VeganEssentials.com hasn't always been what it is today - some of you may remember us when we were simply Veg Essentials, a small mail-order catalog business back from the days before we went online. Our beginnings were humble, and though we've come a long way in the past 4 years we're still the same people dedicated to giving you the same great service you've come to expect from us!
And now, the story of how we came to be...
Veg Essentials formed in 1997 when Courtney Ernster and her sister Sue decided that there was a need for more options in vegan shopping; there were few choices for people, not all of them convenient and most lacking in service and selection, so there was one logical solution - they would create their own store and do a better job than the others! Of course, a vegan store isn't something that you can form overnight, so there were many months of research and organization, inventory purchasing, equipment setup, red tape, and everything else that comes with getting a business off the ground. When the catalog was finally ready in mid 1998, it had an initial run of over 3500 people it was sent to, and the response was tremendous. People were ready for a new choice in vegan shopping, and they'd found a home with Veg Essentials.
Over the next year and a half, dozens of new products were added, promotions were stepped up, new contacts were made, and new customers were coming in regularly. It was now time to launch the second catalog, which was released in March 2000 as the Spring/Summer 2000 edition. Once again, the business did very well and things were going better than ever, but now there was realization that there was a need to reach a broader audience. With the additions of Ryan and Dick to the team it became clear that a website was in order.
The website went into planning in late June of 2000, and after 3 months of hard work it finally became a fully-functional online store which housed all our products from the catalog plus dozens more. This would never have been possible without the generous donation of countless hours by Chris, our website and advertisement designer, who constructed the framework for our site and taught us how to do updates and manage it ourselves. Now our site is ever expanding, with new products and features being added on a weekly basis to serve you all to the best we possible can.
Chris is just one of the many, many people we'd like to thank for helping us to become what we are - we'd also like to thank each and every one of you for making us your #1 choice in vegan shopping by putting your trust in us for all your needs. Without you, we would not be where we are today, and without your continued support we couldn't keep offering you the best service, selection and prices that you will find online (or anywhere else for that matter!) Our assurance is that we will never do less than our best to please you, and we guarantee your satisfaction with our services.
So, thank you from the bottom of all our hearts for making our dreams come true in being the best in the business. We couldn't have done it without you!
Sincerely,
Courtney, Ryan, Sue, and Dick
The VeganEssentials.com staff
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