Philadelphia is known as a great destination for vegan food, but it wasn’t always so. This week we talk with Carmella Lanni, one of the activists who helps to cultivate the plant-based abundance Philly is known for via pop-up events and Philly Vegan Restaurant Week.
Carmella Lanni is co-owner of V Marks the Shop, which operated Philadelphia’s first all-vegan grocer/convenience store, proudly a Black & Queer-owned business. She is also the creator of Philly Vegan Pop Flea/Philly Vegan Events, hosting vegan-centric community pop-up markets and events since 2016. She is also one of the co-organizers of Philly Vegan Restaurant Week, Philadelphia’s premiere vegan restaurant week launched in 2018 (founded by Nicole Koedyker). Her background includes over 20 years in digital commerce, working as an analyst and consultant to small businesses & Fortune 500 companies. She believes that business can be compassionate and community-connecting all year round. A native of Bronx, New York, Carmella enjoys baking, watching anime and crime dramas, pulling Tarot cards, making playlists, and hanging with cats.
We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode’s interview.
_____________________________________________
Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today.
Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review!
Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series.
Join us in the Our Hen House Community, or follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.
__________________________
This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.
Join hostesses Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan on this unique and fun award-winning podcast that focuses on changing the world for animals.
Can factory farms become real farms growing real food? Of course they can! But they might need a little help. Tyler Whitley is here to tell us all about Transfarmation, a program of Mercy for Animals working with contract growers …continue
Proudly brought to you by: 14 October 2023
In this eye-opening interview, journalist Melanie Kaplan takes us behind the closed doors of animal research facilities through the lens of her powerful book Lab Dog. After adopting Hammy, a beagle rescued from a laboratory, Kaplan embarked on a cross-country …continue
Proudly brought to you by: 19 December 2025
In this heartwarming holiday edition of The Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann blend seasonal cheer with serious animal advocacy updates. The hosts navigate between lighthearted holiday traditions and the sobering realities facing animals worldwide, demonstrating Our Hen House’s signature ability …continue
Proudly brought to you by: 18 December 2025
