Kindly of Brighton (an ambitious vegan grocery store)
Kindly (Brighton) is a busy independent vegan supermarket that was founded by an Internet techy wizard, who got bored and decided he wished to do something with his money, to do good.
His aim is to ‘flip the supermarket model on its head’ and put planet before profits. His supermarket even offers vegan sandwiches in compostable packaging (handmade in Brighton).
If buying plants or flowers, read up on pet-friendly gardens to know what to avoid. For tinned foods, rinse/remove lids (or pop ring-pulls over holes) then step on cans to pinch the inner rims together, to avoid wildlife getting trapped at recycling points.
Locals in Brighton can also order online, or just pop in the store to shop in person. It supports local artisan brands including local beers, to keep money circulating within communities.
The good news is that as a former techy entrepreneur, the founder has plans to take this model nationwide, to rival the big bad supermarket chains! But this time it will be business doing good, not harming animals or the planet.
People want to do good, but they don’t want to do it at the cost of either convenience or choice. We’re trying to bring in a food revolution, where we change the way we consume things. Shiv Misra (founder, Kindly Supermarket)
Who founded Kindly of Brighton?
Shiv Misra (read an interview with him here). Isn’t it refreshing with a successful entrepreneur decides to use his success to do something good, rather than the other way around?
He even has designed the store with natural colours and recycled materials, so people feel relaxed while they shop, instead of stressed out by brighton colours and noisy tannoys.
In late 2025, it opened a second store (on the site of the old community grocery HISBE), and things are progressing nicely. And what’s really nice is that the co-founder of HISBE (and the co-owner of Harriet’s of Hove (a local zero waste shop) both attended the opening, to show support.
When asked why she was supporting the store, the ‘rival next door’ answered that ‘the competition is more huge and naughty supermarkets, certainly not other independently owned, mission-based, eco businesses. Support of one another is absolutely essential, for us smallies’.
Infinity Foods (a vegan-friendly Brighton co-operative)
Infinity Foods has been around since the 1970s. Democratically run by its workers, it offers a huge range of organic fresh produce, in-store baked bread, vegan groceries (like the ‘goat cheese’ above) and natural beauty and cleaning products, along with a wholesale division.
Many items are sold in refill containers, so bring along clean dry containers to fill up, saving you money as well as packaging. The shop also avoids selling items made with palm oil.
There is also a Community Card, which gives discounts to regular customers. A portion of profits are donated to local charities, usually ones to protect Sussex wildlife or to help poverty and homelessness in Brighton.
Only assistance dogs permitted (due to food being at nose level!)
