Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Aaron and Todd Anderson.
Todd and Samantha met in early 2019 and quickly realized that they are two very passionate people who want little else but to make the world a healthier, happier, more abundant place by helping others transition to a more plant-based lifestyle, empower them to learn creative ways to reduce waste and to encourage others to give back to their communities.
Todd (owner, manager, marketing director) has a background in sales and recruiting. He is the owner of an ethical clothing line, Chickpeas & Turnips (formerly known as Spoiled Vegans). He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and his Master’s degree in Health Information Technology. He is a talented videographer and an ethical vegan.
While documenting his transition from meat-eater to vegan, he was able to grow a large social media following and has since become an influencer in the vegan community. He is now solely focused on growing Spoiled Vegans Café and Chickpeas & Turnips while maintaining his social media presence and being a mentor for other vegans and curious eaters.
Samantha (owner, manager, finance officer, chef), also an ethical vegan, has a background in clinical pharmacy and data analytics for the healthcare industry. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Public Health and her Master’s degree in Nutrition Education. She was a vegan bodybuilder and trainer, meal prep queen, and wellness counselor when she first went vegan over 7 years ago. She has since shifted her focus toward growing Spoiled Vegans Café. A self-proclaimed perfectionist, she takes immense pride in providing Spoiled Vegans customers with delicious, well-balance, fun food.
Todd and Samantha started their journey, as a vegan couple, with lots of eating out… But, they quickly realized that there was a gap in available vegan options for breakfast and brunch. It was at that moment, Spoiled Vegans Café was born.
Samantha always wanted to open a restaurant as a child. Her dream was shot down by her father, who once said: “The number one business to go out of business is a restaurant”. Oh, how life has come full circle!
When Todd mentioned to Samantha that he had been thinking of opening a café, the two knew that nothing was stopping them from making it happen. The first step was to test the concept and luckily enough, they were able to do that with Red Hat Coffee as a partner. The trial period was a huge success.
Samantha and Todd also had a chance to operate the café as an outdoor pop-up, which was also a smash-hit. They have officially decided that the world needs and wants Spoiled Vegans Café!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As with many, if not all business ventures, the road to success has not been a 100% smooth ride. Starting a vegan food-based business is tough in a world where only 4-6% of the population identifies as vegan and only 30% of the population identifies as vegetarian. This means most restaurants are purchasing animal products from distributors, driving up the cost of plant-based foods and limiting the availability of locally sourced, organic, whole foods.
An ongoing challenge for Spoiled Vegans Café is obtaining the products that we believe in while keeping food costs low enough to appeal to as many people as possible. We refuse to cut corners, so we go to great lengths to provide high quality, fresh ingredients while serving the surrounding area through partnerships.
Early on, Spoiled Vegans Café experienced an unexpected and forced transition from a brick & mortar location to operating solely as an outdoor pop-up café. While this bump in the road was tough for the momentum of the brick & mortar location, Samantha and Todd wholeheartedly believe that all things happen for a reason. The path they were diverted to has led them to bigger and better opportunities! After two and a half months of successful outdoor events, they are looking into other brick & mortar locations in Gaslamp, East Village, and Logan Heights. They are excited to serve the community and to become a destination location for the best breakfast in San Diego!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Spoiled Vegans Café was only a thought in May 2019 and, in a few quick months, has grown to be one of the most unique vegan breakfast/brunch experiences in San Diego. The brain child of a vegan social media influencer (Todd) and a long time plant-based nutrition expert (Samantha), Spoiled Vegans Café seeks to fill the void for plant-based breakfast/brunch options in San Diego and beyond!
Because oatmeal and fruit bowls get boring, Spoiled Vegans Café wants to treat vegans and non-vegans alike to a delicious, satisfying, and fun dining experiencing. One in which you can rest assured that your food is made with love and that no animals were harmed in the making.
Spoiled Vegans Café specializes in recreating “traditional” breakfast foods using 100% plants! Sweet and savory waffles, waffle dogs, bacon, breakfast sausages, waffle sandwiches, omelettes, quiche, acai bowls, rain forest alliance coffee, freshly squeezed juice, and smoothies, to name a few.
We partner with local brands and national brands who practice sustainability and whose missions are also to promote a healthier & more abundant lifestyle. We are most proud to be known as the first 100% plant-based breakfast/brunch option in Downtown San Diego!
What were you like growing up?
Samantha was born in Wyoming but grew up all over the country and landed in California almost 4 years ago. She was a competitive gymnast and fast-pitch softball player. She was a very active child, who was innately aware and conscious about what she put into her body. She grew up in a traditional household, with one younger sister. Family meals didn’t always mean sitting down at the dinner table, but they almost always meant that animal protein was being consumed. For many years, she believed that this was healthy. it wasn’t until her early 20’s that she started to research plant-based diets and she decided to dive head first into veganism around the age of 25. She practiced a very strict vegan lifestyle while bodybuilding and obtaining her Master’s degree in Nutrition Education. She has since stopped bodybuilding and allows herself to indulge more often, but her conscious eating habits never abandoned her. She now focuses on educating others about the benefits of eating less animal products, reducing plastic use, and living a more sustainable lifestyle.
Todd was born in Chicago, in an area where fresh foods were difficult to obtain and even more difficult to afford for a family of 6. Todd was also a very active child. He played basketball from a very young age, well into his collegiate years. Similar to Samantha, Todd believed that he needed to eat certain animal-based foods to grow muscle and to thrive as an athlete. Now, Todd’s goal is to help rewire the way he and others have been conditioned to eat. He hopes to break down the barriers to healthy living for underserved and minority communities.
Pricing:
- Breakfast/Brunch options ranging from $5 – $14
- Coffee/Smoothies/Juices ranging from $3-$8
Contact Info:
- Website: www.spoiledveganscafe.com
- Phone: 760-972-7342
- Email: contact@spoiledveganscafe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spoiledvegans/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spoiledveganscafe/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/spoiled-vegans-cafe-san-diego-2
Image Credit:
Turnip Vegan & Israel Palacio
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