Q: For those who don’t know, tell us a little about yourself and Plant People?
GK: My name is Gabe Kennedy, Co-Founder of Plant People and also chef by trade. Plant People creates doctor-formulated, regenerative-organic, plant and mushroom supplements that unlock the potential in people. Our products blend clinical research with time-tested tradition and plant wisdom to support sleep, stress, gut health, cognition and pain. We focus on empowering our customers and community through education and tools to navigate the world in a more healthful way. In addition, we have a strong commitment to regenerative agriculture and climate, as a certified B Corp, Certified Climate Neutral and an almost entirely plastic-free supply chain. We also plant a tree for every product sold and have planted over 200,000 to date.
When Hudson, my Co-Founder and I connected over our shared spine injuries on a hike, we decided to explore bringing some of the powerful and helpful tools we used, to our community. Through Plant People, we believe that the answer to so many of our greatest challenges is all around us, in the plants, mushrooms, soil, air and water that we so often take for granted — we find inspiration in unlocking the power of plants, as they unlock the potential in people.
Q: What inspired you to create Plant People?
Plant People draws on our personal experiences with injury, recovery, plants and preventative wellness. We saw an opportunity to build a meaningful values driven brand to further support our communities in ways that were not yet available. Since, Plant People has grown into a tremendous vehicle to support regenerative agriculture and our relationship to solutions found in the natural world.
Q: With the holidays in full swing and the new year approaching, a common theme we’re talking about is self-improvement. Based on your inspiration to create the company, could you discuss how this specifically resonates with your brand, product, and overall mission?
I believe that gentle self improvement is an essential part of life. It is important to embrace growth, change and learning from our experiences so that we can be more kind to ourselves, community and planet. A pillar of our brand is regeneration — a commitment to recreating, improving and growing with positive feedback. I see this as a parallel to self improvement.
Q: In what ways do your products relate to self-care, and can you talk about how self care resonates with you?
To me, self-care is being patient with yourself but also finding sustainable and healthful ways to support your true nature. We create products that can be used as tools to proactively support one’s true nature of physical and mental wellbeing. Everything we create happens to be eco-conscious, allowing us to give back to the planet and ourselves at the same time.
Q: One way to focus on self-improvement is by giving back to the community, can you talk more about how/ if your company is doing this?
Plant People has a strong and long-standing commitment to the environment and combating climate change by rebuilding the health of people and the planet — our communities, soil, agricultural systems and those who work on the systems. We plant a tree for every product that we sell, so we have planted hundreds of thousands of trees with both American Forests and Trees for The Future. Additionally, we are a certified B-Corporation, Certified Climate Neutral and have a supply chain that is almost 100% plastic-free.
Q: What is something you hope FastAF users will gain from your product?
We hope that people will be able to reconnect to their true nature, whatever that may be. We hope that people find better sleep, smile-filled days, productive afternoons, relaxing evenings, pain-free activities in strong vital bodies!
