Entrepreneur Aisha “Pinky” Cole Hayes, founder and CEO of the wildly popular plant-based burger chain Slutty Vegan, has achieved a historic milestone in 2025 by officially launching the brand’s national franchising program, positioning her as one of the first Black women to franchise a vegan restaurant empire on a national scale.
The move marks a bold new chapter for the $100 million-valued company, shifting its growth strategy from corporate-owned stores to a franchisee-driven expansion model.
The announcement comes after a period of major restructuring for the Atlanta-based brand. In a resilient turnaround earlier this year, Cole Hayes reacquired full ownership of the company and implemented a new “Slutty Vegan 2.0” vision focused on sustainable growth and operational discipline.
“I went to restructure in February and repurchased the company in March. We’re announcing franchising in the fall,” Cole Hayes told reporters. “I want to show other entrepreneurs that even though it’s hard… you can redeem yourself, and you can rise above and come back on top.”
Slutty Vegan is now actively recruiting experienced operators to scale the brand nationwide, with the goal of expanding beyond its current six corporate-owned locations.
- Investment: The estimated startup costs for a single franchise unit range from approximately $555,900 to $1.16 million.
- Focus: Cole Hayes has emphasized that the new growth model is designed to build lasting wealth for franchisees who have solid entrepreneurial and food industry backgrounds.
Cole’s journey, from a food truck concept in 2018 to a nationally recognized brand that has now cracked the franchising barrier, solidifies her place as a trailblazer redefining what a Black-owned, plant-based business can achieve in the highly competitive quick-service restaurant industry.
