Neat Burger, a vegan fast-food company headquartered in the United Kingdom and funded by Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, will open its first US outlet in New York City this summer.
Neat Burger, a vegan burger company based in New York City, will open its first outlet in the United States this fall in Manhattan. The vegan fast-food joint, which opened in 2019 with the assistance of world champion race car driver Lewis Hamilton, offers a variety of traditional fast-food items that have been converted to veganism, such as plant-based cheese burgers, chicken burgers, hot dogs, tater tots, ice cream, and milkshakes, as well as kid’s meals and dessert. Neat Food Co (NEAT) is a British burger concept and retail company that will soon be expanding its operations in the United States. The opening will follow a pop-up in midtown Manhattan earlier this month that introduced New Yorkers to the brand, which is located in the United Kingdom.
Following the acquisition of a strategic investment from actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio, NEAT is preparing to expand into the United States with the hiring of key personnel who will assist the vegan burger chain and plant-based meat firm in establishing a presence in the country. Vincent Herbert, the former CEO of Le Pain Quotidien, has joined the brand as the Chief Executive of Neat Burger USA, and will be in charge of the company’s growth in this market. Also joining the brand’s advisory board are Jeffrey S. Fried (former Chairman of Sweetgreen) and Henrik Fjordbak (former COO of Joe & The Juice), who will assist the company in furthering its environmental goals.
A statement from Zack Bishti, co-founder and CEO of Neat Burger, stated, “We are on a mission to transform how the world consumes protein, and we are delighted to announce these new appointments whose experience will make a significant difference.” In Jeff and Henrik’s success in nurturing industry-leading brands, and Vincent’s expertise in achieving global expansion, we have a strong team that is poised for explosive entry into new markets; to transform consumer behavior; and to be a positive force for good.
Involvement in veganism by Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton
With his tremendous celebrity, Hamilton uses his platform to advocate for animal-rights and social justice concerns, frequently turning to social media and urging followers and followers alike to adopt a vegan lifestyle. The Not Company, a Chilean vegan firm that raised $235 million in finance last year with the support of Hamilton and musical artist Questlove, is one example of Hamilton putting his money where his mouth is by investing in vegan enterprises.
Hamilton’s investment in NEAT, which was founded in cooperation with the hospitality organization The Cream Group and Beyond Meat investor Tommaso Chiabara, gave the company with critical cash to get off the ground in the first year of operation. A year after launching their first shop in Central London, Neat Burger has since expanded to two further sites in the Camden and Soho districts of the city. With rapid growth, the brand announced massive expansion plans last year, following the receipt of an additional $7 million in a funding round led by SoftBank’s Rajeev Misra. The plans include expanding the brand’s presence in the domestic market—including the establishment of 20 “ghost” kitchens—as well as taking it international, beginning with the United States.
Approximately 1,000 corporately owned, franchised, and dark kitchens are expected to be operational by 2030, according to NEAT. Furthermore, it is attempting to introduce next-generation plant-based meat replacements manufactured with healthful ingredients to the retail sector, such as its grain combination of quinoa, chickpeas, and mung beans.
“By 2040, we see a future in which alternative proteins have totally replaced animal proteins,” stated Chiabra in a statement. ” “NEAT is at the forefront of the development of these alternatives that not only meet the needs of environmentally conscious consumers, but also deliver on flavor as well.” It is our mission in this world to demonstrate that the simplest option is often the best one for the environment.”
Vegan burger restaurants in the United States.
In the United States, Neat Burger’s expansion comes at a time when homegrown vegan fast-food chains are beginning their own expansions in order to meet the growing demand for plant-based foods, which according to a recent artificial intelligence-driven report by Tastewise is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2027.
Celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn of Top Chef fame founded the vegan restaurant chain PLNT Burger, which launched its first location in New York City’s Union Square district earlier this year and just expanded to Boston. With aspirations to open 50 shops across North America by 2029, Canada’s Odd Burger, the world’s first publicly traded vegan fast-food business, is also targeting a New York City outlet.
On the West Coast, Plant Power Fast Food, based in San Diego, is moving up the coast with additional sites in Los Angeles, Fountain Valley, and Sacramento, as well as its first out-of-state outlet in Las Vegas, Nevada. Organic vegan fast-food pioneer Next Level Burger is also expanding across the country with a Denver, Colorado location set to launch later this summer, according to the company’s website.
Traditional fast-food behemoths aren’t standing by, either, with McDonald’s collaborating with Beyond Meat to develop plant-based options for consumers around the world through its McPlant platform; Burger King testing meatless pop-up locations in Europe; and KFC launching vegan chicken in multiple countries.
