Greenhero
#9 – Changing the world one slice at a time w/ One-Planet Pizza's co-founder Joe Hill
Our guest on today’s episode of the Greenhero Podcast with Rikard Björkdahl, we’re chatting with Joe Hill, co-founder of One Planet Pizza. Joe and his father Mike run One Planet Pizza, a plant-based frozen pizza company in the UK. They’re on a mission to get everyone eating epic-tasting plant-based pizzas and save the planet one slice at a time.
Joe’s plant-based journey started with his father, who was far ahead of the curve, transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle in the mid-80s to help him better train for sports. When Joe and his siblings were born, they were raised liberally, exposing them to a plant-based lifestyle from a very early age. In addition, Joe’s mother was raised traditionally on an animal farm, where Joe made the decision to not be responsible for the animals’ deaths. An accidental benefit to growing up vegetarian, despite the challenges it presented through school lunches, restaurants, and generally not having as many options, was that it allowed their at-home meals to be more intentional, creative, and conscious of what they consumed. This is to say, that if Joe’s mom could make it work in the 90s, moms today certainly can.
Fast forward to 2014, and Joe decided to go completely vegan. Two years in, veganism exploded. New brands, tech, and perspectives began to pop up more often than ever before. There was a serious market opportunity and a lot of spaces to fill. Included in what was missing, was a vegan pizza that was tasty, widely available, affordable, and didn't compromise on taste or nutrition. So One Planet Pizza was born.
The development process was simple, as much of a pizza is vegan already. It was just about taking already tasty products and veganizing them. They took the top-selling frozen pizzas in the UK, stripped them down to as few ingredients as possible, and found the best options. The cheese was essential, as it’s a definitive part of a pizza. They tested hundreds of products before sourcing from the UK that was as close to authentic cheese as possible.
Getting into stores was a journey in itself, starting from a garage and moving to a local restaurant, Planet One Pizza scaled quickly into more than a hobby. By the time they were ready to explode, they were the only crowdfunded vegan company in Europe, which ignited more growth.
Getting into retail was tough, as they were operating everything themselves without a marketing manager of any kind and a limited budget. Starting in vegan health shops, they saw the product begin talking for itself, and a community was built around the pizza on social media. Now that the groundwork is done, they’re launching in major stores.
Their brand has evolved almost every year, as has their customer base. They’re keeping up with their messaging and position. At first, it was just a healthier option for pizza lovers. Now as they enter the mainstream, their branding is about being open, inclusive, and aimed at people looking to become more plant-based in their diets either for their health or the climate.
Things you’ll learn
- Pizza is already mostly vegan and serves as a great entryway for flexitarians and those looking to increase their plant-based diets.
- Building a vegan brand early on can be difficult, but with community, growth can happen exponentially.
- Vegan foods can be a healthier option for your favorite foods as well. It’s all about terminology.
LINKS
@oneplanetpizza
https://www.oneplanetpizza.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemakesveganpizzas
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-hill-5b617916/
Our guest on today’s episode of the Greenhero Podcast with Rikard Björkdahl, we’re chatting with Joe Hill, co-founder of One Planet Pizza. Joe and his father Mike run One Planet Pizza, a plant-based frozen pizza company in the UK. They’re on a mission to get everyone eating epic-tasting plant-based pizzas and save the planet one slice at a time.
Joe’s plant-based journey started with his father, who was far ahead of the curve, transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle in the mid-80s to help him better train for sports. When Joe and his siblings were born, they were raised liberally, exposing them to a plant-based lifestyle from a very early age. In addition, Joe’s mother was raised traditionally on an animal farm, where Joe made the decision to not be responsible for the animals’ deaths. An accidental benefit to growing up vegetarian, despite the challenges it presented through school lunches, restaurants, and generally not having as many options, was that it allowed their at-home meals to be more intentional, creative, and conscious of what they consumed. This is to say, that if Joe’s mom could make it work in the 90s, moms today certainly can.
Fast forward to 2014, and Joe decided to go completely vegan. Two years in, veganism exploded. New brands, tech, and perspectives began to pop up more often than ever before. There was a serious market opportunity and a lot of spaces to fill. Included in what was missing, was a vegan pizza that was tasty, widely available, affordable, and didn't compromise on taste or nutrition. So One Planet Pizza was born.
The development process was simple, as much of a pizza is vegan already. It was just about taking already tasty products and veganizing them. They took the top-selling frozen pizzas in the UK, stripped them down to as few ingredients as possible, and found the best options. The cheese was essential, as it’s a definitive part of a pizza. They tested hundreds of products before sourcing from the UK that was as close to authentic cheese as possible.
Getting into stores was a journey in itself, starting from a garage and moving to a local restaurant, Planet One Pizza scaled quickly into more than a hobby. By the time they were ready to explode, they were the only crowdfunded vegan company in Europe, which ignited more growth.
Getting into retail was tough, as they were operating everything themselves without a marketing manager of any kind and a limited budget. Starting in vegan health shops, they saw the product begin talking for itself, and a community was built around the pizza on social media. Now that the groundwork is done, they’re launching in major stores.
Their brand has evolved almost every year, as has their customer base. They’re keeping up with their messaging and position. At first, it was just a healthier option for pizza lovers. Now as they enter the mainstream, their branding is about being open, inclusive, and aimed at people looking to become more plant-based in their diets either for their health or the climate.
Things you’ll learn
- Pizza is already mostly vegan and serves as a great entryway for flexitarians and those looking to increase their plant-based diets.
- Building a vegan brand early on can be difficult, but with community, growth can happen exponentially.
- Vegan foods can be a healthier option for your favorite foods as well. It’s all about terminology.
LINKS
@oneplanetpizza
https://www.oneplanetpizza.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemakesveganpizzas
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-hill-5b617916/