SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Veggie Grill, the go-to destination for innovative and craveable, plant-based food for veggie-positive guests, announces its partnership with Sodexo Inc., a global provider of food and facilities management. As consumers, specifically college students, continue to seek more veggie-centric food, Sodexo will offer Veggie Grill’s plant-based menu at university campuses to meet this demand.
Since its inception in 2006, Veggie Grill has opened 32 locations in California, Oregon, Washington and Illinois. The brand will launch in East Coast markets, including New York City this year and continue its extensive expansion through partnerships like Sodexo. “We have strategically opened several of our restaurant locations nearby or on college campuses, including UCLA, UC Berkeley and University of Washington,” says Veggie Grill CEO Steve Heeley. “College students are at the forefront of the plant-based movement and they are more mindful about what they eat. We look forward to partnering with Sodexo to serve our plant-based food to a wider audience of university students and faculty.”
Sodexo expects to start rolling out Veggie Grill at select college and university locations during the 2019-2020 school year. “Our college customers have asked for more plant-based options. Veggie Grill is the perfect partner to give them what they want. We continually look for ways to provide innovative dining experiences for our college customers,” said Don Wood, External Partnerships, Sodexo.
Recent research has shown that Gen Z college students are embracing plant-based foods and healthier diets. According to Technomic’s 2017 College & University Consumer Trend Report, “Twenty percent of college students follow some form of special diet, ranging from semi-vegetarian to vegan.”
Veggie Grill’s mission aligns with Sodexo’s objective to improve the quality of life of the people they serve, by ensuring access to plant-based meals. Better for you and better for the planet, Veggie Grill is also committed to creating dishes that guests can feel good about eating. Veggie Grill crafts food that is 100% plant-based and free of animal products, antibiotics and hormones. Offering convenient and craveable food, Veggie Grill’s menu is a celebration of vegetables featuring bold flavors. For additional information, please visit www.veggiegrill.com and follow Veggie Grill on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Sodexo’s campus dining locations exemplify the company’s “Love of Food,” a consumer-centric approach that embraces fantastic food, healthy and balanced choices, and culinary innovation among our team of global chefs. In 2018, Sodexo, through a partnership with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the World Resource Institute-Better Buying Lab (WRI), launched new plant-based menus with over 200 recipes. Sodexo partners with more than 40 of America’s most popular brands to bring a variety of options to its university locations around the country. For more information about Sodexo’s “Love of Food,” visit SodexoUSA.com.
About Veggie Grill
Veggie Grill has disrupted the fast-casual landscape by creating craveable, innovative, chef-inspired food that is 100% plant-based. The leading plant-based restaurant group in the United States, Veggie Grill, has 32 locations in California, Oregon, Washington and Illinois, and plans to expand across the nation in 2019. The menu is a seasonal celebration and offers a wide array of chef-inspired dishes that celebrate vegetables at the center of the plate. For more information, locations and the full menu, please visit www.veggiegrill.com.
Sodexo – Universities
Sodexo provides food service, accommodations and facilities management services to over 700 universities, colleges and independent schools in the United States. With nearly 50 years of experience, Sodexo focuses on improving the student experience through integrated services that promote and enhance quality of life.
Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 72 countries. Sodexo is a leading provider of integrated food, facilities management and other services that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life for millions of customers in corporate, education, healthcare, senior living, sports and leisure, government and other environments daily. The company employs 160,000 people at 13,000 sites in all 50 U.S. states and Canada, and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs through its annual purchases of $19 billion in goods and services from small to large businesses. Sodexo is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion and safety, while upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility and ethical business conduct. In support of local communities across the U.S., in 2018, Sodexo contributed over 159,500 in volunteer hours, and since 1996, the Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed nearly $34.5 million to help feed children in America impacted by hunger. To learn more about Sodexo, visit SodexoUSA.com, SodexoInsights.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
