Animal Planet Declares Sweet Avenger A 'Sweet Success'

This summer, Animal Planet satisfies the sweet tooth with SWEET AVENGER (Working Title), a series featuring one woman's mission to save animals one cupcake at a time. Danielle Konya, founder and owner of Vegan Treats, declares that decadent sweets can be achieved without harming any animals, and she promises to make a vegan out of you at first bite.

With a dozen half-hour episodes set to premiere this summer, SWEET AVENGER (wt) introduces viewers to Danielle, who founded her vegan bakery to outright crush her non-vegan competitors. An avid animal activist, 36-year-old Danielle can whip up batches of delectable desserts without ever using an egg or a stick of butter. Assisted by a cadre of trusted co-workers (including her mom and best friend), Danielle's confident her sweet treats will do all the talking to convince people that a vegan diet is the tastier alternative.

"I want to show people that by eating a vegan confection, you're directly saving the lives of cows, chickens and thereby the environment and habitats of thousands of other exotic species," says Danielle. "There's nothing appetizing about the suffering of 10 billion animals a year, and my treats can satisfy both the palate and the conscience."

While some can describe Danielle as tough as nails - a driven warrior for the animal kingdom - Danielle has layers that go deeper than her 'Death by Chocolate' cake. She's an accomplished baker whose recipes have won her awards and accolades including a coveted guest spot as Google Chef and the PETA Proggy Award for Best Bakery. She's made an impression in Hollywood; celebrities including Alicia Silverstone and Joan Jett are sweet on her mouth-watering baked goods. Though she can be stubborn as a bull, she's enormously generous with her heart; she's a steadfast friend and big on family. More than a decade ago, Danielle took in a young neighborhood girl in need and raised her as her adopted daughter, giving her food, shelter and place to call home. Now, as a young single mother, she juggles the demands of her growing business while raising her teenage daughter, Britny.

"Animal Planet made a big brand statement with WHALE WARS. Now, with SWEET AVENGER (wt), muscular conservation has a deliciously different new face," says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. "With a dollop of flavor, a coating of conservation and heaping of rich characters, we think audiences will love watching Danielle set out to save the world one cupcake at a time."

While Danielle's mission is sweet and simple, there are plenty of challenging twists and turns in running a successful vegan bakery. From fulfilling custom orders for more than 100 pastry shops in the region and catering to an endless calendar of special events, Danielle must also work with and inspire a staff that does not all share her vegan view of the world. There are countless hours of tireless work in getting people to choose vegan, but Danielle finds the perfect recipe to achieve her mission. She combines all the ingredients to encourage a dairy-free, flesh-free and egg-free diet without having to cheat your taste buds.

SWEET AVENGER (wt) is produced by Optomen Productions for Animal Planet. Monica Ramone, Dominic Stobart and Nicola Moody are executive producers for Optomen Productions. Melinda Toporoff is executive producer for Animal Planet. Vice president of development is Charlie Foley.

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