How to test your vegan business idea before taking the plunge: 10 essential steps for success

If you have an idea for a vegan business or perhaps a new campaign concept for your vegan organisation, it can be tempting to jump in with both feet and launch it as soon as possible.

But hold on!

Have you tested your business or campaign idea thoroughly?

You see, there’s a saying in the entrepreneurial world that ideas are two a penny, but successful businesses are all about the execution. While this is true, if you’re trying to launch a business that nobody’s interested in, even the best execution in the world isn’t going to matter.

Just because you think an idea is great doesn’t guarantee that everybody else will agree. Before you go all in, spending time and money that could make a huge difference to your business further down the line, it’s time to hold your nerve and do some groundwork before you commit too many resources.

If you get these first steps right, in terms of nurturing your business idea and doing your research, your vegan business (or campaign) will have a far greater chance of success.

So, what are the first steps?

Step 1. Clarify the core problem your idea solves

Key questions: What problem does your business idea solve, and how does it serve the vegan community or movement?

Many businesses start on the wrong foot by trying to solve a problem or meet a need that doesn’t exist! It’s far better to look at the people you want to work with and consider what problems or aspirations they have, then create a product or service that addresses that need.

If you have an idea you want to develop, it’s crucial to frame it within the key questions above.

Once you know the answers to these questions, you can work out what you need to create, who you need to reach, how you talk about it in your marketing, who you work with as manufacturers and suppliers, and much more.

Step 2. Define your target audience

Key Question: Who are you trying to help with this idea? (Hint: The answer shouldn’t be “everyone vegan”)

Many businesses – especially start-ups – make the mistake of trying to build a company that appeals to as many people as possible. The problem here is that, in trying to reach everyone, you may struggle to connect with anyone.

People respond to businesses or campaigns that strike a personal chord, and the only way to achieve this as a business is to know your audience.

We know you want to reach lots of people but, while quantity sounds fantastic in terms of audience (and sales), quality is the secret to success.

You want to position your business or campaign to leap out to a specific audience so that they know your business is the right fit for them, regardless of how they “meet” it for the first time.

There’s no point speaking to 1,000 people who have no connection with your mission and no intention of supporting you. It’s far better to connect with ten people who really care about what you offer and will become passionate ambassadors on your behalf. They can have so much impact.

Knowing your audience goes beyond demographics such as age or location. You want to learn as much as possible about what drives them, why they have a particular problem, and why how you can help them solve it matters so much to them.

Are your audience ethically driven vegans, or are they plant-based athletes, eco-conscious individuals, or vegan business owners? What issues do they care about? Who do they care about? Who do they follow on social media? What music do they listen to? How do they spend their time? Do they volunteer? What do they do as a job?

Knowing your audience allows you to tailor your business concept and messaging accordingly.

Step 3. Research the market

Key Question: Is there a demand for your idea? Who else is doing something similar?

Finding your target audience is a massive part of the pre-launch process, but you also need to conduct market research to discover whether there’s space for your products, services, or campaigns.

You can start by conducting online searches for similar businesses (Google and the various social media platforms are all goldmines of information).

Who are your competitors? What do they offer? What makes them stand out in the marketplace?

Can you notice any obvious gaps in the market? For instance, are there other businesses doing what you want to do, and if so, how could you do it differently or better?

Just because someone else does the same thing doesn’t mean your idea is a no-go. It’s evidence that there is a need for what you want to offer. The challenge is developing a unique selling point that differentiates you from your competitors.

Their customer reviews can provide valuable insights. What do people praise, and what do they say is missing? This could provide your niche.

Also, look out for questions that people repeatedly ask your competitors on social media. This could give you clues about what people are searching for and how you might shape your business to meet that need.

Vegan-specific market insights and industry reports can help you understand what’s trending and what consumers are seeking.

Step 4. Engage with your community

Key Question: What does the vegan community think of your idea?

Many businesses shy away from engaging with their target audience before launch, perhaps because they fear someone will steal their idea. However, it makes sense to bring your audience with you on the journey to launch, as they will feel personally invested in your success.

The Innocent Smoothie brand origin story exemplifies community engagement perfectly.

The company’s founders, Richard Reed, Jon Wright, and Adam Balon famously trialled the commercial appeal of their first smoothies at a London music festival in 1998.

A sign above their stall said, “Should we give up our jobs to sell these smoothies?” After trying a sample, customers were asked to dispose of their empty cups in one of two bins marked “yes” or “no”. With only three cups in the “no” bin and the “yes” bin overflowing, they quit their jobs and grew a multi-million pound brand.

Think about how you can create a conversation within vegan communities. Share your idea online (social media groups, forums) or offline (events, markets). Ask for feedback, opinions, and critiques. In our experience, vegan consumers are passionate, so this step can help you gauge genuine interest.

