Food and drink entrepreneurs say perseverance and hard work are keys to success. For Veg Life founder Rhian Caffull, that perseverance and hard work included making more than 10,000 vegan scotch eggs by hand in her parents’ small kitchen.
Her effort has resulted in her Veg Life brand being listed in independent retailers up and down the country, with her Scotchee scotch eggs recognised as exceptional products by industry experts at the Farm Shop & Deli Show.
Veg Life was born from Caffull’s love for food and her passion from sustainability. It’s a passion that, pre-Covid, led to her becoming an expedition leader on sustainable projects in east Africa, south-east Asia and South America. However, the pandemic brought this work to an end and Caffull returned to the family home in Worcestershire.
“Veg Life was founded off the back of a pandemic redundancy, with the world in lockdown,” she says, adding that her savings and redundancy money funded the launch.
The brand’s signature product, the Scotchee, came about when lockdown restrictions meant venues could serve alcohol only alongside a ‘substantial’ meal. “Enter the substantial Scotchee,” says Caffull. “It resembles its traditional counterpart in appearance, texture and taste, yet is made entirely from plants.
“With 7g less fat, a fifth less calories but the same amount of protein as its meat and egg counterpart, a Scotchee is better for the planet and healthier for the consumer.”
The first 10,000 Scotchees were made in her parents’ kitchen before Caffull sublet a pub kitchen in Bristol to grow the business. In 2023, she expanded into a dedicated commercial kitchen, affectionately named Cluckingham Palace, and is now scaling up manufacturing and introducing machinery to increase capacity.
“The team has grown over the years, starting with subcontractors to recently hiring a full-time and a part-time member of staff,” Caffull explains. “In an industry where values are often cut, we’ve shown a better, more transparent way while creating positive impact.”
Originally stocked in local pubs, delis and cafés, and sold direct to consumers online, Veg Life has grown listings through independent retailers, farm shop business Westmorland Group, and Infinity Foods in Brighton.
The Scotchee range has expanded and now comprises The OG (original flavour), Pub Grub (pickled onion & crisps), Jambo (east African curried spinach) and Taste of the East (chilli, garlic, shallots & Thai basil).
Experts recognised Caffull’s innovation and vision when they named the Scotchee the winning product in the 2024 Dragons’ Pantry event at the Farm Shop & Deli Show. At the hugely popular annual event, entrepreneurs pitch their products to a panel of food retail and product experts in front of an audience of show attendees.
Having the opportunity to showcase the brand and products gave Caffull the confidence to move forward with growing the business, she says. “It was invaluable to receive first-hand feedback from industry greats.
“Having never pitched on stage before, it was extremely nerve-wracking but since the experience, it has propelled me to pitch in many other settings, even returning to a stage a few times.”
Caffull has also been encouraged by the success of hard-boiled eggs at retail. Tesco announced they were the best-selling meal deal snack product of 2024 and 2025. “With the top-selling snack being a Protein Pot of a boiled egg, there was a clear opportunity for a more nutritious, sustainable, and ethical solution.”
The Veg Life team has been busy with further product innovation, developing runny whole egg alternatives and an egg mayo-style sandwich filler that will hit the market this year.
Caffull is hoping to expand the reach of the brand in coming years. Following success through DTC and independent listings, Veg LIfe is looking to grow in the UK and overseas while remaining true to its sustainability goals.
“I never planned to build a food manufacturing company, but a clear commercial opportunity and the chance to prove food can be produced more ethically made the path undeniable,” says Caffull. “As we grow our manufacturing and sales, we also look forward to expanding our positive impacts, too.”
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