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BESTIES Vegan Paradise

Ever walk into a convenience store and leave disenchanted and hungry? Ever have those grocery trips where you spend half your day hopping from shop to shop in a vain attempt to find all your favorite vegan products? Allison Shead, Asia Phoenix, and Matt Fontana all had the same problems so, they decided to do something about it. BESTIES Vegan Paradise opened in January of 2019 to a hungry audience.

BESTIES is proud to represent the Los Angeles vegan community

Located in East Hollywood, California, BESTIES Vegan Paradise aims to become a vegan 7-Eleven: a place where anyone can stroll in and pick up a snack, some coffee, or a meal to take home. The long-term plan is to open more locations, first in more Los Angeles neighborhoods! Their offering includes the staples, like chips, dips, candy bars, veggie jerkies, frozen meals, cookies, and ice creams, all vegan. But Besties sets itself apart by including kombuchas, juices, gourmet vegan cheeses, sandwich fixin’s (including Rising Hearts Bakery Gluten-Free Bread), ready-to-eat meals from Clean South, a robot that will blend you fresh juices, and more! You can expect to find Vegenaise, Dressings, Yogurts, and Cheeses from Follow Your Heart readily available. As members of our new Local Love program, you can count on Besties to be some of the first stores in the country to carry our new products, like our Dairy-Free Sour Cream, Dairy-Free Cream Cheese, and Dairy-Free Yogurts.

A few of the Follow Your Heart products you can find on their shelves.

BESTIES is more than a convenience store. Their clientele consists of members of the East Hollywood community, most of which are not vegan. Despite not committing to the plant-based lifestyle, the locals have embraced besties and they have established regulars who visit frequently. Their approach is to create a positive atmosphere where all walks of life are welcome. Vegan, Vegetarian, whatever your diet is, BESTIES is there to feed you.

All the vegan jerky and snacks our hearts desire

Alison, Asia, and Matt focus primarily on smaller food companies to stock their shelves. About 30% of their products come from local producers. They are strict about only purchasing from all-vegan companies with increased emphasis on people of color and women-owned businesses. You can shop at besties and leave feeling like you’ve done something good for the planet and for a growing community.

From L-R: Asia Phoenix, Kelli (from FYH), and Allison Shead.

To top it all off, BESTIES hosts pop-up events featuring local vendors from Thursdays through Saturdays. You can find tacos, Burgers, even fried chicken, all vegan, just outside their shop on Fountain Blvd. Be sure to follow them on Instagram to stay in the know, @bestiesveganparadise. Don’t be surprised if you find Follow Your Heart products on those pop-up menus, either!

BESTIES Vegan Paradise is located at

4882 Fountain Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90029

Instagram: @BESTIESveganparadise

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Feb 27

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Add a little west coast sunshine to your life with our California Burger recipe🍔🌞. Dressed in our Original #Vegenaise, Thousand Island Dressing, and melty #DairyFree American Slices, this burger will transport your tastebuds to the land of palm trees and surf. Head to our link in bio to try this recipe out yourself!

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Feb 26

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Ready for takeoff! Rocket Cakes, our #glutenfree, #dairyfree, #soyfree, and #vegan ready-to-pour pancake + waffle batter is coming to stores soon! We've been perfecting the recipe in collaboration with the out-of-this-world @sporkfoods & we can't wait for you to try them! Stay tuned for instructions from mission control on how you can prepare for Rocket Cakes to land on your breakfast table!⁠
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Feb 25

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In the heart of Atlanta lies a vegan restaurant with a unique name and unforgettable food🔥. @sluttyveganatl , founded by @pinky907 in 2018, made it their mission to provide quality vegan meals to communities that didn’t have vegan options at the time. Fast forward to 2021, they have successfully ignited a national vegan revolution to change the way people think about vegan food. Along the way, they’ve captured the hearts (and stomachs) of major celebrities and sport stars including Snoop Dogg, Usher, Taraji P. Henson, Tiffany Haddish, Will Smith, Colin Kaepernick, and more✨. Slutty Vegan proudly uses Original #Vegenaise and #DairyFree Slices on all their menu items including the Heaux Boy, Super Slut, and Dancehall Queen. Through their passion, quality, and taste, Slutty Vegan has emerged as one of the nation’s most beloved 100% plant-based burger destinations🍔.

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Feb 24

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The packaging may be new, but inside are all the great products you know and love. We continue to produce the best plant-based foods in the most sustainable way, and we can assure you that we remain committed to the original mission set by Michael, Bob, Paul, and Spencer back when they started it all.

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Feb 24

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“Old friends, old friends⁠
Sat on their park bench like bookends”⁠
⁠
It’s been a long time since our humble beginnings in 1970, and today we are thrilled to take the next step in our journey. Inspired by the original hand-drawn menu, we’re excited to introduce the new look for Follow Your Heart.

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Feb 24

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To further our sustainability efforts, we created our Earth Garden, a 224-square foot growing space that yields fresh, seasonal produce. Our employees use the garden to enjoy lunch and you too can enjoy our Earth Garden produce at the Follow Your Heart Market & Café.

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Feb 23

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Our innovation work has led us to new and exciting products, like VeganEgg and our newest Rocket Cakes ready-to-cook pancake and waffle batter. When creating new products, we have always made sure they lived up to our beliefs – Food should not only be good for us, but also be good for the planet.

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Feb 23

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As we grew, we continued to put sustainability first. Since 2016, we have been diverting over 98% of our waste from landfills through recycling, composting, reduction, or reuse and have generated over 300,000 kWH of green energy per year with our solar panels.

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Feb 23

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Vegenaise was a hit, and that success started us thinking about other foods we could make deliciously plant based. On our list was cheese, and in 2003, we came out with the first ever fully vegan cheese that actually melted!

