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She already runs three property-related companies but Plymouth businesswoman Jo Lines’ new venture is a radical departure – a vegan supermarket.

The entrepreneur is about to launch Plymouth Vegan Company in a unit at Faraday Mill Business Park.

The new store will stock food, including a freezer department, cosmetics, cleaning materials – and even alcohol.

All vegan and cruelty free.

“It’s a mini-supermarket,” Jo said. “We will have health foods too, and sweets and snack foods, protein bars, oat, soya and coconut drinks, with a big fridge and freezer section. We want people to be able to do their whole shop there.

“We will also do specials, new lines each, and have a suggestions board. We’’ll have an ipad for people to put suggestions and even order things.

“I’ve already ordered £10,000 of stock. We are really excited.

“And I will soon have alcohol too. By the summer I will have the licence.”

(Image: Penny Cross)

Jo turned vegan in April 2018 after attending the Unleash the Power Within personal coaching course in London, which introduced her to plant-based diets.

“I came back vegan,” she said. “I actually went vegan overnight.”

Jo said she had hated eating meat as a child, and when she saw a fish on her plate “I wanted to cry”.

But she said: “People are vegan for different reasons. For me it was health.”

After her conversion she became frustrated trying to find vegan products in conventional supermarkets and stores.

Then, after talking to Plymouth business mentor John Lamerton, she was moved to diversify from the property businesses she has successfully run in Plymouth.

“I called it the Plymouth Vegan Co because we are in Plymouth and we are vegan,” she said.

Jo already runs Novahomes Sales and Lettings, Ambition Property Group and Ambition Building and Maintenance is an FSB committee member – and is a mother of two.

Now she has created Plymouth Vegan Co with friends and family. She owns the new business with 19-year-old daughter Sophie Lines, who will also work in the store, and Chris and Charlotte Harris, who already own online vegan hamper business Wild Raddish.

The couple also had House of Harris store, which sold Yankee Candles and other cosmetics, at Faraday Mill.

They have moved all stock to their Exeter outlet, freeing up the unit, for which they have a lease, to house Plymouth Vegan Co.

Shopfitters move in this week with the target of having the supermarket ready for a launch on Saturday, March 2, 2019.

The first customers will be able to enjoy free vegan cakes, made by Plymouth area business V for Veggie, during the 10am to 6pm opening day.

After that Plymouth Vegan Co will be open seven days a week, with Jo, Sophie, Chris and Charlotte being joined by a part-time worker to staff the store.

“We’ve already had offers from two or three people wanting to work in it,” said Jo.

Plymouth Vegan Co even has use of an adjoining warehouse at Faraday Mill, which the supermarket could expand into if it needs to.

Plymouth-based Marina Leadbetter, who provides freelance business support for firms in the city, has been helping Jo set up – and is a vegan too.

She said vegan businesses are booming and has been working with Plymouth companies on strategy for tapping into the vegan market.

And she is attending the Vivolution business conference in London where she will spread the vegan word, though she prefers the term non-dairy.

“Veganism is huge,” she said. “It’s taking over the world. But sometimes the word vegan puts people off, so I use non-dairy.”

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