Photo Courtesy of DCFC.
Your Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers and the Detroit City Football Club are partnering up to highlight a local small business every week with the Detroit Small Biz City series. This week’s business is a local favorite that combines the comfort of soul food with the healthy qualities of vegan ingredients.
Detroit Vegan Soul has become a go-to spot for vegan dishes that remind you of the comfort you enjoyed growing up. Whether that’s mac-n-cheese, maple glazed yams, spaghetti with meatballs or even cornbread, Detroit Vegan Soul brings plenty of flavor to their gluten-free dishes.
Their menu is prepared with organic produce, natural ingredients and sweeteners, all non-GMO and ingredients that are strictly plant-based. They also use 100% compostable packaging, making their ingredients and packaging not only good for customers, but good for the planet as well. Co-owners Kirsten Ussery and Erika Boyd began Detroit Vegan Soul in 2010 after Boyd lost her father to cancer and wanted to “veganize” many of her family’s recipes. The recipes were a hit with friends and family, and the duo started sharing with the rest of Detroit by partnering with a catering and delivery service. “We both had different health challenges in our families, ranging from diabetes to cancer, and we became vegan to break that cycle of disease in our families,” Ussery said. “We experimented with food, being able to create food for ourselves that was similar to what we grew up with really helped us in our journey.” Ussery, who is also general manager of Detroit Vegan Soul, said that Detroit is a prideful city and people are always trying to better themselves, which is why they wanted to stay in Detroit. “We wanted to have a lasting impact on the city, and when we started [Detroit Vegan Soul], Detroit was one of the highest obesity rates and we wanted to help change that,” Ussery said. Detroit Vegan Soul has two Detroit locations, one in the historic West Village and the other in the Grandmont/Rosedale neighborhood on Grand River. The Grand River location is currently only offering curbside pick-up. Be sure to visit Detroit Vegan Soul’s website for their full menu and follow them on Facebook for not only updates but vegan tips as well. If you’re looking to win gift cards from Detroit Vegan Soul, all you have to do is visit the DCFC Facebook page and share the Detroit Vegan Soul post to be entered to win!