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Feb 22

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Our top item was the Avocado, Tomato, & Sprouts Sandwich and when we discovered that the egg-free mayo we used was a fake and not actually egg-free, we set out to make our own. So one night, Bob invented Vegenaise, and we soon started selling it to customers in to-go containers.
 
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Feb 22

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We first started serving our delicious, wholesome foods from a humble seven-seat sandwich counter in Canoga Park, CA. You can still visit (the now expanded) counter if you’re craving a scrumptious plant-based meal.

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Feb 22

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Our journey started over 50 years ago when four friends, Bob, Spencer, Michael, and Paul set out to make vegetarian soups and sandwiches in sunny 70s Southern California.

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Feb 21

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This herbaceous Potato, Brussels and Leek Bake by @theyummyvegan is delicious and will fill your kitchen with a sensational smell. Mixed with our #DairyFree Sour Cream and Grated Parmesan, this dish is a guaranteed crowd pleaser for all potato lovers 🥔🥰. Recipe is available via the link in bio.

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Feb 20

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Introducing our Eggplant Shakshuka. We made this brunch classic a bit more eggciting by using eggplant in place of eggs and topped it with our #DairyFree Feta Crumbles. Pair it with pita, sourdough, or your favorite bread and enjoy! Our recipe is available via our link in bio.

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Feb 19

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Chilly weather calls for something comforting, like this yummy and cozy French Onion Soup by @theyummyvegan. She melts our creamy, savory #DairyFree Mozzarella Shreds and #DairyFree Smoked Gouda Slices over thick cut pieces of bread to lay on top of her soup for a hearty, satisfying winter meal. Follow her for the recipe and head to our link in bio to get the products you need to make this yourself.

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Feb 19

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In 1970, Follow Your Heart started as four young guys working in our original market and cafe in Canoga Park, CA. They dreamed that one day our company would provide healthy, nutritious, and delicious food to our community and beyond – all with the intention of making the world a better place. Just over 50 years later, we are humbled and proud to see that dream realized. Follow Your Heart is now a well-recognized, global, plant-based foods company with products like Vegenaise and our dairy-free cheeses.⁠
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We are excited to share our new look which truly reflects who we are as a brand as well as our rich, 50-year heritage. Along with our beautiful new packaging, we’re excited to announce that we’re joining the Danone family of plant-based brands. We have found a partner that shares our mission, vision, and values, who embodies the very best in social and environmental responsibility, and who will help accelerate and expand our efforts to broaden the availability of plant-based foods. Meaning you, our valued community will have greater access to more of the delicious Follow Your Heart products you love. We will continue to produce our products with the same strict standards in our solar-powered facility in Southern California. We are excited for you to join us in this celebration as we continue to move forward toward the fulfillment of our dreams and our mission. ⁠
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Read more via our blog post, link in bio

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Feb 18

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Hailing from Seattle, Plum Bistro is a shining #plantbased culinary star in the PNW since opening in 2009🌱. @plumbistro ‘s mission is to recreate the American cultural experience through #plantbased dishes has captured the attention of eaters everywhere, regardless of their diet. Owner and chef, Makini Howell, was recently named by @nytimes as one of the top Black chefs currently changing food in America. Chef Makini's upscale menu uses our #DairyFree Medium Cheddar in their My American Guy Cheese Burger and our #DairyFree Mozzarella Shreds in their Sausage, Mushroom and Spinach Pizza🍔🍕. If you’re craving a healthy salad or something sweet, Chef Makini also owns Plum Chopped and Sugar Plum as well! Head to our link in bio to browse @plumbistro ‘s menu and order food from them directly.

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Feb 17

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These Deep Fried Potato Skins by @pinchofparsely_ are what appetizer dreams are made of. Topped with our #DairyFree Shredded Cheddar and #DairyFree Sour Cream, these crispy boats made of potato will make you feel like the Captain of the kitchen. Follow @pinchofparsley_ for the full recipe and head to our link in bio to find these products closest to you.

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Feb 16

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@nodairyarie 's Korean Tofu Tacos are a fresh twist on Taco Tuesday 🌮. Arica used our Original #Vegenaise to create a delicious Kimchi Slaw to add a flavorful crunch on top of her deliciously seasoned tofu. Tag us in your own tasty taco creations.

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Feb 15

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🌈 GIVEAWAY 🌈⁠
⁣⁣⁠
Because you should listen to your heart (and stomach), we are partnering with @munkpack to give two of you an amazing snack prize pack! 🙌 ⁣⁣Prizes include 4 free product vouchers from #FollowYourHeart + a prize pack of Keto Nut & Seed Bars from #MunkPack ✨⁣⁣⁠
⠀⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁠
HOW TO ENTER:⠀⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁠
⠀⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁠
1️⃣ Like this post 💙⁣⁣⁣⁠
2️⃣ Follow @followyourheart + @munkpack ✅ ⁣⁣⁣⁣(yes, we check! 😉) ⁣⁣⁠
3️⃣ Tag your heroes, family & friends. Each tag counts as an entry! 👫⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁠
✨Bonus entry: Share this post to your IG stories and make sure to tag us both!⠀⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁠
⠀⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁠
18+, Continental U.S Only, Winners announced on 2/22! Giveaway is in no way sponsored by/affiliated with Instagram. No purchase necessary. Good luck! 🎉⁣

@FOLLOWYOURHEART

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certified plant based

Follow Your Heart believes that a better world begins with better food choices. We make Vegenaise, the best vegan cheeses, and other delicious and innovative plant-based alternatives. Follow Your Heart® Earth Island® Vegenaise® Vegan Gourmet® Rocket Cakes® VeganEgg® are registered trademarks of Follow Your Heart®/Earth Island®

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