A Man Is Bringing Fast Food And Health Together In The US

It is rather difficult to put healthy and fast food in the same sentence let alone create a whole eatery by putting the together. T.K. Pillan did exactly that by developing plant-based fast food dishes and opening up a restaurant called Veggie Grill.

The Concept

“I saw the issues in the country around obesity, diabetes, cancer, health care costs, dependence on pharma, and I wanted to create a business that would help be part of the solution,” Pillan says in an interview with MIT News. “Personally, I was struggling to go out and find healthy, delicious, convenient food.” Pillan had started off his career with a degree in mechanical engineering and while working for computer systems he always wanted to make something that caters to health and wellness.

The Vegan Approach

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He began by researching the niche vegan restaurants in California and that actually created delicious food. He also did a vast research and even changed his own diet to plant-based to prove its health benefits. Once he was determined that this was the best way to stay healthy he decided to package the food in a fun manner so as to appeal to all kinds of customers be it vegan or not.

“I developed a passion for creating a brand and concept that would take vegan food from the niche to the mainstream,” says Pillan. “We aren’t suggesting everyone has to be a vegan. What we’re doing is helping accelerate the shift in people’s view towards plant-focused eating by making it delicious and enjoyable. We chose to use the term ‘veggie’ consciously. For us, it’s all about celebrating the vegetable. And no one can argue that they shouldn’t be eating more veggies.”

Veggie Grill became a success story by bringing healthy, tasty vegan food to mainstream and was even named one amongst the 25 Most Innovative Consumer Brands of 2016 by Forbes. It currently has 28 restaurants across America and is planning to double the number in a few years.

Image Source: veggiegrill.com