HALIFAX’S PLANT-BASED START-UP EGGCITABLES WINS 2021 EARTH’S OWN PLANT PROJECT GRANT

September 29, 2021 [Vancouver, BC] - Plant-based brand Earth’s Own announced today that 25-year-old Hannah Chisholm, and her plant-based start-up Eggcitables, is one of three recipients selected for the company’s 2021 “Plant Project” grants. Through the Plant Project program, Earth’s Own provides funding and support to groups, individuals and projects ​ across Canada working to fight climate change by sparking a shift to plant-based eating.

Eggcitables is a chickpea-based, vegan and allergen-free egg alternative created and manufactured in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Chisholm launched the brand and the product in 2018 as an expression of her environmental activism, her passion for entrepreneurship and her commitment to creating a sustainable, plant-based solution for those with dietary restrictions (Chisolm herself has suffered from anaphylactic food allergies her whole life). The company’s mission is to offer the most functional and accessible egg alternative to consumers in a way that will drive social, environmental and economic impact in their local and global communities.

“From a young age, I knew I wanted to start a business that would make real change in the world - so to have been recognized for this work by a brand like Earth’s Own is truly thrilling,” says Chisholm. “Most people don’t realize the impact that consuming eggs has on the planet, but Earth’s Own shares my mission for helping Canadians understand the connection between the food they consume and the planet we live on. I’m so proud to be working with them, and so excited to use this grant to further build the Eggcitables brand in Halifax and across the country.”

Eggcitables are currently sold in select health and vegan food stores across the country and online at eggcitables.com. With the support of the Plant Project grant, Chisholm is planning to further develop the brand and expand its distribution. Earth’s Own launched the Plant Project program last year, and funded four projects across Canada in 2020, including Winnipeg’s first-ever plant-based food truck (expected to launch in 2022), the non-profit Lettuce Harvest (who are redefining the typical community garden experience), a high school teacher from Saskatchewan who used the grant to fund a hydroponic growing tower for his students and Vancouver’s Eat the Dishes, a zero-waste, plant-based food company. ​

“At Earth’s Own, we’re on a bold mission to change the world. We know that the planet can’t sustain our current eating habits and that adopting a plant-based diet is the biggest thing we can do as individuals to fight climate change,” says Brittany Hull, Vice President of Marketing at Earth’s Own. “But we also know that we can’t make the kind of wholescale change the world needs alone - that’s why we’re so thrilled to be able to help support the amazing work being done by plant pioneers like Hannah.”

More than 200 groups and individuals submitted Plant Project applications this year. Final selections were made by a judging panel that included members of the Earth’s Own team and plant-based advocate and Plant Project ambassador Erin Ireland. The two other 2021 Plant Project recipients are:

“We have been blown away by the response to this program. It’s been so incredibly inspirational to see the plant-based thinking that’s being done across Canada by forward-thinking and enterprising Canadians working to save our planet,” says Hull. “Now comes the fun part: seeing how our support can propel these projects and grow the plant-based movement here in Canada.”

The call-for-entries for the 2022 Plant Project program will be released next spring.