If you’re thinking about opening a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, you’ll be riding a wave that’s much more than a ripple. The number of Americans switching to a plant-based diet is growing rapidly, and they’re making different choices at the grocery store and in their dining habits.
In this article, we give you several key things to consider when opening a plant-based restaurant or café, including creative ways to partner with other plant-based food entrepreneurs. We’ll describe how to research your idea, how to promote your restaurant in your community and more.
Step one for any business is to create products and services that your target audience already wants. If you’re a long-time vegan or vegetarian, you probably love fresh vegetables and dishes that bring out natural plant flavors. But many people who are new to a plant-based lifestyle still crave the foods that they grew up with. For example…
Plant-Based Consumers Still Want Foods That Mimic Meat and Dairy
It’s important to remember that the new, mass-market of plant-based consumers are looking for foods that mimic the flavors they’re already used to…especially meat and dairy. In 2019, the plant-based meat category became an $800-million industry with a 10% annual growth rate, versus just 2% for conventional meats.
In response, chefs are retooling their recipes to appeal to a market that still craves traditional flavor profiles but that is made entirely from plants. Having a classical foundation of training in French cooking can be a critical advantage.