Vegan Drive-Thrus Are Coming Soon to a City Near You

Could finding delicious, quick, plant-based food be as easy as hopping into your car? Vegan drive-thrus will sweep across the US as vegan burger chain Plant Power Fast Food just announced that it will open several new locations throughout California and Nevada. Plant Power Fast Food’s parent company Plant Power Restaurant Group recently secured a $7.5 million Series A funding package that it plans to use to expand its brand and bring drive-thru burgers to Americans outside California.

“It’s important that the capital comes in tandem with an unwavering belief in our mission to change the world,” co-founder and CEO Zach Vouga said. “We’re thrilled to have been able to develop key strategic partnerships that open up a range of new financing opportunities as we continue to execute on our growth strategy.”

The Series A funding round was spearheaded by Helia Capital USA, Batta Foods, and Eat Beyond Global Holdings. Early investors of the plant-based company also include Saudi Arabia’s vegan Prince Khaled Alwaleed and Aladdin actor Mena Massoud. The brand hopes that this round of investment will help propel them to the national stage, bringing US consumers an accessible plant-based drive-thru to rival the growing number of vegan options at conventional fast-food restaurants. The food chain revealed that year-over-year enterprise-wide sales increased over 50 percent from 2019 to 2020.

The fast-food chain grew popular throughout California in recent years and now plans to take this momentum to double its locations. The company claims that it will use the capital to “execute its expansion plans with a focus on new corporate unit development.” Currently, the company is set to open eight new stores in San Diego, Sacramento, Hollywood, and Las Vegas. The company and its investors believe that the brand will see significant growth and positive consumer response with its national expansion.

“Plant Power Fast Food has built something unique and scalable, and the brand has captured the hearts of aspirational consumers whose needs are evolving,” CEO of the investment company Fusion Ventures Lee Piccoli.

Plant Power Fast Food also recently added a new team of executives to lead the expansion project including former General Manager of Hard Rock Cafe International Rita Ugarte, former Director of Operations at Chipotle Dan Lowe, and former Human Resources Manager at the United States Navy and Goodwill. The executive team will carry the brand across the United States hoping to redefine convention quick-service cuisine.

Founders Zac Vouga, Mitch Wallis, and Jeffrey Harris decided to open their vegan burger chain to bring American consumers the familiar favorites without the animal products. The company provides consumers with classic fast-food staples like chicken nuggets, burgers, and milkshakes. The first location that opened in San Diego debuted a long menu of completely plant-based items with The Big Zac – a burger meant to mirror McDonald’s Big Mac – in the spotlight.

Currently, Plant-Powered Fast Food has opened seven locations across California. The nationwide expansion will change fast food for Americans, and bring plant-based consumers the classic comfort food that’s still rare to find even with fast food’s recent adoption of plant-based ingredients. While waiting for the Plant Power Fast Food to open, check The Beet’s Burger King, Carl’s Jr, Chipotle, Subway, and Taco Bell guides to eating vegan.