37:00
Owner: Jeremy Julian
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
veggie grill, people, plant, based, burger, healthy, restaurant, market, brand, franchisees, deliver, vegan, salad, plant based, food, eat, tk, cholesterol, grow, vegetarian
SPEAKERS
T. (64%), Jeremy (35%), Intro (1%)
I
Intro
0:02
This is the restaurant technology guys podcast, helping you run your restaurant better.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
0:13
Welcome back to the restaurant technology guys podcast. I think you guys out there for joining us. As I see each and every time I post one of these, I know you guys have got lots of choices on how you guys spend your time and how you spend your energy. So it’s a privilege to come to you guys over the interwebs to share some cool stories and today is going to be no exception. Today we are joined by somebody that worked with a brand that is near and dear to me. And it’s been a brand that I’ve I’ve enjoyed for quite some time. But I’m gonna let him do an introduction of the brand as well as himself TK, why don’t you take it away and introduce yourself first. And then we can talk about the brand that you get the privilege of being the executive chairman for
TK
T. K. Pillan
0:52
sure. Well, yeah, pleasure to be here. Thanks for having me, Jeremy. And yeah, nice to hear that. Our brand is near and dear to your heart. So yeah, so Veggie Grill is, is the brand and we are the largest plant based restaurant company in the US with 33 locations across. Mostly, we have our largest densities here in Southern California. But we’re also in Northern California, Seattle, Portland, New York and Boston. And our mission is to inspire and empower plant based eating, and we’ve been doing it since 2006. And and it’s you know, our overall goal is to help change food culture for the better and help create a more sustainable and humane system. But really through enjoyment and fun, friendly, good old American comfort food just happens to be all plant based.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
1:51
I love it. I love it. So for those that are, I guess not even familiar with you tell me a little bit about the inception where, you know, it’s been been a number of years. I guess you guys are coming up, you know, mean, you guys are what 20, almost 20 years plant, I guess 2006 You got a couple more years ago, you know, 15 1617 years, somewhere around there. But I guess Tell me a little bit about yourself. How did how did you come to, to be in part of the inception of this. And we can talk for those that are less familiar about Veggie Grill and kind of where it was at?
TK
T. K. Pillan
2:19
Sure. So I did not come from the restaurant industry. I originally was a tech guy, I went to MIT undergrad and got an engineering degree and then worked in computer systems, started an E commerce company in the mid 90s, and wrote that first wave and sold my piece of my company in 99, sold out completely in 2004 got my MBA along the way prior to starting that ecommerce firm. But then, in 2005, I had left that tech business and had a blank slate in terms of what I was going to do next. And health and wellness had been something I was always another passion of mine that really started I think from my mother who is a registered dietician, holistic nutritionist foodist medicine practitioner, and what I was seeing in the country as I was doing, you know, having more time to read and just contemplate what to do next, I was looking at the tremendous issues the country was having around heart disease, cancer, diabetes dependence on pharmaceuticals. And I knew that, you know, through my upbringing and my mother’s influence, there was a better way. And I was always a health and fitness guy too. I grew up playing sports and played two sports at MIT, baseball and basketball and really tried to stay in shape and try to eat healthy and knew that that that was a way to prevent a lot of diseases the best way. And so I wanted to help create a company that would help lead people in the right direction. So that was kind of high level. But then I also was a frequent, fast food eater. I did not cook and I ate out a lot and I tried to get healthy and I was never satisfied with my choices. I always I wanted quick, convenient, delicious food. And I also wanted food I could feel good about and I couldn’t find that combination. And at the time, you know, subway was probably the best choice and and I thought a turkey salad with mustard on it was was healthy. So I set out, you know, one thing led to another I actually read an article about all the largest franchisees in LA County. It was all subways and pizza and burger and I was like, Well, you know, gosh, can we solve this problem, you know, and give people delicious, healthy, convenient food that they could feel good about and so it bugs me in After that, I started researching it. And one, and one thing led to another. And I really started learning about plant based foods. This was 2005 studies were just coming out about all the benefits of plant based eating. And it was easy for me to quickly absorb that, because of