Veggie Grill Plans Franchise Growth in Metro Markets All over the Country

Since being founded in 2006, Veggie Grill has grown to become the largest plant-based QSR restaurant chain in the country with 35 restaurants and 700+ team members — all through corporate expansion. Now, the Veggie Grill brand is officially launching its franchise opportunity and giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to join the runaway leader in the exciting plant-based movement.

“Our primary mission is to bring plant-based food to the masses in a way that is friendly, familiar and accessible,” said John Billingsley, Chief Development Officer. “Franchisees have an opportunity to invest in a concept that is good for you, good for animals and good for the planet. The time has never been better to join the plant-based movement, and as the largest plant-based QSR in the industry, Veggie Grill is the perfect platform to do so.”

Currently, Veggie Grill has locations in California, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York City. Looking ahead, the team aims to franchise in all major metro markets across the country with an emphasis on California, Washington, Colorado, Texas, New York, Massachusetts and Florida. Veggie Grill is expecting to sign two to three franchise deals this year, followed by five next year and up to 10 in the years following.

In markets all over the country, plant-based foods are only set to grow in popularity. Today, the market is valued at around $29.4 billion and is set to expand to more than $162 billion by 2030, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. As a brand new franchise concept, Veggie Grill has available territories in every state and is giving franchisees a chance to satisfy a massive unmet demand in their communities. The Veggie Grill menu includes soups, salads, bowls, sandwiches, burgers and desserts — all made using 100% vegan, plant-based products.

Regardless of where candidates are coming from, the Veggie Grill team will help them secure real estate in prime, suburban business districts. These are locations that have at least three demand generators, including a strong residential population, daytime population and high foot traffic areas.

In addition to catering to consumer demand for healthier options, Veggie Grill also aligns with the urgent trend towards adopting more environmentally-friendly meal options. According to a study by the Good Food Institute, plant-based meat both emits 30% to 90% less greenhouse gas and causes 51% to 91% less aquatic nutrient pollution than conventional meat.

“We can't continue as a global society how we've been operating, and Veggie Grill is well-positioned for the future of how we manufacture and consume our food,” said Billingsley. “We've spent the past 10 years perfecting a value proposition and economic story that makes sense for our consumers and our owner-operators. Now, we have a national platform to provide these in-demand products to people all over the country.”

Although this is a fresh franchise opportunity, the Veggie Grill business model has a solid 17-year track record of success. Incoming franchisees will have access to an established business model, comprehensive training and a robust onboarding process.

“The world is moving in this direction and we have the largest QSR brand in the plant-based food space,” said Billingsley. “We have a full-time, in-house culinary team that innovates constantly. We have an established supply chain network that can deliver throughout the country. We understand real estate. We can span across multiple channels of business. We have everything franchisees need to be successful.”

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Veggie Grill team has been further optimizing its model, as well, shrinking its footprint to work in non-traditional locations, rolling out a smaller menu to cut down on operating costs and even launching two virtual brands — Más Veggies Vegan Taqueria and Vegan Bowls for All — in order to open up new revenue streams for franchise owners.

“We wanted to maintain top-line performance but materially improve the middle of the P&L,” said Billingsley. “We only require 1,700 to 2,200 square foot spaces now as we’ve seen in-store dining decrease by 30%. We’ve shrunk the size of the footprint, which lowers operating costs and allows owners to reach more customers with less staff.”

Today, the Veggie Grill team is looking for business-savvy restaurant operators who are passionate and committed to the plant-based movement and eager to join an emerging brand and expand their portfolio.

“We want to bring on passionate, skilled operators who have restaurant knowledge and are excited to be the first in their market to open a Veggie Grill,” said Gregg Koffler, Franchise Sales Consultant. “We want operators who understand the movement, understand the market and are financially viable. Veggie Grill is a platform for those entrepreneurs to educate their community about healthful and sustainable eating.”

The total initial investment necessary to start a Veggie Grill ranges from $749,000 - $1,297,000. For more information, visit: https://veggiegrill.com/