Unpaid bills, bankruptcy, takeover : the manoeuvre that destroyed EVE Vegan® certification
Organised bankruptcy, complicit administration? After a major non-payment led to the collapse of the French certification scheme EVE Vegan®, founder Hélène Modrzejewski discovered that the brand had been bought out on 15 November 2024 by her former South Korean audit partner, who had caused the debt in the first place. To carry out this operation, the company used a false legal identity.
Despite the fact that the founder had found a French buyer with an equivalent offer, the Chartres Commercial Court knowingly awarded the trademark to its Korean debtor, allowing an international French innovation to disappear. This ruling has left the company’s founder at a loss and in a state of incomprehension.
Words from the founder Hélène Modrzejewski
“It is with immense sadness and deep indignation that I announce the loss of my EVE Vegan® brand, the fruit of ten years of hard work, sacrifice and passion. Despite all my efforts to save my company and assert my rights in the face of a colossal unpaid debt, it was my former South Korean partner, who was responsible for this debt, who ended up buying my brand with the support of the French courts.
I fought as hard as I could against this unfair manoeuvre, but today I find myself dispossessed of everything I have built. This is not just an injustice for me, it’s a blow to all entrepreneurs who still believe in the integrity of the system.”
“To you, our customers and partners, who have believed in this brand and invested your trust, time and resources, I would like to express my deep gratitude, but also my dismay at the impact of this situation on your business.
This immoral manoeuvre has not only affected my company: it also jeopardises your certified goods, your certification projects, and the quality we have built together. I am deeply sorry for the repercussions you are now suffering as a direct result of this injustice. I will continue, to the best of my ability, to denounce these practices and to fight for justice for all those who have believed in this venture.”
Do not collaborate with EVE’s brand new owner
“I call on you, dear customers and partners, not to collaborate with the new owner of the brand. This takeover is the result of unfair manoeuvres: (1) not only has it caused an unpaid balance which is having a serious impact on your current business, but (2) it has also orchestrated a serious smear campaign to damage the brand’s reputation prior to the sale. (3) Worse still, deliberately exploited this period of instability to copy our brand and steal our intellectual property, in a cynical and calculated strategy
Finally, it’s crucial to stress that neither this company nor its directors have the slightest connection with the vegan values at the heart of this brand. For them, this is just an opportunistic business, disconnected from the ethical activism that we have always defended together. Let’s stand united against these immoral practices, to protect what we believe in.”
How to continue ?
“For those who wish to pursue their vegan certification, I invite you to turn to The Vegan Society. You can directly contact my trusted correspondent, Mirrin Lewis, who will be able to guide you with seriousness and expertise.
I would like to stress that I personally consider The Vegan Society to be the best label to invest in after EVE Vegan® for its genuine commitment to veganism. Thank you for continuing to hold high the values that unite us.”
Thank you for these incredible years
“As I turn a painful page, I would like to offer you my most sincere thanks. For eight years, thanks to your unfailing support, I have had the privilege of developing EVE Vegan®, of which I am deeply proud.
Although this adventure has come to an unjust end, I hold my head high when I think of what we have achieved together. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there, for believing in this project, and for sharing this incredible adventure with me. This is just a farewell, because the spirit of EVE will live on.”
Inspiring Positive Change In The Industry 2016 – 2024
Recognised as the most demanding and reliable vegan certification in its category, EVE Vegan® has established itself on a global scale, conquering five continents and becoming a benchmark that cannot be ignored.
In eight years, it has helped to transform the industry by positively influencing practices: working to ban animal ingredients and animal testing in the manufacture of consumer products.
Find official statement here
You can contact the founder at the following address, Hélène Modrzejewski : direction@certification-vegan.org
You can contact Mirrin Lewis The Vegan Society certification : mirrin.lewis@vegansociety.com