my upbringing, my parents were always vegetarian. But they never forced me to be that because I was a skinny Indian kid growing up in Boston in the 70s. And they weren’t, didn’t want me to stick out too much. And so, you know, back then being a vegetarian really would make you stick out. So yeah, I grew up eating a more of a mainstream American diet, although I tried to limit my red meat, but I had plenty of fried chicken and in dairy with just about every meal, and, but when I started reading the data out there, you know, I started thinking, wow, you know, this really is pretty compelling data around the benefits of eating plant based and if we could package this in a fun, friendly, delicious format, that we could hopefully convince more people to eat this way who are trying to eat healthy. And so that was the beginning of this journey. And yeah,
JJ
Jeremy Julian
6:14
I love it. I love it. I was I love to hear the the reasons why people get into get into these things. Because I’m sure 1718 years ago, 19 years ago, however long it was, when you started it, like, Oh, it can’t be that hard to run a restaurant and then you hit then you hit then you realize what it really takes to run a restaurant, it’s a little bit more challenging than it looks like as a consumer when you get behind the scenes and so for those that are less familiar with Veggie Grill, I’ve been to the original location I’ve been to multiples in Southern California many of the longtime listeners know that I’m I’m a native of Southern Cal or maybe not native completely, but I spent the last 40 years there before I moved to Texas, but in general, I’m familiar with the brand but for those that haven’t had the privilege, you know, you kind of hinted at it a little bit largest, you know, plant based plant based you know group in the country but what does that mean and what does it look like? What it what’s the format is it casual dining is it fast casual Is it fast food is it fine dining talk to me a little bit about the concept for those that have never walked in, you know, set foot instead of a Veggie Grill.
TK
T. K. Pillan
7:17
Sure, so 33 locations and they’re they’re fast casual. So you order at the counter, but then you sit down and we make your food to order and we bring it to your table and of course we have a quote unquote healthy no pun intended that off premise business as well takeout and delivery. And we really focus on four main categories, sandwiches and burgers, salads and bowls. And and so on the sandwich and burger side we have really American favorites, a classic burger, a Santa Fe chicken sandwich, a reuben sandwich and quite a few others BLT that really people who just grow up with their favorite foods can get them at Veggie Grill and in we use the continued to be on the leading edge of all the new plant based products come to market and we work with the our one of our really purposes and reasons we’re different is we were always working with the latest and greatest suppliers and putting all our effort towards delivering them in their best familiar menu formats and doing it with the right vegan cheese and the right non dairy mayo and and we just want to right we just launched the vegan blue cheese and we just launched great vegan bacon and so all these things that make your classic American favorites we do without the animals with with the best products out there and so that’s that’s that category but we also have really healthy salads and bowls because there’s a healthy side you know there’s a you know, we certainly believe our meat meat alternatives are healthier than regular meat no cholesterol, no antibiotics, no hormones, usually less less fat as well and so and so and of course no I mentioned no cholesterol so they certainly reduce your risk of several major diseases that are associated with with that those those different negative pieces of meat and dairy. But there’s also hey, if I want to eat as healthy as possible you want more of a whole food plant based diet and we have really healthy salads and bowls using tempeh and tofu and spinach and kale and quinoa and ancient grains and pecans and walnuts and other nuts and seeds. So, you know we give people a spectrum of plant based now depending on whatever mood you’re in, we can satisfy it with delicious plant nice food.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
10:01
Yeah, that was one of my questions is, is, you know, kind of vegan versus versus vegetarian? Obviously, there’s a difference. Is the majority of your menu vegan is that you know, some vegan some vegetarian, like, and how are you guys differentiating yourself in that regard? Because, I mean, I guess the the other side of it is that I also want to go down this train of thought is, is the idea that you guys are fast casual and being able to get a quick meal that’s healthy and and, you know, vegetable based, or plant based is awesome. But but, you know, are you guys completely vegan? Or is it just, you know, you have some vegan items, you know, if you choose to have vegan items, and then you choose to have have, you know, vegetarian on the other side?
TK
T. K. Pillan
10:42
Yeah, yeah, we are and always have been 100% plant based. So we, we just, we made a commitment to that, because we know that, that you know, that plant based food does, you know, guarantee that you have zero cholesterol, zero animal fat. And, you know, so dairy certainly is something that a lot of people know has a lot of cholesterol, a lot of animal fat, and cheese is kind of a sneaky ingredient that can create make a salad unhealthy. And so we, we always have been and are today 100%, plant based.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
11:24
Wonderful. So even for myself, I guess, talk to me a little bit about what the education processes look like for you guys over the last 1718 years. Because you you went deep down the rabbit hole, you educated yourself, you’ve helped a little bit here, which just kind of, you know, helped me even understand some of that, and I have actually been down and watching some of those plant based movies myself recently, ironically, I want to talk a little bit about that, but but as the data continues to come out, and as consumers to get more big, become more and more aware of what they’re putting into their bodies, talks about a little bit about the part that you guys try and play in that because I’m guessing there’s some there’s people that that either don’t understand or, you know, struggle with engaging with your brand. And so what is the educational process look like, you know, I’m sure those that are already gone down that that path of plant based, get it and go this foods great. And these guys do a fantastic job, and they deliver on high quality and, and all of that, but there’s, there’s still a large population of, you know, a large population that just doesn’t get it or doesn’t understand or doesn’t even doesn’t even consider working that into even five meals a week, three meals a week, two meals a week that are plant based versus every single meal has to have dairy, every single meal has to have meat, you know, talk to me a little bit about what that education processes look like for you guys over the last number of years, as you guys have continued to expand and continue to go into new markets and, and get new consumers.
TK
T. K. Pillan
12:54
Sure, sure. So it’s a really nuanced approach. Because it’s hard to educate people as a restaurant. And so you know, we focus on empowering people with delicious plant based foods. And so that means, generally they’ve opened their eyes to Hey, it might be good for me to eat more plant based, or, or I want to eat more plant based for whatever reason. And then they find Veggie Grill and say, Wow, this is a you know, I can still have all this food and I you know, look at this great selection. There’s no sacrifice at all. And so we get a lot of people who tell us, hey, you know, you helped me really eat more plant based because I thought it was really hard. I came to Veggie Grill, I discovered how great the food is how delicious it could be that I didn’t have to sacrifice anything and that helped me really embrace it. And, of course, we tried to message like, you know, to your earlier point when you asked me Are we 100% plant based. You know, in early days, we didn’t say we were vegan at all because you know that was kind of a polarizing term. We still don’t use it a lot, but we will describe some of our food as vegan because vegan cheese people understand what that is and want to know that it’s vegan. But we really don’t now we’ve really kind of honed in on hey, no cholesterol, no antibiotics nor hot, no hormones, right people understand that. Yeah. People under you know, the people who I think people generally when they hear 100% plant based, they generally now think healthier. Right? And when we first started, people didn’t really know what that term meant. Right? So yeah, absolutely. We kind of messaged with our brand Veggie Grill people associate veggies with healthy but then the grill with satisfying food. And so in the early days, that was how we kind of educated Hey, Veggie Grill, you know something different Something unique come give it a try. So we do our best so that people who aren’t, don’t, you know, aren’t really out there looking for plant based food, we do our best to just make it exciting and enticing with, you know, if you walk by a restaurant you walk in the door look in the menu, you’ll see delicious looking food. Right. And so some people actually, quite a few people over the years have eaten a Veggie Grill not knowing it was vegetarian thinking they had a chicken sandwich because everything you know, we describe it, you know, it’s very subtle, we just, you know, use the C, ch, IC K apostrophe N and people who aren’t reading the menu carefully, think they’re having a regular Santa Fe crispy chicken sandwich and think it’s great. So. So that’s the answer like we do, you know, the people who are looking for, you know, see it very clearly what the what we have to offer from a selection of plant based food, and then people who are just looking for delicious food may not look at it, but then once they have it and learn about it, then it opens our eyes, and they start doing their own research and education. And as you mentioned, there’s a lot of great, we’re working with the force, right? There’s a lot of people out there, especially in it’s really increased dramatically in the last 15 years. The number of resources out there that show people the benefits of eating plant based.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
16:19
Yeah, and it’s I mean, it’s, it’s quite stunning, you know, when you actually do the research, and again, I’m not there yet, you know, I’m not, I haven’t, I haven’t crossed the bridge into being completely but, but I do, I’m starting to comprehend just how much you know, how much power the food has an in kind of how you’re, you know, how you live your life and the health that you have, I’ve got some siblings that were pescatarian and or vegetarian for, for for quite some time and just even talking with them about what, what their life looks like, and doesn’t look like with with or without it has always been interesting. Talk to me, you mentioned you know, in kind of, you’re talking about your chicken sandwich and and I say chicken, you know, however you guys will describe that, but some talk to me a little bit about the innovation and how do you guys work with your suppliers because like, I remember reading a story a couple of years back that you know, one of the burgers you know, the the plant based burgers, I want to say it was impossible, impossible burger, one best technology at CES. There’s probably four or five years ago, six years ago. And you’ll probably remember but to me that that’s remarkable. And I’ve had you know burgers that that taste. And you know, the mouthfeel is just like a beef burger, but it’s not. It’s plant based talk to me a little bit about what that looks like from your guys’s perspective, I’m guessing it’s a lot of trial and error. I’m guessing it’s a lot of you know, there’s just there’s a lot that goes into that before you get the right product to fit into your market. Talk to me a little bit about how that’s how that’s even migrated over the last 15 years. Because to your point, it’s continued to grow as people’s eyes get open to this to this world.
TK
T. K. Pillan
17:58
Yeah, it has changed quite a bit in the early days. There was really only a couple of suppliers of you know, there was a meat or chicken alternative that we used early on that launched right after we launched. And outside of that we were making our own Tampa Bay and St. Tom. Oh, wow.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
18:19
So you guys are making it yourself in 2006.
TK
T. K. Pillan
18:21
And then we started the company that was making the chicken alternative came up with a beef alternative. And we started looking at that and said, Well, we could use this instead of our site time. And we could get out of the manufacturing business and just focus on the flavor and prep business. So in the early days, there was fewer options. And we just had to really work hard on the different flavor and prep that we could use to create certain menu items and we couldn’t make certain menu items. Early days, we couldn’t do a cheeseburger there just wasn’t a good plant based cheese that we thought would deliver the delicious experience that we wanted. We weren’t going to do it just because it was vegan cheese it had to melt and deliver the satisfaction. So but as new suppliers came on, we were the first restaurant company to have vegan cheese because they have cheese came came to market and we started working with them and we prepped it in a certain way that really allowed it to melt and work on a burger. And and then beyond meat. We were the first restaurant to launch Beyond Meat because we saw that come to market. They these companies because they see us as the leader in plant based food. The new plant based products, they’re always talking to us because they know we’re going to open up and look at them with and do our best to bring them on their menu if they fit. It’s a little more there’s more of a process now because because there are so many new suppliers to market. It’s good for us from a it gives us a lot a lot more options. And it makes the market more competitive, which helps us keep prices down. And it fuels innovation. And part of the innovation is to deliver it at a lower cost. So, so now we have a culinary team that works with new suppliers. And we have a process where we bring it into our chef who looks at it and looks at our different menu categories. And we’re able to really quickly evaluate, hey, is this something new and different than what we already have? Does it make meaningful? Does it allow us to do new or better things, right. And if it allows us, within our sandwiches, burgers, salads, and bowls, allows us to do new or better things in those categories, then we start working hard with it and do the prep and make sure they have the supply capacity to deliver to all our restaurants and how to what what menu item would it work in? And what’s the food cost? And is all that going to work to a point where it’s going to deliver a compelling, uniquely compelling menu item to our consumer. So that’s now about a six month process. Oh, wow,
JJ
Jeremy Julian
21:10
you know, between pretty good bring a menu to market? That’s awesome. Well, we see I mean, that’s awesome that you guys are constantly innovating and constantly looking at those products. Because, you know, I mean, and one of the things that that I couldn’t help but think of is, is there’s been very few places that I’ve been to that are, I guess a purely burger restaurant that don’t have a plant based option at this point, whether it’s the Impossible Burger or the beyond burger, or, you know, just the traditional veggie Patty, that comes on to a burger. And I guess I wonder, do you think you know, and I know that KFC at one point was testing, you know, chicken, you know, some form of chicken, Kentucky Fried Chicken was was doing some form of plant based chicken? Do you think that’s good for the market? The democratization of plant based food? Or do you think that’s hurtful to I guess what you guys are trying to accomplish in the in the restaurant industry? And kind of where you guys are at? You know, I’m sure there’s, there’s both? It’s probably the answer is both. But I’d love love your take on that. Because it’s been interesting to watch large, large brands, like KFC come out with plant based plant based chicken nuggets, or whatever it was, I don’t remember exactly where they went. But But I thought that was a very interesting approach that they were taking.
TK
T. K. Pillan
22:20
Yeah. To your point, I think there’s there has been good and bad. So I think it’s great that people can go to, for me, specifically, I can go to a sports bar or sit down restaurant and, and have a burger, right, I have a plant based burger. And so that’s really a positive development to the overall movement towards more sustainable and humane food. And the fact that people can go do what they want to do, and now have options to do it without supporting factory farming, right, which is really something that we need to move away from soy, and it gives restaurants, these restaurants the opportunity to do that. So that’s been good. What doesn’t help as much is like KFC, for example. Like we had Veggie Grill we’re putting as all our attention on delivering great plant based food, right? Yes. And so we’re not going to roll out something that isn’t great and isn’t, you know, as compelling as possible. And it’s all we focus on. So it happens. Everybody knows restaurants can only be good at or great at a few things. Yes, KFC is great at their fried chicken, right? Like McDonald’s is great at their regular meat based burgers at low prices, right? At a certain consistency. So they these larger QSR players usually don’t put the love and care into their plant based items. They’re just trying to serve a veto, like really a small percentage of their market comes in and orders it. And so then it ends up, you know, deep being de prioritized, right? Because it’s just not an extra. And then they’re not really delivering it in a great way and and then it ends up off their menu, because it didn’t support the sales because so that’s where it doesn’t help because then the press says oh failed beyond me launch it at McDonald’s and there’s that but it really they were just trying to get incremental sales from people who weren’t really coming in to start with,
JJ
Jeremy Julian
24:39
right Yeah, well, and I’m sure if they deliver a bad experience even for those people like myself who are not completely plant based, but if I go in and I try it, because it just happens to be what I’m what I felt like that day and I get a bad experience. It might preclude me from going and trying it again somewhere else because Because to your point it’s not. It’s not great. I do I will say, though, that the education that you guys help, you know, help drive and just kind of whether it’s, you know, the different documentaries that are out there, it feels like more and more people are getting wise to this. And because of it, there will be a cultural change in the way we consume in America at some point, you know, because can’t get, it can’t get much worse than it is, I guess it doesn’t feel like it can get much worse. And our health can’t get much worse. And to your point earlier, the pharmaceutical companies just keep popping pills. Were giving us pills to try and fix what it is that we we’ve been doing by what we’re putting into our bodies. And, you know, the lack of movement and the the types of foods we eat. Don’t help anybody, right? Yeah, yeah. So, so talk to me, where where’s Veggie Grill out? Now? You 33 restaurants? Where are you guys going? Let’s talk a little bit about the future. What is Veggie Grill? You know, you got in on the early days, you you help start this thing? But where do you want your baby to grow? And where do you want to take it? Where do you guys see that? That that hitting? You know? Is it in all 50 states? Is it in every major metropolitan market? Talk to me a little bit about where you guys are at now and and what you think the future holds for veggie girl?
