Top 10 Portland Vegan Businesses on Twitter
Photo courtesy of Flickr user magerleagues, under Creative Commons License.
Portland, Oregon is arguably one of the best cities to live in if you’re vegan. The vegan businesses and restaurants who target the vegan community are plentiful - just take a look at Twitter.
Whether you are on Twitter or not, you’ve got to admit the micro-blogging platform has changed the way businesses communicate with both current and potential consumers. These 10 Portland-based businesses are using Twitter to effectively communicate directly with their vegan clientele. Most of them are effective because they tweet just enough personal information to give their followers a real connection to their products or businesses. I’m not buying a donut from a baking company, but from a baker who had a rough day yesterday, and I genuinely hope she’s having a better one today. While not all of these businesses are vegan only, they provide vegan products and target vegan shoppers and consumers.
1. @PortobelloPDX – This all-vegan Italian restaurant has been closed for the month of May to relocate, so the tweets are fewer and farther between. In the interim, Twitter was a great way to let their customers know they were still around and when to expect them to open. I’m also partial to this one because they have their own cycling team, and post updates here. Sample tweet:
2. @KillerBreadMan – Dave’s Killer Bread bakes amazing bread that’s loved by vegans and non-vegans alike. Dave, the Killer Bread Man, learned to bake while in prison, and now owns a growing company selling amazing bread products. His story is a great way to connect with customers, and Dave’s Twitter is an extension of that. Sample tweet:
3. @DCVegetarian – A food cart in Downtown Portland serving vegan and vegetarian fare. This food cart is a great example of how similar businesses can generate business and new customers through Twitter. It may not work for your business, but the food carts converse via Twitter, and retweet each other consistently. Sample tweet:
4. @IsaChandra – Isa Chandra Moskowitz is one of the first celebrity vegan chefs. Her cookbooks are a staple in most vegan kitchens. She does everything from 15-minute meals to delicate, gourmet fare. Her Twitter lets her followers know about new books, recipes she’s trying, and when she needs test cooks, another great way to get your clientele involved. Sample tweet: 
5. @StumptownVegans – Not technically a business, Stumptown Vegans are a group of food bloggers in Portland who provide reviews of restaurants for the vegan community. Their blog is a resource in the community, and their Twitter is an extension of that. With so many food-related businesses, Stumptown Vegans serve as a clearinghouse of information, separating the vegan from the questionably vegan, and are a great example of how a blog and a Twitter can be useful for your target market. Sample tweet:
6. @LosGorditosPDX - Another great business with a great story. The Cruz family began their business as a food cart serving delicious Mexican food. After one of them became vegan, they started offering vegan foods, then opened a second vegan only cart, then an actual sit down restaurant. Hot tip: they also cater weddings. Sample tweet:
7. @HerbivoreCC – Herbivore Clothing Company is relatively new to Twitter, but they’ve managed to reap the benefits of the tight-knit vegan community in Portland. Being close (in proximity and otherwise) to Sweet Pea Baking Company and Food Fight Grocery, numbers 8 and 9 respectively, they’ve maximized their followers and take social media marketing with a grain of salt. They don’t take themselves or their Twitter account too seriously. Sample tweet:
8. @FFGrocery – Food Fight! Grocery is the first, and possibly only, all-vegan convenience store. The owners and employees of Food Fight! use their Twitter as a way to organize and inspire activism from their clientele. They tweet specials, updates and news, just like any other business, but also link to important events, demonstrations, and opportunities to get involved in the animal rights community. They are a prime example of the activist nature of the vegan community, and how important it is to be more than just a business. Sample tweet:
9. @SweetPeaBaking – Without realizing she was marketing her business, Lisa from Sweet Pea began blogging and tweeting about her bakery. Now their followers have come to expect the Donut Lineup every Saturday, the brunch menu on Sunday, and a daily update as to what cupcakes and muffins are in the case. Her followers feel connected to the store on a very personal level, but also get a daily reminder of the fresh baked vegan goodies available every day. Sample tweet:
10. @Whiffies – Although not an all-vegan business, this fried pie food cart in southeast Portland has single-handedly created a Twitter community. Each day the food cart offers a selection of vegan and non-vegan sweet and savory fried pies for lunch, dinner, dessert or just a late night snack. Open until 3am, they’ve built a following of devoted regulars, and hungry night owls who met through the Whiffies’ Twitter account. Whiffies is the perfect example of how Twitter can be used to communicate with and not just to customers. Sample tweet:
