Matthew Kenney to Open 100+ Vegan Delis, Find a Location Near You

Celebrity chef Matthew Kenney is set to open more than 100 locations of his vegan deli and convenience store New Deli throughout 2021. The vegan chef and restauranteur will begin to bring this plant-based concept to consumers across the United States this month.

Kenney teamed up with the e-commerce PlantX to nationalize the New Deli concept. After its 2018 opening in Venice, CA, Kenney’s deli and convenience store saw immense success. The neighborhood store provides everything from household supplies and pantry staples to organic beer and frozen foods. Alongside the typical retail items, the store includes a deli counter that offers customers fresh sandwiches and prepared vegan foods.

“It was always our intent to build New Deli into the ultimate plant-based convenience store brand and ultimately align with a growth partner to expand it through various global markets, rather than grow it on our own,” Kenney told VegNews. “PlantX’s expertise in the e-commerce segment strengthens New Deli beyond a brick-and-mortar concept and into a much more versatile and efficient operating model. We are excited about this new partnership and all the other work we plan to do together to bring more plant-based options to the world.”

PlantX recently appointed Kenney as the company’s Chief Culinary Officer, accompanied by a five-year partnership with the chef’s lifestyle company Matthew Kenney Cuisine. The partnership led to PlantX’s acquisition of the New Deli brand and the following expansion. The company plans to continue working with Kenney throughout the national expansion. PlantX also wants the vegan concept to go international. The e-commerce company plans to open corporate locations in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Squamish, BC within the next three months. Beyond that, PlantX aims to open a New Deli location in every major Canadian city by 2022.

The e-commerce company launched as an all-encompassing plant-based shopping platform that has earned it the title of the “Amazon for vegan food.” The platform offers a selection that exceeds 10,000 products that accommodates any plant-based diet. The online service also provides meal and indoor plant deliveries with plans to incorporate cosmetics and clothing in the future. The website opened last fall for all consumers, and since then has experienced a surge in popularity.

Kenney’s partnership with PlantX will position him at the center of this expansion. As Chief Culinary Officer, Kenney will spearhead the e-commerce company’s movement forward, overseeing its recipe development as well as the meal delivery program. He will help the company move forward to become a diversified, helpful, and accessible platform for plant-based consumers nationwide.

“I’ve been working as a plant-based chef for the last 18 to 20 years, supported by my team throughout my career, and we have never been more ready to partner with a large grocery store like PlantX,” Kenney said.

The professional tennis player and Olympic Gold Medalist Venus Williams recently invested in PlantX. In April, the celebrity athlete joined the company as an ambassador to promote the benefits of plant-based diets. Williams adopted a plant-based diet to counteract some of the negative effects of an autoimmune disorder, while also showcasing how plant-based foods do not hinder her athletic ability.