Business owners and entrepreneurs play a key role in inspiring others to go vegan. Jonathan Edwards of PETA Business Friend Nuzest USA, a leader in the world of vegan nutritional supplements, knows that providing people with delicious vegan alternatives to the animal-derived products that they may currently be using is crucial for creating a kinder world.

As Nuzest’s first-ever sales rep in 2012, Edwards loved the New Zealand–based brand, and he was so impressed by the public response that he asked the company’s founder, Trevor Bolland, if he could bring its products to the U.S. Since then, being in the plant-based industry has transformed him into a vegan on a mission—namely, to create a planet thriving on vegan nutrition.

Jonathan and Nuzest USA are based in Seattle, and for the last four and a half years, they’ve been pursuing the goal of offering the nation’s vegan protein brand of choice.

Why do you think it’s important to provide vegan versions of supplements?
It’s important to have vegan versions of everything so that people can start to move in that direction, as they think more and more about cutting down and hopefully eventually doing away with animal-derived products. Because there’s so much momentum in the plant-based movement now, the more widely available a tasty vegan alternative is to whatever people are currently eating, the easier it will be for them to make the switch.

Which of your products are you most excited to share with others?
Well, we now have eight flavors of our Clean Lean Protein, plus three flavors of our Protein, Fruit and Veg smoothie mix, so I’m super-excited to be offering such variety. People could literally have a different flavor of our protein each day of the week.

Also, our vitamin drinks and bars use the best forms of ingredients, and they’re a great and tasty source of B₁₂ and every other vitamin and mineral that you need to function optimally—perfect for when you’re on the go and haven’t had time for meal prep or just as a daily boost.

And then lastly, we just released our protein bars, which have no preservatives or fillers—there’s a nutritional reason for why every ingredient is there. Also, another awesome feature of these bars is just how satisfying they are—I feel full for hours after eating one. They taste great, but you can tell they’re a real food—they don’t taste like candy.

How have consumers and retailers embraced your product range?
All brands dream of having raving fans. One thing I’m really grateful for is that our customers love our products and rave about them to their friends, family, yoga instructors, local stores, and everybody else who will listen.

Our retailers have become raving fans, too, which is great, because as a brand that’s growing fast but still very small by comparison with some of the behemoths out there, we need that kind of grassroots passion to fulfill our purpose.

Our purpose is to help create a planet thriving on plant-based nutrition. And so, we just have to keep doing our job of getting people to be interested in nutrition for their own sake and that of the environment. We think that’s an important job now more than ever. These days, people are so busy, often distracted, and sometimes go for what’s easiest or most readily available, rather than for what’s going to make us and this planet we live on thrive. We aim to change all that.

What do you think will be the most exciting vegan trend in the next year?
I like the trend toward pea protein, because that’s what we specialize in, and we love it as an alternative to offer to vegans and those who have previously taken whey protein. Also, I’m excited to see turmeric getting more and more limelight action, given that it is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. (That’s why we now have a Chai Turmeric + Maca flavored Clean Lean Protein.) In addition, I can’t wait to try a vegan poke bowl. I’ve seen a lot of chatter about those but have yet to try one.

How do you share your compassion for animals with those who aren’t so animal-friendly?
I believe that everybody is animal-friendly in their heart and that we simply live in a time when the awareness hasn’t reached popular culture sufficiently. It took many different events to get me to go vegan, and you never know which conversation, article, or video is going to do it for someone. I certainly think there’s no value in being judgmental or trying to make people feel bad. That doesn’t mean you can’t step out and say provocative things, but there has to be love there and a knowledge that people are going to resist any shred of judgement that’s in the conversation.

Any advice for someone wanting to start a cruelty-free business?
Yes, do it. Now is the time! The more vegan entrepreneurs who are solving problems with vegan products and services, the better.

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Check back next month for another inspiring interview with a compassionate CEO.