--- title: "David Chait – Building a vegan brand from retail to hospitality" type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "Articles" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-10-01-david-chait-building-a-vegan-brand-from-retail-to-hospitality/" published: "2023-10-01T00:00:00" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 332 --- # David Chait – Building a vegan brand from retail to hospitality Published 1 October 2023, 02:00 SAST ## Content ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DM-Podcast-Promo-Aug-1500x500-David.jpg?fit=1500%2C500&quality=89&ssl=1) ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DM-Podcast-Promo-Aug-2000x2000-David-2.jpg?fit=2000%2C2000&quality=89&ssl=1) [Media](https://iframe.iono.fm/e/1351576?accent=96ccd6&border=FFFFFF&text=283B49&rounded=0&artwork=0&description=0&download=0) [Media](https://iframe.iono.fm/e/1351576?accent=96ccd6&border=FFFFFF&text=283B49&rounded=0&artwork=0&description=0&download=0) SPONSORED CONTENT Worklife Matters and host **Siv Ngesi**talk good food revolutionaries, today Siv chats to **David Chait**, founder and CEO of Okja, a plant based food and beverage business on the highs and lows of building a vegan brand from retail to hospitality and what the landscape of sustainable dairy alternatives in SA looks like? Worklife Matters and host **Siv Ngesi**talk good food revolutionaries, today Siv chats to **David Chait**, founder and CEO of Okja, a plant based food and beverage business on the highs and lows of building a vegan brand from retail to hospitality and what the landscape of sustainable dairy alternatives in SA looks like? ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022_07_20_PLATFORM_BADGES-Apple-Podcasts.png?fit=660%2C160&quality=80&ssl=1) ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022_07_20_PLATFORM_BADGES-Apple-Podcasts.png?fit=660%2C160&quality=80&ssl=1) ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022_07_20_PLATFORM_BADGES-Spotify-Podcasts.png?fit=660%2C160&quality=80&ssl=1) ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022_07_20_PLATFORM_BADGES-Spotify-Podcasts.png?fit=660%2C160&quality=80&ssl=1) ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022_07_20_PLATFORM_BADGES-Google-Podcasts.png?fit=660%2C160&quality=80&ssl=1) ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022_07_20_PLATFORM_BADGES-Google-Podcasts.png?fit=660%2C160&quality=80&ssl=1) [![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/stephenrowleyphoto-6-4-scaled-e1761048168282.jpg?fit=480%2C231&quality=89&ssl=1)](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-23-ballitos-premier-office-is-not-what-you-expect-its-club17-at-workshop17-ballito/) ### [Ballito’s premier office is not what you expect, it’s Club17 at Workshop17 Ballito](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-23-ballitos-premier-office-is-not-what-you-expect-its-club17-at-workshop17-ballito/) [Read More »](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-23-ballitos-premier-office-is-not-what-you-expect-its-club17-at-workshop17-ballito/) [![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Workshop-17-15_09_2025-review-35-e1759847078737.jpg?fit=480%2C250&quality=89&ssl=1)](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-09-the-great-relocation-how-bpos-are-trading-cramped-spaces-for-lifestyle-nodes/) ### [The great relocation. 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