We spoke with the musical icon to learn more about her plant-based journey and new coffee venture. Here’s what she had to say!
Aside from releasing absolute bangers like “Bleeding Love,” performing on Broadway, and appearing in television shows, Leona Lewis dedicates much of her time to vegan activism. One of her latest forms of advocacy? Opening the sustainable LA vegan coffee shop, Coffee and Plants.
Leona Lewis Courtesy of Coffee and Plants
VegOut (VO): You’ve been plant-based for a while! What initially inspired you to go vegetarian—and then ultimately vegan?
Leona Lewis (LL): I’ve been vegetarian since I was about 12. I remember seeing a group protesting against animal testing and feeling very moved by what they were saying. I decided to stop eating meat and only use non-animal-tested products, which were quite difficult to find at that time. I would ask my mum to only buy things from The Body Shop, as it was the only way I knew that the products were cruelty-free. Later in life, I decided to stop consuming milk and cheese when I became more aware of the environmental and animal welfare issues surrounding these products.
VO: How did your vegan lifestyle affect your musical career?
LL: Years ago, my choice to not consume or wear animal products was met with a lot of resistance in my career. Many times on sets or tours, I would get pushback on making catering meat-free. I also had many campaigns and brands that I chose not to endorse because of animal testing or animal products being used in their lines. I feel that we are now in a better place and people have become more aware of animal welfare issues, but we still have a long way to go.
VO: Did you immediately start your activism work when you first went vegan? Or did those efforts grow over time?
LL: I’ve been an animal activist since a very young age. It started on a small scale—campaigning at school—and has grown with me over the years. I’m lucky enough to have a platform that can now shine a bigger light onto these issues and hopefully bring more compassion and awareness.
VO: We love your vegan coffee shop, Coffee and Plants! Why did you decide to pursue this venture?
LL: I remember going for a coffee at Starbucks and seeing mountains of milk cartons piled up in the trash. I thought to myself, “Wow, this is an insane amount of dairy that’s being consumed in just one store.” It kind of lit a spark in me to start a business that was inspired by my love of specialty coffee drinks and my passion for animal and environmental welfare. I feel we are in a place where our businesses must give back to our earth instead of depleting it, which is why we plant trees for cups of coffee sold. Items sold from our store also go toward supporting abused and neglected animals. I’m really proud of our community and the message of compassion we are spreading.
Courtesy of Coffee and Plants
VO: Coffee and Plants serves some unique drinks—like the 24K Charcoal Latte. What went into curating the beverage menu?
LL: Our beverages are inspired by the beauty of plants and the magic of nature. From our Rose Bowl Latte infused with homemade rose hibiscus syrup to our Blue Lavender Latte made with blue butterfly pea powder, we put a lot of love into every item we create.
VO: Why was it important to you to offer such a diverse range of sweet and savory bites at the shop?
LL: It was important to offer a diverse range of food and drink at the store simply because, as someone who is plant-based, our options are often limited. I wanted a space where everyone was spoiled for choice, not just given a mediocre version of something you can find in a non-plant-based shop.
Courtesy of Coffee and Plants
VO: Let’s talk about the “Plants” in Coffee and Plants! How did the idea to combine the two come about?
LL: Originally, I envisioned the store in a garden setting surrounded by greenery. It was hard to find a location that allowed for it, so we decided to bring the outdoors inside with beautiful foliage and plants that immersed the guests in nature.
VO: Do you have any other vegan businesses or partnerships in the works?
LL: I recently sang the theme song for an amazing Apple TV+ show called Jane, which is inspired by the life and work of Jane Goodall. She is an absolute inspiration to me, and her work in environmental conservation is incredible. I’m so proud of our collaboration. We even have a drink dedicated to her called the JANE, which donates proceeds to her organization, Roots & Shoots, a global movement of youth who are taking compassionate action within their community.
