Plant-based, and growing strong: vegan burger funding hits £2m

ON A MISSION to bring a vegan menu to the high street, plant-based pioneer Ready Burger has closed its first funding round with Crowdcube, raising £2m. The funds came from 842 investors in return for 22.47 percent of equity.

Ready Burger - vegan fast foodWith the claim that its plant-based foods are “indistinguishable” from their conventional meat counterparts, the company has plans to roll out the UK’s first scalable, fully plant-based, quick service restaurant (QSR) brand.

Sustainability is built into the business model. Making a Ready Burger uses 70 percent less water than a beef patty, with 92 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

CEO Max Miller said the investment would allow the firm to continue with its ambitious expansion plans, opening venues across London, nationally and — eventually — internationally. “It will also enable us to invest in the best food technology,” he said.

The first Ready Burger restaurant operates in London’s Crouch End, with a second due to open on Finchley Road and two more outlets in the pipeline.