Justin Mackee is neither vegan nor vegetarian.

He takes care to emphasize this otherwise unremarkable fact. It¡¯s an obvious assumption to make about someone who has just crowdfunded , a plant-based, small-batch coconut yogurt venture. But his reasons for starting the company weren¡¯t complicated.

¡°It blew my mind,¡± says Mackee of the first time he tried coconut yogurt during a 2018 trip to Australia. ¡°It was a very instant feeling of, ¡®I wish I could have this in Japan. Why can¡¯t we have this in Japan?¡¯¡±