Wholesome Junkies vegan stall takes to Warrington Market

Chelsea Campbell, director of vegan junk food company Wholesome Junkies, is bringing her renowned business back to her hometown, having grown up in Birchwood.

For the last week, she has resided at her new stall in the market which has been welcomed with open arms.

Chelsea said: “The reception has been overwhelming and incredible. We’ve not really pushed it too much that we’re here just until we find our feet. It’s a brand new stall and team so it requires a lot of training and effort then we can really push it.

“We had queues last week waiting for us to open and we had to get the queue barrier out which was pretty amazing but also terrifying.”

The team comprises six women – including Chelsea’s aunty Mandy Riley who is also from Warrington – who are offering a alternative to other foods which doesn’t involve animal products.

“There isn’t many offerings of vegan food here and I think Warrington gets missed off because of the two big cities either side,” said Chelsea, who went to Locking Stumps Community Primary School.

“There is so much there and not a lot here. It is nice to come back to my hometown.

“Our food is very familiar food – it’s nothing too out of the ordinary.

Chelsea is proud to return to Warrington

“We don’t have a mung bean dahl, we’ve got a double smashed beefburger so I feel it is more accessible for people to be willing to try vegan food and plant-based versions.

“There is more intrigue if it’s something they are familiar with already. We do a lot of mock meats which are very, very similar to meat.

“However, mock meats aren’t for everyone and we do a lot of vegetable-based food. There is a lot of options so it’s a nice transition.”

The 31-year-old has been vegetarian for five years and fully vegan for three years.

She continued: “I went vegan because I was concerned for the environment.

“It was a slow process – it didn’t just happen overnight. Back then, the availability of vegan food was quite hard to find.

“Some days I would just be living on chips and bread if I was busy.

The Kimchi burger which involves Korean glaze kimchi, mature cheddar cheese, potato rosti, spicy mayo, lettuce, crispy shallots and a toasted brioche

“Whereas now, there is such a variety that is so easily accessible in supermarkets, your local markets and restaurants.

“All the new vegan things that are coming out are so exciting to try. I did it for the environment initially but with that comes major compassion for animals.

“We’re not a preachy vegan we are just doing an alternative plant-based way of dishes that are tasty.”

After originating in Manchester – where Chelsea is based now – and following a brief stint in Liverpool, Wholesome Junkies and have always been welcomed with a crowd who can help them improve.

“We are very open so we get instant feedback which probably wouldn’t translate through if we were in a restaurant and the chefs wouldn’t hear first-hand what the customer was thinking.

“The customers come up and tell us straight away.”

Once the store is up and running fully, Chelsea plans to oversee both venues but still get hands-on with a shift in each kitchen per week – where the vegan magic happens.

Wholesome Junkies is currently open Thursday - Sunday.

The Wholesome Junkies team says the response from Warrington has been incredible