You can use free tools like Typeform or SurveyMonkey to create informal surveys or polls to gather insights directly from your target audience.

Step 5. Build a Minimal Viable Product (MVP)

Key Question: What’s the simplest version of your product or service that can test the idea?

Hopefully, by the time you reach this step, you will have a wealth of information to support your new business idea.

Before you go all in with full branding and production, is there a way that you could create a basic version of your product or service (e.g., a small batch of a vegan food product, a basic version of an app, or a ‘pop-up’ shop within an existing vegan space)? This allows you to test without a massive upfront investment.

Depending on your business, this could mean attending local vegan fairs with your MVP or setting up a small-scale online shop.

If you’ve managed to connect with vegan communities in Step 4, it’s worth asking them whether they know of opportunities to test your MVP. For example, they might know someone who has a small space to rent or a market where you can bring a small selection of products.

Step 6. Pre-sell or test via Crowdfunding

Key Question: Will people pay for your business before it exists?

One route you could take is to offer pre-orders or run a crowdfunding or Kickstarter campaign to see if people are willing to invest in your idea before it’s fully developed. This works particularly well for vegan products or ethical services, where communities often want to support new ventures.

A successful crowdfunding campaign is an excellent validation that there’s interest in your idea.

For an example of a business that has done this brilliantly over the past couple of years, we’d recommend checking out The Muzzle Movement. Its founder, Clara, saw a gap in the market for well-fitting, comfortable dog muzzles that allow plenty of pant room but look bright and non-threatening. She wanted to break the stigma around muzzles and highlight their positive role in the lives of many dogs.

Clara launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of the company’s first three muzzle sizes. She raised £10,000 in the first 12 hours and quickly smashed her £46,000 target. Pre-launches and further Kickstarter goals enabled her to grow the product range. People continue to join a waiting list for the right muzzle size happily. The business is now one of the most well-known in its market. It is also driving a clear shift in public attitudes towards how humans connect with and support dogs, making it an excellent example of a mission-driven business.

Step 7. Run a pilot or pop-up

Key Question: Can you test your business idea in real-world conditions?

If possible, consider running a pilot programme or hosting a pop-up event for your business to test how it will work in real-world conditions. For instance, you could run a vegan café as a pop-up before committing to a permanent location, or a vegan product could be tested at local markets or vegan festivals.

This will help you gather real feedback from potential customers in a low-risk way. You could even try out ideas for branding and marketing.

Step 8. Analyse feedback and refine your business idea

Key Question: How can I improve the concept based on feedback?

You’re almost ready to turn your idea into a business, but we’d urge you to take the final few steps first.

Collect data from customer interactions, feedback forms, and surveys. Are there issues that keep cropping up or specific features that keep being praised?

If people seem interested but have suggestions for improvement, refining your concept before fully launching is sensible. Be open to changes that could enhance the product’s appeal.

For example, you may need to adjust based on taste preferences, packaging, or ethical sourcing concerns. Still, doing this in the development stage is better (and cheaper) than after launch.

Step 9. Validate the social and ethical impact of your business idea

Key Question: Does this idea align with the core values of veganism and sustainability?

Vegan businesses and organisations are typically mission-led, so you’ll need to ensure that your idea resonates with your audience and aligns with vegan principles. The company you’re planning must stay authentic to the values of sustainability, cruelty-free practices, and ethical consumption.

Again, this is something that you can test with your community. Sharing your ethical story with potential customers can help strengthen your brand before it even leaves the starting blocks. If there are specific elements of your story that really excite or motivate people, you will want to build on this.

Step 10. Repeat the cycle if necessary

Key Question: What lessons can you take forward if the idea needs further development?

If your first idea (or the first test of that idea) doesn’t yield the results you hoped for, it doesn’t mean it’s a failure. Instead, you can use all the information you’ve gathered as a learning opportunity.

It’s OK to return to the drawing board, refine your offering, and try again. Ideas evolve over time, especially in niche markets like veganism. You could simply need to make a few minor tweaks to your idea. Even if more extensive changes are required, it’s easier to pivot without the weight of a newly launched business on your shoulders.

Now it’s time to launch!

Testing your business idea in these practical steps ensures that you’re solving a problem that resonates with your audience and minimises the risk of wasted resources. For vegan businesses or mission-led organisations, alignment with ethical values is crucial, and involving the community early on will help ensure that your business will be supported.

Having tested your idea in terms of need, audience, space in the marketplace, and the real-world conditions necessary to make it work, you can confidently begin to invest in production, branding, marketing, location, staff, and delivery.

You know your business idea can work; you’ve got the evidence to back up your passion, and now it’s time to make it a reality.