Millville Means Business Profile

Eric Nyman, founder and owner of Wildflower Vegan Café, is a vegan pioneer. When he started in 2011, South Jersey had no vegan eateries and Philly had just a handful. That’s changed, of course. What hasn’t – Eric’s commitment to creating delicious plant-based dishes, from scratch.

“We prep just about everything in house,” he explains. In a market flooded with pre- made and processed vegan foods, Eric still embraces the hand-crafted approach.

Wildflower’s menu is heavily influenced by seasons, showcasing agricultural products at their peak. “Almost all our ingredients are locally sourced. In summer, the majority are grown within 10 miles. Often, we serve them the same day they’re picked.”

Eric’s philosophy has always been about accessibility. “A lot of our customers are vegan and vegetarian, but not all. If you understand cooking, you can make plant-based ingredients just as delicious as those made with animal products.” His fresh salads and wraps sparkle through the growing season. “In winter, we lean into hearty entrees, like soups, sweet potatoes and pasta. And everybody loves our baked sweets. There’s something for everyone.”

An unscheduled career change got Eric into the food business. He came to Millville to build and repair pipe organs, but the organ company closed. “I wanted to stay. Millville had so much to offer, an arts district and a happening downtown,” he says. To make ends meet, he took over a food truck route in Cherry Hill. A committed vegetarian, he transformed the menu to all plant-based. In the process, he perfected techniques that would carry him to a permanent location.

He’s also a caring mentor to his teammates. “Some of my best chefs have no formal culinary education. They learn here and I encourage them to put their personal stamp on each dish. That preserves the made-from-scratch feel,” he says.