Neat Burger – the UK’s fastest growing plant-based chain - confirm the launch of 30 new sites across the capital, following the completion of a funding round valuing the company at $70m, an increase from a $27m valuation last year. The expansion follows thriving demand for their pioneering approach to consciously delicious fast food. With high-profile backers including Lewis Hamilton, Neat Burger has amassed a loyal following of plant-based and meat eaters alike due to their fresh approach to meat-free dining since their conception in 2019. And with national and international domination in their sights, Neat Burger is proof plant-based living is here to stay.
Speaking of the expansion, Lewis Hamilton says: “We created Neat Burger to make plant-based eating more accessible to everyone whether you eat plant-based all the time or just want to add it to your diet every now and again. The response to Neat Burger since we opened has been incredible. I’m really proud of the boundaries we have been able to push in this space and the plans for expansion both in terms of sites and delivery are really exciting.”
New restaurant sites to sprout up over the city over the next 12 months and include Victoria, October; Canary Wharf, November; Westfield Stratford, December; Bishopsgate, Ealing, Kings Road, O2, January; with Queensway and Waterloo to follow in the spring and further sites to follow in Covent Garden, London Bridge, Clapham, Hammersmith and Shoreditch. Regional expansion is also planned for 2022.
The 14 new restaurants will more than triple the brand’s existing brick and mortar portfolio which currently include sites in Oxford Circus, Soho, Camden and recently launched, Finsbury Park.
Delivery is set to reach all corners of London with 16 additional delivery kitchens across the capital as of early 2022, made available through Deliveroo and virtual kitchen partner REEF.
The latest raise will fund international expansion (including US, UAE and Italy), and product development, and was led by Rajeev Misra, CEO of SoftBank Investment Advisers. He says: ‘I am thrilled to be part of the Neat team as it continues to develop and expand in the UK – the vegan market is growing rapidly, and it is an exciting time for the brand’
Misra joins existing founding investors including Henrik Fjordbak, former COO of Joe and Juice, and David Yeung, founder of Green Monday, are Wellness Holding, founders of Technogym, and Anthony Di Iorio, co-founder of cryptocurrency Ethereum.
The expansion announcement follows calls from the Climate Change Committee for people to eat 20% less meat and dairy by 2030. Thanks to brands like Neat Burger helping to champion a more flexitarian diet, that future is looking very much achievable. While conscious consumption is at the heart of the brand, Neat Burger has positioned itself to be accessible to all, with its tasty food and fun, relevant image appealing just as much to its non-plant-based fans.
