Tennis players are broadening their influence in areas other than sporting brands. Players like Serena Williams are not limiting themselves from investing in different types of industries. Many athletes have started investing in and owning plant-based/vegan businesses. The industry has been blossoming lately with the help of its investors and brand ambassadors.
Williams has been actively investing in and encouraging business with her expertise. Even though she retired from the game in 2o22, Williams has been learning and expanding her knowledge in business. And she is joined by some other tennis stars too in this elite club of investors in cruelty-free businesses –
Serena Williams
The former World No.1 has made multiple investments even when she was an active player. Recently, she partnered up with The Good Glamm Group from India and will be launching WYN beauty products in April this year. The products are vegan and cruelty-free. The products will be tailored specifically to dark-skin tones.
The 42-year-old launched her clothing line S for Serena in 2018 as well. Its mission was to spread the message of accepting all types of body sizes. The vegan clothing brand has specific designs made by Williams.
Williams has also invested in Impossible Foods, which has various plant-based meats for both stores and food services. Impossible Foods focuses on sustaining the environment but also providing nutrition to its consumers.
Another plant-based business in which Williams has invested is the Daily Harvest. The company is a readymade meal brand that makes nutrient-based products. All their meals take a few minutes to get ready. Vegan smoothies are also available in Daily Harvest.
Roger Federer
Roger Federer is known for his sharp mindset while being involved in business. In 2021, Federer and Lewis Hamilton joined as investors for the Chilean-based foodtech company NotCo. The company produces plant-based food products, replacing meat-based products.
NotCo, with the help of artificial intelligence software known as Giuseppe, scans plant-based foods on a molecular level. The brand has already partnered with Burger King and Papa Johns.
Federer had personally designed non-leather sneakers with On earlier as well. In 2020, the Swiss maestro had launched The Roger collection, which saw the special sneaker hit the market.
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is one of the few players on the tour who works hard on and off the court. Djokovic is known for his extreme dedication to keeping himself fit over the years. In 2016, the Serbian opened a vegan restaurant called Eqvita in Monte Carlo. It has plant-based and organic food, as reported by Forbes.
Eqvita also offers a taste of Serbian cuisine on its menu. Food enthusiasts can taste organic wine as the restaurant has partnered up with wineries. Djokovic’s parents were from the food industry, which further motivated him to venture into the hospitality business.
The 36-year-old has been following a gluten-free diet since 2010 and is very careful about his diet. Djokovic wants to share his life-changing experience with plant-based food as it has had a positive impact on his career.
Naomi Osaka
One of the youngest players to have made a mark on the WTA Tour is Naomi Osaka. But it is her business acumen which is arguably more impressive. Osaka had invested in Daring Foods in 2021, as the company saw tremendous growth during the initial phase. It produces plant-based chicken in original, lemon and herb, Cajun, and breaded varieties. Each product also has 14 grams of protein, making it a healthy alternative for food lovers.
In 2023, the 26-year-old invested in Immi, which delivered authentic Ramen flavors to consumers in a healthier model. It has low carbs, a high amount of protein, and is plant-based. The instant Ramen is made with Pumpkin Protein. They started with three core flavors, which were Black Garlic Chicken, Spicy Beef, and Tom Yum Shrimp.
Venus Williams
Venus Williams has been present on the WTA Tour since 1994. She is one of the most fittest athletes in the game and invests accordingly in plant-based businesses. Due to health complications in her career, Venus started with a plant-based diet, which showed instant improvement in her health.
In 2020, Venus started her plant-based vegan protein company, Happy Viking, in partnership with Dyla Brands. Initially, Happy Vikings sold plant-based protein shakes in different flavors. It has been backed up by Reilly Opelka, Kevin Durant, Serena Williams, and other athletes.
The 7-time singles Grand Slam champion invested in Plant-X in 2021. Based out of Canada, Plant-X has over 10,000 plant-based products. They specialize in food, beauty, and clothing made out of plants. Venus also became a spokesperson for the company. Happy Vikings products are also available on Plant-X.
