GOOD CARMA FOODS

Good Carma Foods was founded in 2013 by Charlotte Bates in Carmarthenshire. Named partly because of her location and partly because of her aim to help people nutritionally, Good Carma was also inspired by Charlotte's mother Lynne, who sadly passed away from cancer. Good Carma stemmed from Charlotte's idea to produce dairy-free cheese full of flavour. We stumbled across her first range of products, 'Flavour Fusion', ambient vegan parmesan, on Ocado's website, while her second set of products, 'Spread Sensation', is a gorgeous soft cream cheese. Reaching out to Charlotte, we found out more about her passion for nutrition, how Good Carma came to be, her most famous Good Carma customers and how she lives with karma strongly in mind.

SBV: You founded Good Carma in the summer of 2013 in honour of your mother, who sadly died of cancer earlier that year. Did your mother try the cheese you made before she passed away? What did she think of it?
CB: My Mum was the reason why I started Good Carma Foods in the first place as I was trying to help my Mum come off dairy and she really didn’t like vegan cheese. I wanted to make something tasty but also nutritious. My Mum loved my creations.  When my Mum passed away I started Good Carma Foods in her memory which is why I am so passionate about my business.

SBV: I bet your mother would be super-proud of you for doing so well with Good Carma. What are you most proud of?
CB: Being able to help people to switch to a plant-based diet and helping the environment as well as, most importantly, animals.

SBV: We discovered Good Carma on sale on Ocado's website. Was it hard or easy to get Good Carma on sale in Ocado? Has having it in Ocado opened any doors for you?
CB: I was approached by Ocado at a trade event. Being with Ocado has created more sales and more interest.

SBV: The aim of the business is to nutritionally help people. The products include nutritional yeast amongst other things. Do you think your cheese is a good way for people to get more nutrients?
CB: Yes I do as I am passionate about nutrition and my products are high in protein and low in saturated fats as well as being super-tasty.

SBV: Do you think cheese has a reputation for not being very healthy?
CB: I do think that cheese has a reputation for not being healthy especially dairy cheese. Some vegan cheeses unfortunately are not healthy either. 

SBV: If someone reading this still eats dairy cheese, what would you say to get them to try your cheese instead?
CB: Give mine a go just to see what you think as my mature cheddar alternative Spread Sensation is one of the only vegan cheeses to win a Great Taste Award and I have won awards for Flavour Fusion Original and Flavour Fusion Garlic.

SBV: What are your thoughts on the dairy industry and the cruelty in it?
CB: I don’t think it is natural to eat a baby food from another species and to eat a product that is full of growth hormones to turn a calf into a cow. The cruelty on all levels there is no need for.

SBV: Your first product was Flavour Fusion, a product similar to parmesan. Following that came Spread Sensation, a soft vegan cream cheese spread. Why was Flavour Fusion your first product? Did you feel that the UK was lacking in vegan parmesan?
CB: I did feel that the UK was lacking a vegan parmesan and that was why I created the Flavour Fusion range first as well as them being ambient products.

SBV: How long did it take before you perfected each product?
CB: It never stops as I am always looking at perfecting my products and being self-critical, there is always room for improvement.

SBV: I read that you went vegetarian when you were 11. What inspired that? And how was it at school being vegetarian at that age?
CB: I have always felt a closeness to animals since I was very little and never understood how you could love animals and then eat them.  There wasn’t many vegetarian options at school so I used to take my own lunch.

SBV: You have been vegan for ten years. How’s that ten years been?
CB: I have been vegan for over ten years now and it is amazing to see so many new products out there and people’s views changing for the better.

SBV: Have you seen any benefits to your own health from being vegan?
CB: Definitely. I have more energy and rarely get ill.

SBV: Has the lockdown helped or hindered Good Carma Foods?
CB: The lockdown generally has helped Good Carma Foods as I have had more online sales.

SBV: What challenges have you had with Good Carma?
CB: It has been difficult running a business and being taken seriously as a woman running her own business, especially a vegan one.

SBV: You posted a couple of photos of yourself with actor Peter Egan at Surrey Vegan Events and VegFest a couple of years ago, saying ‘What a caring and compassionate man’. Tell us about meeting him and have you met anyone else inspiring?
CB: Meeting Peter Egan was amazing  and Peter purchased my products so I am very honoured. Peter is a beautiful, caring soul and I wish everyone was like him. Another customer of mine is Nick Knowles who I felt honoured to meet as he is a really caring guy.

SBV: Since your company is Good Carma, have you witnessed any good or bad karma in effect?
CB: Luckily it has all been good karma, not bad karma, and I live my life with karma strongly in mind and treat others as I like to be treated, with kindness and care for all beings.

SBV: What plans do you have for the future?
CB: I would like to expand my range and do more cooking classes with my products and have enough income to donate to animal charities.

Visit www.goodcarmafoods.com for more info.

Please note that all articles on this Save A Scream website are owned and copyrighted by Save A Scream / Black Velvet unless otherwise stated and must not be used elsewhere under any circumstance.