fauna are also have partnerships with the likes of Where Pigs Fly Farm Sanctuary, and recycling company TerraCycle. With their recycling initiative, all those annoying plastic containers that cannot be recycled in your kerb-side collection, can be posted to Flora and Fauna in exchange for a store credit (more details can be found here).

Online: https://www.floraandfauna.com.au/
Instagram: @floraandfaunaau
Address: 4/25 Loyalty Road, North Rocks, NSW 2151

All About Empathy is an independent, family-run store with an outstanding range of vegan and eco-friendly products. Their goal is to make it easy and convenient for the community to make more compassionate, ethical, and healthier choices – and that’s a goal we want to get behind!

Their range includes a lot of allergy-friendly products as well. If you, or someone you know, has an intolerance to dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, or nuts, AAE have got you covered. The staff here are extremely friendly and always willing to help.

The front of the store has all things perfect for gifting (or keeping for yourself!) including vegan leather wallets and bags, candles, zero waste kitchen essentials, and beauty products. The freezers are well stocked with plant-based “meats”, such as Beyond Meat burger patties. And amongst the amazing selection of vegan cheeses, you’ll find our favourite, Herb and Garlic Boursin by The Vegan Dairy – an essential for your next cheese platter.

Currently, AAE don’t do home delivery. There is the option to click-and-collect – simply create a site wishlist and they’ll reach out to you via email. The physical store is located in Northwest Sydney, about 40 minutes from the CBD. Stocking up on pantry, fridge, and freezer goods, as well as household, health and beauty, personal care, and pet needs will definitely make the trip worth your while.

Online: https://www.allaboutempathy.com.au/
Instagram: @allaboutempathy_kellyville
Address: 1/27 Windsor Road, Kellyville, NSW 2155

Shift – oh, how we love you. This vegan café and deli is in Surry Hills, just a short walk from Central Station. The staff here are always lovely, and the coffee and food often attracts a queue of both vegans and non-vegans. At Shift, they describe what they do as showing Sydneysiders that embracing a plant-based diet is not only simple, but also “tasty-AF” – and we do not disagree!

The menu is extensive and delicious, but to rattle off some of our favourites, there’s the Vegan Salmon Bagel, Reuben’s Vegan Brother, Steve, the prettiest waffles you’ll ever be served, chunky lamingtons, and really good coffee. Beyond the menu, they also stock cheeses, frozen mock meats and pies, sweets, Shift tees, and other vegan goodies.

The core belief at Shift is that veganism is the future, and making the shift doesn’t require the sacrifice of tastiness. Currently they are open for takeaway and home delivery – local delivery is via DoorDash, but they also service Wollongong, Canberra and Newcastle (see site for details).

Online: https://www.shifteatery.com.au/
Instagram: @shifteatery
Address: Shop 4/241 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010

Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or gifting a bottle, look no further than GoodWill Wine for your next red, white, or sparkling (of course, only if you are over 18 years of age). Not only are they environmentally conscious, but half of their profits go to charity as well – and you get to choose!

GoodWill Wine delivers to your door in 100% recycled cartons. The company also offsets all freight with Greenfleet, a tree-planting organisation focused on fighting climate change and restoring habitats for native wildlife. We’d say, “say no more!”, but there is more..

So far, GoodWill Wine has provided 100,000 hot meals to those in need, trained and employed disadvantaged Australians, funded four animal cruelty investigations, helped re-home 47 orangutans, paid for fuel for Sea Sherpherd whale rescue missions, and re-homed over 250 companion animals.

Visit their site (if you are 18+) to place your order, or sign up to their newsletter to enter the weekly draw to win a gift pack. Don’t forget, you can contribute to the efforts of Animal Liberation NSW by selecting us as your charity of choice at checkout, too!

Online: https://goodwillwine.com.au/charities/animal-liberation-nsw
Instagram: @goodwill_wine

Did we miss your favourite?

What ethical businesses should we write about next? Comment below with the name and location of your favourite stores, online or physical!

By Ari Feldmann

Click here for a vegan shopping guide.