Frustrated by the lack of choice for vegans, a former shop worker has launched her own award-winning internet supply business.

Lisa Rankin set up Veganstore to supply a delicious menu of roast 'chicken', 'ribs', sticky buns, chocolate-laden deserts and vegan caviar, not to mention designer clothes.

She wanted to ensure people who turned their backs on animal products did not have to deprive their taste buds or curtail their sense of style.

Veganstore, tucked away in Saltdean, has just scooped the prestigious best independent retailer award from the Vegetarian Society, beating High Street giants and well-known brands to the accolade.

It also boats a celebrity list of customers, including Sir Paul McCartney and Moby.

The store's success story started two years ago when Lisa Ruskin, a bored and frustrated vegan, decided to supply vegans with what they did not have - choice.

Lisa said: "There was just very little around for vegans. You went into a shop and there might be one or two items to choose from and that was it.

"I was bored with my shop job so I decided to launch this business."

Lisa, a former dancer, began trawling catalogues, the internet and health food fairs to put together an online catalogue of vegan goodies.

At first, her web site offered just 40 basic products and she received one or two orders a day.

But word spread like wildfire and demand grew rapidly.

Two years on, Lisa now stocks more than 900 lines and sells to more than 3,000 customers in 16 countries.

She and her one employee, her mum Jackie, spend their days packaging products and posting them around the world.

Lisa, 30, said: "I don't think there's a continent we don't supply to. I've even had orders from China."

When she started out, Lisa concentrated on the basics - animal free versions of parmesan cheese, eggs, mayonnaise, pepperoni, chicken nuggets, anchovies and jellies.

She asked vegans what they could not live without and what their dream products would be.

They told her they could not bear missing out on Worcestershire sauce, soya drinks and ice creams.

Their dream diet would also include doughnuts, sticky buns, truffles and imitation chocolate bars.

So Lisa set about finding products to fit the bill.

If they were not available she approached small factories and got them manufactured.

She now offers faux tuna, chocolate spread, cookies and sweets.

And the range has extended further to include high fashion No Bull vegan shoes, Real Cow Girls Fake It 'leather' jackets, T-shirts that are not silk-screen printed, musk-free perfume and even 'tofu totty' knickers.

She said: "I even had a request for vegan bondage gear.

"I couldn't supply it but I put them in touch with people who make synthetic leather."

Lisa trawls the world for her goods.

Cookies, peanut chews and doughnuts come from the United States. Shoes come from Canada and all over Europe.

Soya milk comes from Belgium and France supplies powdered hazelnut and almond milk.

Her customers are widespread and varied too.

Among the celebrity names she supplies are actress Alicia Silverstone, comic Sean Hughes, singer Hazel O'Connor, actor Joachim Phoenix and Sir Paul McCartney.

She will also be catering for Moby at the Brighton Centre this weekend.

Lisa said: "Brighton is well known as the veggie capital of Europe - there are some great restaurants here.

"I think what we are offering people is choice in the food they cook themselves. Plus the fact they can have vegan 'junk food'.

"It also caters for people who want a dairy-free diet and since Geri Halliwell announced that's what she does, that has really taken off."

Lisa said although vegans could 'fake' most foods, there were some they would never be able to do.

"We'll never be able to do 'tuna' steak. We just can't get the texture right."

Building up the business has been hard work.

Lisa has sacrificed two rooms of her house and only drew her first wage from the business in June this year.

Until then, every penny she earned was ploughed back into the business.

She plans to develop it further, moving into wholesale next year and getting her shoes into shops in London and Manchester.

"My dream is to have a bakery, shop and cafe combined, although that's a way off yet, but I have perfected a recipe for brioche.

"Running the site is good fun and I don't dread getting up for work any more." For more details, visit Veganstore.co.uk