TK
T. K. Pillan
26:06
Yeah, so what’s great about this movement, as you mentioned, the, the awareness that’s grown is now we’re at the point where we think every major metro has a large audience for plant based food. And again, love to just like you there, most people aren’t 100 100% plant based, but they realize the benefits and want to eat more of it when convenient, impossible. And so we started in LA, which obviously was a great place for Veggie Grill to start and supports 13 Veggie grills in LA County. But now there’s great markets across the country, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, which we already have, too, but we know we could have six or seven, Houston, Dallas, all these major metros that you would consider as the leaders in healthy plant based food now have a large enough market to support three, three, or three, at least three veggie grills. And for us, that then now opens up and our number one priority now is to partner with great franchisees in those markets skill passionate operators that can basically do exactly what we did here in Southern California, in their markets, right. And then we spent the effort to go to Seattle and Portland in New York and Boston. But it’s a lot, it’s a lot of effort.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
27:33
I mean, just something as simple as supply chain, because of your suppliers in LA or having to ship products, it just adds cost to it. And so figuring out how to how to get that same product and deliver the same consistency in Boston that you do there. It’s just it’s harder to do, right? Yeah.
TK
T. K. Pillan
27:46
But in for us, it’s like, hey, we were all based here in SoCal, from a corporate leadership team. So it’s easy for us to run restaurants here. It’s harder for us to run restaurants in these other markets. And so it takes an investment in regional infrastructure. And we’ve made that northern cow and Seattle and Portland. But now, just like the beauty of franchising for every other big brand, that’s franchise, we can partner with skilled operators who know their markets, and can operate better than we can in those markets. And they are now ready to launch plant based concepts and their markets are ready for them. So that’s why we’re really excited that now we can grow a lot quicker, and really achieve our mission or our vision, which is to be a global brand that does good for people on the planet. Now we can do that. And the best way we could do that is to partner with great franchisees and all these markets that are now ready for Veggie Grill.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
28:42
I love it. I love it. So you started to say a little bit of what you’re looking for. I know some brands, you know, we’ll pick a market. You know, Chick fil A is notorious for saying you only can have one or two stores at the most. Subway, you mentioned subway earlier. And again, I’m not using them as anything other than subways model. And McDonald’s model is different than you get, like Little Caesars I remember years ago, they had the master franchise model where you bought a territory and then you sold franchises. Talk to me a little bit about your guyses strategy. And what kind of operators are you looking for? Are you looking for somebody that’s really passionate about about doing plant based food? And you know, they might have some, some some restaurant experience, but maybe haven’t, haven’t taken it on? Are you looking for that guy that you know, learn the errors in his ways, and there’s been McDonald’s franchise for 30 years and now wants to flip to you know, plant based talk to me a little bit about what you guys are looking for in franchisees because everybody’s strategy is different and depending on what your strategy is, it helps to inform inform our audience if they’re interested in in learning more about Veggie Grill and what you guys are doing. Sure, yeah, I
TK
T. K. Pillan
29:50
think at the end of the day, there’s two keys to it. passion and skill. And so, certainly, we want people like we’re the right A brand for partners out there that really want to deliver food that’s good for people in the planet. And because then you can really, with anything, any anybody out there knows when you do something you’re passionate about, you’ll generally do a better job. And yeah, yeah, absolutely. And they’ll and they’ll align with our values and everything we stand for. And then they’ll deliver the brand promise, because that is our brand promise. And so it won’t be, you know, you know, the MC plant at McDonald’s that just as an afterthought, right, like, we’re not looking for somebody who has 1000 other locations have other concepts. And then Veggie Grill is the afterthought.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
30:41
Yeah, yep. Well, and again, some some people don’t really care, there’s, there’s some brands that that I’ve talked to that are like, you know, what, I just need to get into XYZ market and whoever owns that market, they don’t care if they have 12 brands that conflict with them, and then others that are super passionate, and I love that you guys are pretty clear on who you guys are looking for and, and what you’re looking to do.
