How Courtney McCullagh Fuels Vegan Brands

Ever picture yourself driving via Texas, seeing cows, and all of a sudden realising something enormous? That's what happened to a 13-year-old young Courtney!

Join us for a conversation with Courtney McCullagh, a dynamic and vegan influencer in our interview series. Get ready to uncover her vegan journey how she became vegan, or even started a fun "Vegan Valentine Tour."

What surprising or unexpected event initially ignited your vegan journey? Did a specific person or experience play a role?
Share the "aha moment" that started it all.

It started when I was 13 years old, and I was in the backseat of my mom's car heading to my aunt's house, which lived near Fort Worth, TX, which is known for its vast land filled with cow pastures, so we passed quite a few.

It was then that I realised that the cows grazing on the fields were essentially the same cows that were being used in the double meat and cheeseburgers I would get with my grandma every Friday at McDonald's when she would pick me up from school. So it was then that I stopped eating red meat, and then, slowly but surely, as I did more research, I stopped eating all the meat and dairy by the time I started college.

I was so thankful to have gone to the very first all-vegan cafeteria in America, which happened to be at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX, of all places! It was well worth the student loans to have a meal plan that allowed me to eat a fully vegan breakfast, lunch, and dinner 5 days a week! That sparked my passion for veganism and showed me that it was the future. This was in 2012, by the way!

You've built a successful career at Sprinkles! What drew you to this agency, and how does it align with your vegan values and content creation?

I started Sprinkles in 2018, which was a huge jump into entrepreneurship that I knew I would inevitably go into at some point. My friend/co-founder and I were having brunch actually at an all-vegan diner in Dallas, TX called Spiral Diner, talking about our passions and plans for our future, and that's when we decided to start Sprinkles Creative, and help the local vegan businesses we loved so much with their marketing and social media. Since then, for 6 years now, my team and I have been able to incorporate our values in veganism with the content we create for our vegan/vegan-friendly clients.

The Vegan Valentine Tour sounds fascinating! What inspired its creation, and what unique experiences does it offer?

I've been doing vegan bus tours in Dallas and other Texas cities since 2021 and have every single one of them! I do them about every other month and plan to do more as the demand has grown! Every tour is different from the ones before, and I design it to be that way so that no matter how many times a guest joins us, they can have a fresh new experience and try a variety of vegan restaurants or vegan-friendly spots!

We always visit 4-to 5 stops that showcase the unique vegan offerings that restaurants or even vegan-friendly grocery stores have to offer! I love it because in between each stop on the bus, I have a microphone, and I'm able to do fun trivia questions to give away prizes to each of my guests, which they always love and gives them a chance to interact and even make new friends!

What day-to-day vegan ingredients do you always have on hand, and why?

This might sound like the typical "vegan" ingredient, but I honestly love spinach! In particular, baby spinach and broccoli are usually always stocked in my fridge as well! My husband and I are always huge Apple and Asian pear fans, so we usually have a bunch of those on our counter, too. These are easy staples to add to other meals or prep pretty quickly and also have a ton of added nutritional value. So they win/win in our house!

Beyond taste, what are your fundamental values when collaborating with vegan brands?

I always love to see brands go the extra mile by working on their sustainability plans, such as making their packing materials compostable or recyclable or ensuring they have reduced the use of plastics in their production. I will never work with a company that tests on animals, but I have been happy to find that companies are making it a point to have the 'Cruelty Free'_symbol on their packaging. Also, an added thing is if they give back to animal shelters or charitable causes to non-profits that could use it towards the greater good for both animals and humanity.

If you could create a plant-based dessert named after yourself, what would it be called, and what unique ingredients would it feature?

It would need to be a cross between a waffle, cake, and popcorn, as those are all my favourites wrapped into one. Oh, and it will need to have a scoop of vegan ice cream on top for good measure! Purple has always been my colour, so the main ingredient could be ube or taro or even Japanese sweet potatoes to bring the beautiful purple colour to life! Maybe the name could be as simple as 'Courtney Cakes' and people would know it for its unique aesthetic!

Many people are curious about veganism. What essential tips or advice would you offer someone considering making the switch?

Give yourself an end goal, whether it's 3, 6, or 9 months. Find substitutes for your favourite foods and work on transitioning to eating more plants every day. Also, be sure to find adequate protein replacements that you enjoy. For example, I love protein powders and bars, but I know they're not everyone's cup of tea. But just being willing to try new things and explore for a while will inevitably lead you to your favourite vegan foods/meals!