Vegan icon Miyoko Schinner sued by her investors
Lawsuit used as vehicle for a smear campaign
Some of my readers know that Miyoko Schinner and I go way back. In 2014, when she founded her innovative vegan cheese brand, Miyoko’s Creamery, she inspired me to start the Plant Based Foods Association to protect companies like hers from the BS of the meat and dairy lobbies.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I joined the board of her company because her three largest investors had removed her as CEO and she needed me in her corner. Before I was even onboarded, the company had filed a ridiculous lawsuit against her.
Last year, I wrote about how smear campaigns like this can damage your reputation, so know this tactic. But this situation can only be described as, gaslighting by lawsuit.
There is a lot of backstory here, but for now, I wanted to share this article published yesterday in the San Francisco Chronicle, which used my quote as part of the headline: ‘Pure insanity’: Bay Area vegan company goes to war with its founder.
In case the article is behind a paywall, here are my quotes:
Michele Simon, founder of the Plant Based Foods Association, who was appointed by Schinner to Miyoko’s board of directors this month, called the claims “defamation disguised as a lawsuit.” The lawsuit is a way to justify firing Schinner after the fact, said Simon, “part of what appears to be a smear campaign to diminish (Schinner’s) reputation by a small number of board members.”
“It’s just pure insanity,” she said. “There’s nothing good that can come of a public flogging of a revered leader of vegan food.”
Many of her fans are asking me how they can help. For now, keep showing your support on her social media pages.
Note that I do NOT recommend boycotting Miyoko’s products. I remain a loyal consumer myself. (No one else’s vegan butter even comes close.) There will be much more to come so stay tuned.