Vurger Co secures £1.4m investment to expand

The group will launch two further sites in the first quarter of the year, starting in Brighton in March.

Vurger has been backed by vegan investor Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni and Miray Zaki of Dismatrix Group, an international private equity firm which focuses on technology, wellness and plant-based initiatives.

The vegan burger concept was founded by Rachel Hugh and Neil Potts in 2016 in response to the lack of plant-based options in London at the time.

In 2017 Vurger became the fastest ever restaurant to reach its crowdfunding target on Crowdcube, hitting its £180,000 goal in 30 hours and raising a total of £300,000 in three days.

The group opened its first permanent restaurant in Shoreditch in March 2018 and a second in Canary Wharf in November 2018.

It launched a retail range of burgers with Planet Organic in 2019, which it hopes to expand this year.

Hugh says: “We are so proud to have reached this huge milestone for our business. This investment will allow us to expedite our growth plans, open new sites and grow our retail business as we head into 2020.

“It’s an honour to be working with Miray and Sebastiano of Dismatrix Group, who not only believe in our vision but bring a wealth of proven experience and knowledge of the vegan market.

"They have invested in most of the biggest and best plant-based brands in the world. We are so ready for the next phase of The Vurger Co, watch this space”