Who We Are – Choosing a Healthier Lifestyle Led to Southern Roots Vegan Bakery

We’ve been hitting it hard for three years and WE NEED YOUR HELP! Our motto, it’s “So Good, You Won’t Believe It’s Vegan,” has made us an overnight hit. Our plant-based donuts, cookies and cakes have not only gone social media viral thanks to actress and vegan influencer, Tabitha Brown, we have received local and statewide press that has caught the attention of PETA and VegOut magazine. And we are especially proud that we have been nominated for “Best Vegan Bakery” in the country for two years in a row by VegNews magazine.

When I took on the challenge of being a full-time caregiver to my then 96-year old grandmother, Mary Lee, my husband Marcus and I also went on the journey to convert some of her favorite downhome Southern treats into vegan gold. She’s now stronger and healthier! And we are busier than ever before and can boast that we have shipped to all 50 states two years in a row. You can’t go wrong with our Red Velvet or Lemon Drop Donuts, volcano cakes or Mary Lee’s Lemon Bundt Cake.

Despite our small operation, we know it’s important to give back. We have hosted the “Black Enterprise Vegan Market” a farmers market in our local city of San Antonio to showcase other Black-owned vegan vendors, donated baked goods to every staffer at our local Baptist Hospital and donated to military, teachers, nurses and other essential workers during the pandemic through churches like All Nations Worship Assembly of San Antonio. We know many Food Banks across the nation have been struggling and we were able to make a small contribution to the San Antonio Food Bank to help people in need. 

Now WE NEED Your Help!

We are growing steadily BUT as a micro business, we have come to realize we don’t qualify for business loans or COVID-related grant relief. Unfortunately, we have had to turn down retail and national television opportunities because we don’t have the funds to buy all the ingredients and packaging we would need to fulfill orders. We love doing marketing campaigns with other partners but have to be selective since we are not in the position to  always offer free shipping since it leaves little profit.

The #BuyBlack movement in the summer of 2020, after the unjustly murder of George Floyd, helped our business during a time when we really needed it. Many Black-owned businesses were closing due to the pandemic. But this was short lived with the second wave of the pandemic and getting to that next level is harder than we imagined. Check out these stats that show the challenging journey Black businesses face:
 

• According to the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, ONLY 1% of Black business owners were able to obtain loans in their founding year, compared to 7% of white business owners.
• Black entrepreneurs are DENIED or given lower bank loans at more than twice the rate of their white peers: 53% to 25%, according to research from the Federal Reserve.

Our Goal: 

Can you help us raise $100,000 in 60 days? We plan to use the money to continue growing our business and mass produce at our current location we rent and hire more staffers.  We would like to be able to reduce some debt from keeping staff employed during the first and  second wave of the pandemic, purchase new retail packaging to showcase our delicious products, be able to expand faster and increase our marketing campaigns and ad budgets. Last but not least if we exceed our goal, we would love for you to come visit us at our very own storefront!

Rewards for Helping Us

$1,000 Donation – Yearly Donut Membership – 12 months of our donut subscription + Exclusive Baker’s Choice Variety Box and SRVB Tote. (We can send the donuts to someone else as a gift)

$250 Donation -We will send you a variety thank you box with stickers, bakers choice variety of desserts, and southern roots merch!

$50 Donation – $75 Virtual Gift Card that will be valid for 6 months

$25 Donation – We will send you a thank you card for supporting our campaign!

If you would rather donate instead of receiving a perk just hit the BACK IT button and you can put the monetary amount of your choosing! 

Spread the Word!

$100,000 is our goal and we need your help! Please spread the word and share on your social media channels and personally ask people you know to help contribute to our campaign. We are hoping our community of fans will take us to the top instead of being turned down by another bank.! We thank you for being on this journey with us!