Neat Burger to expand to the U.S., welcomes Leonardo DiCaprio as its newest investor
It expects to have 42 sites globally by the end of 2022, including 12 in the U.S.
The group behind plant-based food startup Neat Burger announced plans to expand in the U.S., also naming actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio as its newest investor.
The vegan fast food chain will start with a flagship store in New York City this coming fall, with a pop up in Urbanspace Vanderbilt having opened this week to engage with the local community.
The roll-out will then span “major hubs” across the U.S., the company said.
Neat Burger is also launching later this year in Italy and the Middle East through corporately owned online and offline restaurants and franchise partnerships. It expects to have 42 sites globally by the end of 2022, including 12 in the U.S., 231 by the end of 2024 and 436 by the end of 2026.
“Disrupting our food system with sustainable alternatives is one of the key ways we can make a real difference in reducing global emissions,” DiCaprio said in a statement. “Neat Burger’s pioneering approach to alternative-proteins is a great example of the type of solutions we need moving forward.”
The company hired former Le Pain Quotodien CEO Vincent Herbert to serve as CEO for Neat’s U.S. operations.
“NEAT is leading the way in developing and creating award winning food to appeal to all tastes; vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian. I am excited to help NEAT become the dominant global player in this nascent but hugely important new market,” Herbert said.
