PlantX Known As the “Vegan Amazon,” to Open Flagship in San Diego

If you love Whole Foods and Erewhon Market you're going to love PlantX even more, since this new plant-based company out of Vancouver is preparing to open its first giant US flagship store in San Diego in anticipation of expanding across the country. Dedicated entirely to plant-based or vegan products, PlantX is known as the "vegan Amazon" of Canada and is set to open its doors on December 1st in the Hillcrest neighborhood.
PlantX's website offers consumers the ability to shop for vegan essentials, find local plant-forward restaurants, and houseplants and find vegan recipes. Its new 4,515 square foot grocery store is the new company's first outpost in the U.S. but more expansion is in the works. “The idea is for the San Diego location to help further that community vibe we have been creating online,” said Alexandra Hoffman, PlantX’s Chief Marketing Officer.

PlantX will carry over 5,000 plant-based products for sale through a "contactless checkout" system. Consumers will be able to buy products using their mobile devices via PlantX's app. Among the SKUs will be: vitamins, supplements, plant-based chocolate bars, groceries, packaged goods from plant-based brands, private-label products and PlantX-branded water. Home delivery is an option for anyone who chooses not to shop in-store.

Besides the everyday groceries, PlantX will also have a coffee shop, grab-and-go meals, and a restaurant with plant-based options made by Los Angeles-based chef Gregg Drusinsky who is also the chef behind the Sakara Life plant-baed meal delivery service. 

A unique addition to this store is a plant-based education center to help better inform customers about a plant-based lifestyle. “We want customers to come in and feel like they can ask anything. Education is always behind everything we do at PlantX, so this store will be a place where people can come in and find new ways to enhance their healthy lifestyles,” said Hoffman.

PlantX is opening at a time where the plant-based industry continues to grow, especially throughout the pandemic. Plant-based alternatives experienced a spike in sales: Plant-based meat sales are up 148 percent more than����last year, dairy-free cheese sales have grown 95 percent compared to last year, and tofu tempeh sales have increased 88% over last year.

Consumers are able to find a greater selection of vegan options at major grocery stores but a dedicated vegan store like PlantX takes all the guesswork out of reading nutrition labels for animal products. PlantX is joining an ever-more crowded field.

Other vegan grocery stores include Nooch Vegan Market in Colorado, Vegan Bodega in New York and big-box company VedgeCo, referred to as 'vegan Costco" in Hawaii. Whether consumers are buying vegan food at stores like PlantX or the local ShopRite, the good news is that plant-based options are continuing to be more accessible to all consumers.