TK
T. K. Pillan
31:02
I was gonna say the skill, right? Yeah, they do have to have some restaurant operating experience, and hey, if they’re operating another brand, but now really want to do something that’s better for the world. That’s great, right? Like, we’re not gonna hold anything against like, hey, you know, I eat a lot of meat, you know, before I turned vegan 17 years ago, right? We don’t hold the past against anybody. We don’t hold business against anybody. We want to work with passionate and skilled operators that are now ready to launch a plant based brand in their markets. So
JJ
Jeremy Julian
31:31
I love it. I love it. Yeah, I was gonna ask. So I was just starting to say so if people want to learn more want to get in touch with what’s the best approach to work with? Work with your team? You know, do you guys have a Franchise Group? Is it just go to the website and, and fill something out? What does that look like? As far as Yeah, if
TK
T. K. Pillan
31:48
you go to the website, you’ll find the franchising link, and we have a head of development, who has who works closely with anybody who’s interested. And we’ve got all of our paperwork filed the fdds all of the information that a franchisee would need to really make an educated decision we have and of course, we’ll do our own vetting as well to make sure we think that franchisee has the ability to execute.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
32:16
I love it. I love it. I’m gonna throw one last thing at you TK before we jump off is is is? You know, and I guess I just would love your opinion on this and I find it to be good. And, and and exciting is is the wall not completely plant based? Does the growth of something like a sweet green or you know, salad, these lots of different snappy salads. I mean, there’s a whole bunch of different salad concepts that are primarily salad base. I look at 15 years ago and 20 years ago, none of that stuff existed. It would I guess my opinion would be that that’s good, because now you can get even somewhat healthy, whether it’s completely vegan, whether it’s completely plant based or not. Is that healthy? For healthy for America? Is that healthy for the consumers? Or, you know, I guess should we reconsider those concepts that have grown like crazy. And again, I’m not picking on brand names as much as you honestly I was traveling with my son looking at colleges, and we were looking for something healthy, and I couldn’t find anything. You know, it was I was in an inner city and I could not find anything unless I wanted to go sit down for a full meal. And I didn’t have time to sit down for a full meal. You know, I guess is that do you think that’s a good thing for the consumers and a good thing for the restaurant industry as a whole? But I just love your opinion on that because I think it’s I think it’s interesting since you live in that world every day all day.
TK
T. K. Pillan
33:32
Sure. I think you know, I think sweet green is a good concept they provide a healthy option. Right and you know, I think the challenge is and that’s what why Veggie Grill really provides value in the world is not everybody wants a salad right and and do we have salads right for people who want to but there’s a lot of people who just you know we are as Americans really have a real a very strong affection for concentrated meat and fat, right? Yes. And that’s what that’s what a burger is that sort of chicken sandwiches it’s concentrated protein topped with some great fat you know with fat in it and now you can we do that in a plant based form that eliminates the negative pieces of cholesterol antibiotics and hormones and eliminates the need to support factory farming to get that Yeah, and so so yeah, so to answer your question, I think it’s great that their salad places are growing but you know, there’s also a real need to give people what they crave. Yep, plant based form and we do that and we do it in the middle to right you can get our salads and bowls with you know our popcorn crispy chicken or our beyond steak or or you can do it Tim Tebow and tofu but hey, right we know tempeh and tofu have been around for a long, long, long, long, long time. Right? And you know they’re they haven’t gotten mainstream to think about not eating meat whereas Beyond Meat and a lot of these great meat alternatives have said hey, maybe I should give this a try if I can get all the protein and satisfaction without the cholesterol and, and be better for the environment and not support the inhumanity of factory farming. Yeah, let me let me why not.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
35:28
I love it. I love it. And again, thanks for thanks for educating me and educating our audience some TK it’s, it’s, it’s awesome to, to hear the growth story and it’ll be fun to watch you guys continue to grow over the next number of years as you guys get outside of some of your core markets in some other places and, and really get get your products out there as you guys continue to innovate and continue to make make, you know, I guess a difference in the world as well as, you know, that bleeding edge that bleeding and bleeding edge for for everybody to try and understand what it looks like to to do those things. So to our audience, guys, as I said on the onset, I know that you guys have got lots of choices on how you guys spend your time. So I appreciate you guys spending time each and every week when when we post one of these shows. While you’re out checking out Veggie Grill if you haven’t already done so please go subscribe to the podcast. Go give it a rating on your favorite podcast player because that allows others to learn more about about what’s going on and share with your network. TK, thank you so much to you. Thank you so much for your time today and to our audience. Make it a great day.
TK
T. K. Pillan
36:31
Hey, it was pleasure being here and appreciate the support. But yeah, let’s get everybody out to a Veggie Grill.
JJ
Jeremy Julian
36:38
Awesome. Thanks, man.
TK
T. K. Pillan
36:40
Thank you.
I
Intro
36:42
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