A new all-vegan convenience store is hosting a vegan mac and cheese contest called the Philly MAC-Down on Sunday, May 1. What better way to get everybody talking about V Marks the Shop than to lure them in with mac and cheese?
One thing that often hinders the way people eat is ease and accessibility. Carmella Lanni and Carlo Giardina recognized this problem for vegans which is why they decided to open the vegan convenience store that also has an online shop that ships to you! Expanding on Philadelphia’s already incredible vegan scene, V Marks the Shop not only wants to make shopping easier for their customers but hosts events to build the vegan community.
An Interview with Carmella Lanni
Q: How did V Marks the Shop get started?
A: Since going vegan 6 years ago, we wanted careers as vegan entrepreneurs. We talked about coffee shops, bookstores, etc. Carlo grew up in the food/beverage industry and his dad is a chef. [The] Funny thing is that he never wanted to open a restaurant or café. However, he liked the idea of a vegan convenience store after shopping at a few while traveling. That’s how V was born. Oddly enough, this is full circle for Carlo because his paternal grandparents used to own a grocery store in NYC’s Lower East Side.
We’re still a work in progress, as we grow and vend at events and festivals. We’re getting to know our customers and what they want, like and expect from a vegan grocery store. We hope to deliver on that through community, compassion and convenience.
Q: Why do you think it’s something Philadelphia needs?
A: I’ll first say that I think every city needs a vegan store, or a store to go vegan. Why Philly? It’s such a great city with a lot of pride and spirit. While veganism is “hot,” it’s a long-term thing. We think it will continue to thrive in Philly even when it becomes the “new normal.”
We see V being a community spot, not just to shop. It’ll be a place for people to meet, share and learn about veganism and compassionate living.
Q: Who came up with the idea for the Philly Mac-Down?
A: We both did in some way. We were inspired by the vegan mac and cheese competitions in New York and Baltimore. We figured why not Philly? Philly is such a great city to celebrate veganism.
I came up with the name “Philly MAC-Down.” Carlo came up with the set-up. This really was a team effort with help and guidance from friends.
Q: What does the event entail/who will be involved?
A: We have 12 competitors, three judges and a lot of folks hungry for some vegan mac and cheese. Each competitor will bring their best vegan mac and cheese recipe. Attendees and judges will get to sample from each one. Each attendee will get to vote for their favorite as “Philly’s Choice.”
Our three judges are: Rachel Klein from Miss Rachel’s Pantry, Mark Mebus of Blackbird Pizzeria and Sean Gorman of Dottie’s Donuts.
They will get to vote for the Grand Champion and Most Original. There will also be second and third place prizes. A couple of our sponsors will have goodies for attendees that include more mac and cheese, cookies and kombucha shots!
There will be raffles, music and fun! Carlo’s the emcee for the event.
Q: Why do you want people to attend?
A: It’s a celebration of compassion, veganism and delicious food. We want people to come together and see the diversity of veganism from tastes, flavors and colors! It’s all about community.
The Philly MAC-Down is this Sunday, May 1 at 4pm at The Rotunda in West Philly. Tickets must be purchased in advance to attend. $5.00 of every ticket benefits The Humane League. People will eat good food and do good things!
You can find more about V Marks the Shop at their website or Facebook. They will also be hosting the Philly Vegan Pop Flea market on Sunday, June 26 from 12 to six p.m. at The Rotunda in West Philadelphia. This will be a cruelty-free marketplace of food, art and fun!
Leave a Reply