They sing, they dance, they act. They also invest in plant-based companies.
These days, it’s no longer enough for a celebrity to entertain. Many are becoming serious investors and today, an increasing number of Hollywood’s glitterati are parking their greenbacks into vegan companies.It could be because interest in the plant-based lifestyle has exploded in the past few years. Documentaries like The Game Changers, Seaspiracy, Cowspiracy and many more have brought the truth of the meat and dairy industry to light. With global warming, animal cruelty and public health being more pertinent than ever, investments in plant-based innovation have also scaled. Tech moguls, sports personalities and celebrities have all made some substantial investments in companies that focus on plant-based innovation and sustainability.
Here’s a list of some notable celebrities putting their money where their mouth is and in doing so, influencing their fans to go plant-powered.
Beyonce and Jay Z
Photo: Beyonce
Power couple Beyonce and Jay Z not only make music together but also invest in similar industries. They’ve been strong advocates of plant-based eating and have investments in several startups that work to create positive change.
Jay Z was one of the early vegan investors who backed brands like Impossible Foods, oat milk brand Oatly, Partake Foods and Simulate. Beyoncé, on the other hand, is an investor in a cold-pressed juice company called WTRMLN WTR. In 2015, the couple teamed up with nutritionist Marco Borges to launch vegan meal-delivery brand 22 Days Nutrition.
Snoop Dogg
Photo: Indoggo
The award-winning rapper may not be vegan, but he has taken an interest in plant-based food, actively promoting veganism to his fans. Snoop is an ambassador for and investor in plant-based meat brands Beyond Meat and Outstanding Foods. He is drawn to the former because of its mission. “They are a great brand and always encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle and give them healthier options… even if they want to indulge in their favorite snacks,” he told Muscle and Fitness.
Serena and Venus Williams
Photo: Serena Williams
23-time Grand Slam title winner Serena Williams is all about clean eating and has invested in a vegan meal delivery app called Daily Harvest and plant-based meat brand Impossible Foods.
Similarly, her sister Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam Champion and four-time Olympic Gold Medalist, is no beginner in the investing field. She has invested in growing plant-based marketplace PlantX and launched a vegan protein company, Happy Viking, to help others thrive on a plant-based diet. “I’m extremely excited to be partnering with PlantX. It is the first marketplace of its kind and I wish it had been around when I was transitioning to a plant-based diet over a decade ago,” Williams said in a report by Veg News. “Living a plant-based lifestyle has improved my quality of life and I am looking forward to working with PlantX to help others learn about the benefits of living plant-based.”
Leonardo Di Caprio
Photo: Leonardo Di Caprio
Leonardo Di Caprio is always at the top of our minds when we think of a celebrity advocating environmental issues. It’s no wonder then that his involvement in supporting plant-based food brands is vast. The Oscar-winning actor has invested in plant-based milk company Califia Farms, snack company Hippeas, and meat alternative Beyond Meat. He has also waded into the cell-based meat business with an investment in Aleph Farms and Mosa Meat.
Jaden Smith
Photo: Jaden Smith
Will and Jaden Smith are co-founders of eco-friendly water startup, Just Water, but neither are new to the business game. Jaden Smith is an investor in plant-based meat company Impossible Foods. The son of celebrity couple Will and Jada Pinkett Smith is looking to open I love You Restaurant, a vegan eatery that helps feed people experiencing homelessness. Jaden Smith says, “It’s for homeless people to get free food. But if you’re not homeless, not only do you have to pay, but you have to pay for more than the food’s worth so that you can pay for the person behind you.”
Natalie Portman
Photo: Gage Skidmore
As an ethical vegan, it comes as no surprise that Natalie Portman is an active investor and ambassador for veganism. Vegetarian since the age of nine, the actress credits American actor Tobey Maguire for helping her follow a vegan lifestyle. On top of being an outspoken advocate, she has also launched a now-defunct vegan shoe line back in 2008 and today counts Oatly as one of her investment projects.
Meghan Markle
Photo: Northern Ireland Office
Meghan Markle has created quite a buzz since marrying Prince Harry. The Duchess of Sussex made her first-ever public investment with vegan startup Clevr Blends: a company selling instant ‘Super Lattes’ made from oat milk. It’s founded by Hannah Mendoza with a mission to make vegan food accessible.
In an interview with Fortune, Markle said: “This investment is in support of a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritizes building community alongside her business. I’m proud to invest in Hannah’s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product that I personally love and [that] has a holistic approach to wellness. I believe in her, and I believe in her company.”
Drake
Photo: Drake Offical
Drake, the Canadian musician who made a musical breakthrough with ‘Thank me later and take care,’ is a strong advocate of veganism. He not only ditched meat in 2018 but has also invested in Daring Foods, a company that makes realistic vegan chicken that shreds just like the real thing. The rapper helped raise $40 million in investment in their latest funding round.
Daniella Monet
Photo: Daniella Monet
Actress and singer Daniella Monet is a strong supporter of veganism and has incorporated the diet at a very young age. She has ventured into entrepreneurship after years of acting and recently backed ‘Outstanding Foods,’ which manufactures plant-based alternatives to much-loved snacks like Pigless Pork Rinds.
In 2018, she launched beauty box subscription service Kinder Beauty with Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch. She is also a proud owner of ‘Sugar Taco’, a vegan Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles.
Katy Perry
Photo: Katy Perry
