Pinky Cole, CEO and Founder of Slutty Vegan, is one of the world’s most popular and influential celebrity vegan chefs. We find out how her plant-based, vegan burger chain has taken the world by storm.
PLANT-BASED EMPIRE
As a kid, I always dreamed of being famous, but I didn’t know what that looked like.”
Fame for Pinky Cole, the visionary CEO and Founder of Slutty Vegan, eventually came with being the face of her own booming vegan burger joint serving the Atlanta community.
Bringing vegan options and food awareness to the city’s West End has always been a lifelong dream of Cole, who first began selling Slutty Vegan’s signature burgers fresh-to-order from a shared kitchen via Instagram in July 2018.
By her own admission, there was no method to the madness, however it proved the best way to be able to communicate with customers.
“I came up with this concept in my two-bedroom apartment, thinking that I would only be solving a personal problem of wanting vegan food late at night,” she tells us.
“I wanted to create something where people like me could have a plant-based option when everywhere else was closed.”
Little did she know that Slutty Vegan would end up solving a universal problem by showing that vegan food can be tasty, fun, and playful.
Within a few weeks, Cole was filling orders around the city and serving burgers from a mobile food truck to hundreds of people across Atlanta.
“For the last six years, I have been able to cultivate a sense of community. People who have never experienced veganism before, or probably never wanted to try it, now get excited about opening up their consciousness to eating new items that aren’t compromised by animals,” Cole shares.
“Slutty Vegan is an anchor for bringing people together, no matter their social or economic backgrounds, allowing us to have the most beautiful form of silent protest and provide a safe space to be able to redefine words and food.”
Opening the conversation on vegan food options for people who have never considered them is crucial for Slutty Vegan, who is all about customer service and giving back to the community.
“What I realized is that people were just proud to see a young black woman be able to create a concept that brings people together”
Pinky Cole, CEO and Founder, Slutty Vegan
REPUTABLE BRAND
With the food truck business booming, Slutty Vegan quickly opened its first restaurant location on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard in October 2018.
More than 1,200 customers, some of which had waited in line for several hours, were served on what turned out to be an incredibly busy first day as devoted followers flocked to support the grand opening of the restaurant.
Within the first six months of the opening, Slutty Vegan’s revenues grew to an impressive $4 million, with its disruptive nature taking the world by storm as it relates to guerrilla marketing, owning the vegan space, and being unapologetic about what the company is.
“We have built a very reputable and respected brand. All I have to do is say Slutty Vegan and people are intrigued,” Cole highlights.
“They’re even more intrigued by the fact that I’ve been able to build a business around something that historically has always been considered a rich, wealthy lifestyle. When they start to talk about Slutty Vegan, they get excited about the fact that the food does not taste vegan.”
How has Slutty Vegan taken the world by storm?
Pinky Cole, CEO and Founder: “It’s important for me to show that we can have a successful business that is defying all of society’s expectations of what a Black-owned business is supposed to be.
“We serve people. It’s what we do, it’s our ethos, and it’s the core of who we are. That service gives people the ability to know that if they’re having a bad day, they can come to Slutty Vegan and have a good experience. Then, the cherry on top is the burger.
“We get to do that every single day, and even with the changes in our society and economy, people just want to feel good, and I pray that we continue to make them feel good.”
INSPIRING STORY
Having expanded Slutty Vegan to restaurants, a bar, and a philanthropic organization, Cole has authored ‘Eat Plants, B*tch’, a collection of 91 delicious, guilt-free, plant-based recipes to indulge in from the comfort of home.
With mouth-watering photographs and easy-to-follow instructions, the cookbook celebrates Cole’s belief that it is fun and accessible to cook and enjoy irresistible vegan comfort food.
“Eat Plants, B*tch was just another great opportunity to really lock in and show people that vegan food is still food,” she affirms.
“It’s just a mindset shift, and when I tell people about my journey and how long I’ve been plant-based – I haven’t eaten meat since 2007 – they feel like they have the battery on their back to be able to do the same thing.”
In this way, Cole’s story is inspiring people to choose a vegan lifestyle.
“That’s the best part of it all, because I know that as long as I’m changing the life of one person here and there, then my mission is achieved every single day.”
“Slutty Vegan is an anchor for bringing people together, no matter their social or economic backgrounds”
Pinky Cole, CEO and Founder, Slutty Vegan
SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE
Despite seeing a dip in the vegan movement, Slutty Vegan has truly become a leader in the space and has the opportunity to keep the ignition on.
As it relates to plant-based eating, there are many upsides involved, whether it’s for the benefit of animals, the planet, or health.
“Just like the visionary Dr. Martin Luther King, I plan on shifting the narrative from what veganism used to be and making it a safe space for people around the world.
“No matter your race, age, weight, or height, I want you to know that veganism is accessible and can be fun,” Cole concludes.
