Hey, Swell, this is Karan Dave, and I'd like to wish everyone a very happy International Women's Day. There are so many stories of triumph and achievement by women in Mumbai, especially across different fields, whether it's the arts, activism, media or business. And India is a country that has seen many women leaders at the forefront. I'm joined today by a very successful young entrepreneur who launched a wonderful, kind, unique vegan brand called Greend. Her name Sephora Abraham
Sephra Abraham
@seph4 · 1:48
We were just two frustrated vegans who came together in 2019 after being vegan for about three to four years, and we were really struggling with access and affordability with regards to good quality vegan options, whether it's food or anything else that is potentially vegan. So we launched in December 2019 with that vision of solving that problem. And we launched as a vegan hamper service. But we soon realized the needs of the market, and we evolved into a full blown online vegan store
@MumbaiLive · 0:24
I love your story, Sephra, and I understand your frustration because it is truly difficult being vegan in India. And given your core proposition, which is to make the transition to a vegan friendly lifestyle seamless and easy. I really do see this going far. But Safra, tell me more about yourself. What made you turn vegan in the first place? And what is your personal journey been so far
Sephra Abraham
@seph4 · 1:36
So I was a staunch non vegetarian at the time, and it blew my mind that there were people who were cutting out core essentials of their diet, things that they were brought up with, whether it's meat, dairy, honey, anything that comes from an animal. And it wasn't just physical benefits that they were seeing. But what shocked me was the mental peace and the way they were thriving in their mental space. That really got to me
@MumbaiLive · 0:37
You know, most people undertake lifestyle changes gradually, and it's rare to see someone have an epiphany and then make a huge shift almost overnight. And that's precisely what you've done. And it's also great to see you stay the course. But I had a couple of questions in terms of the vegan diet in India. Do you see it expanding? Do you see more people taking the decision to become vegan? And it's also intrinsically linked to nonviolence and the climate movement
Deborah Pardes
@DBPardes · 0:44
Stephanie Karin, this is a great conversation. I want to add to Carn's question about personality and veganism in response to other people resisting your choice. So just a third question, I guess, is when you became vegan, can you tell us that there was a time when you felt resistance from certain personalities that were very reactive to the fact that you were vegan thinking that it was sort of a strange or exotic or sort of disconnected way of living based on where they come from
Sephra Abraham
@seph4 · 2:24
Hi, Deborah, and thank you for that really interesting question. I actually faced resistance from each and every person who knew me whether it was my friend group or my family group, because as I mentioned, I think earlier, I was a hardcore meat eater. The strongest reaction was actually from my partner at the time who went on to fight with me for days over me turning vegan
Sephra Abraham
@seph4 · 3:12
And one more thing about more women being vegan over men. You're absolutely right about the statistics. Even according to Green statistics, about 70% of our clientele and individuals who engage with us are women or women identifying. So in my personal opinion, I think food that you consume has a huge impact on your personality and the basic way in which you perceive life. Write down those simple details. It can make a person more empathetic, more understanding, caring
@MumbaiLive · 0:15
Another popular opinion that people have Sephra is that the vegan diet in India is only accessible to an elite class of people. What would you say to people who have this idea or opinion
Sephra Abraham
@seph4 · 2:26
So once this issue of misinformation is addressed, we can definitely see a steeper rise in veganism wherein it is more accessible to a larger group of the Indian population and not just the elite. Lastly, I have to add this because green as a business does house very affordable products
@MumbaiLive · 0:50
Sephra, it's been a real pleasure chatting with you here on Swell. My only request is for you to keep sharing updates about Greene and everything else that you're up to on your spell cast. It's voices like yours make this platform so meaningful. So thank you for your time. And I wish you the very best
Sephra Abraham
@seph4 · 1:18
So thank you once again, and just to confirm conclude, I want to tell everybody that veganism is not as scary and unaffordable and inaccessible as it once was. Green is here for you. We're available on almost all channels that exist, so on social media, our handle is Green India, which is G-R-W-E-N-D-I-N-D-I-A. Our website is www. Dot
