Introduction
Born in Oakland, California, Vegan Mob is a vegan barbecue restaurant created by rapper Toriano Gordon. Toriano created a brand to diversify the vegan options, offering barbecue lovers a healthier and more ethical way to eat their favorite dish.
Toriano just opened a restaurant in San Francisco. He is also launching a franchise and retail products. We reached out to him to learn more about his unique offering.
In your own words, how would you describe your company?
We have really good food that happens to be plant-based!
How did your first get the Vegan Mob restaurant idea?
I originally wanted to do a BBQ restaurant, but because I was vegan, I decided to do a vegan BBQ restaurant.
What inspired you to grow your business from a single restaurant to a company both selling vegan meat in retail stores and leading a franchise?
My passion inspired my growth. I want everyone around the world to taste Vegan Mob and to fall in love with the food. The retail aspect allows us to scale faster and more efficiently, the franchise aspect allows us to reach other regions and allows me to gain passive income.
How would you define your branding?
My branding is hip, it’s authentic, it’s me. There’s nothing like it. It’s in its own league.
What does the competitive landscape look like, and how do you differentiate?
We think we stand alone nationally regarding competition. There’s nothing like us. The only brand that comes close is Slutty Vegan. Otherwise, I believe we’re in a league of our own.
Who are your typical customers and why do they choose your restaurant and products?
We have a diverse group of customers. 60% of them aren’t even vegan. They choose our restaurant and products because the food is good.
What are your milestones for the next 12 months?
We’d like to have a franchise in LA, and we’d also like to be in 1000 retail stores nationwide by next year.
What is your growth strategy and do you already have stores interested in selling your products?
We want to build up slowly for the first year. 20-40 stores tops. Once we master the flow, then we can grow larger. Growing slowly gives us more control and allows us to have a greater chance at success. We currently have Whole Foods and Safeway interested in carrying our products.
Vegan Mob is raising funds on Wefunder.
