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A vegan chocolatier has announced big plans to open a retro-inspired vegan chocolate and sweets shop in Glasgow later this year.
The new vegan venture is the brainchild of chocolatier Adele Ralston, who is the mastermind behind nostalgic vegan confectionary brand Vegan Burd.
Adele is affectionately known as the Scottish city’s ‘Vegan Willy Wonka’ thanks to her tasty creations, many of which are vegan versions of traditional childhood treats. Not only are Ralston’s bars delicious, each is named after their non-vegan counterparts in hilarious tongue-in-cheek style. Instead of a Bounty bar, vegans can enjoy Ralston’s ‘Yer Bound Tae’, whilst her vegan Kit-Kat is called ‘A Wafer A Break’.
Ralston says the “Vegan Burd thing” was born out of a desire to show people just “how easy and normal vegan food is.” This led her to create her range of “nostalgic” vegan chocolate bars. The business What was once a hobby quickly turned into a full-time time job.
“It has been one of the best, most stressful and rewarding things I have ever done – full of highs and lows on an unpredictable rollercoaster of emotion and all-nighters,” she says. “ I bloody love what I do and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Ralston is currently fundraising to help launch a brick and mortar store for her business. As an incentive, contributors to the crowdfunding campaign will get their names placed on the shop wall as well as an invite to the shop’s launch party where they’ll get to try the popular vegan chocolates.
Speaking about her decision to open up her own retro sweet shop, Ralston said: “I get so much joy from making people happy with my junk food and it makes my day when someone places an order to post surprise chocolate to their pal, or when someone comes up to me to declare their love for my bars.”
“From the beginning my dream has been to have my own shop – a place for people to come and buy my treats and maybe hang out for a gab and a cup of tea. So I’m making it happen.”
You can support Vegan Burd’s plans to open the vegan chocolate shop here.
