Next Level Burger recently opened the first location of its new vegan chicken chain called Next Level Clucker (NLC) in San Francisco with delivery and pickup service. Founder Matthew de Gruyter has aggressive expansion plans, intending to grow from one to 1,000 restaurants in the first ten years.
Next Level Burger Leads Veggie Grill Out of Financial Distress With Company Acquisition
Plant-based burger chain Next Level Burger (NLB) has announced the acquisition of vegan fast-casual chain Veggie Grill from VegInvest. The agreement comes as a rescue mission for Veggie Grill, which faced financial distress in the wake of various operational decisions, including the closure of several establishments, ultimately pushing it to the brink of bankruptcy in the previous year. At its peak, Veggie Grill operated 35 locations across the United States, but by September 2023, the number had dwindled to 17, with the brand attributing the setback to a substantial decline in lunch trade during the pandemic. Following the acquisition, VegInvest has transitioned into a mission-aligned shareholder and partner within NLB’s framework. With Veggie Grill now under its umbrella, NLB now boasts an extensive network of …