Next Level Burger

Hold the phone, Next Level Burger is Newsweek's Best Fast Food Chain in America! 🇺🇸 Selected by an expert panel and voted by the people, a huge tip of the hat to our awesome teams from coast to coast! 👊 #LFG Our CEO & Co-Founder Matthew de Gruyter: "For us, the significance of this win is even deeper, as it shows that consumers are becoming more aware of the footprint of their food choices. This is the story of forward-thinking stewardship and sustainability – for ourselves, our planet and the sentient beings we share it with. At Next Level, we believe the future is bright, but that it’s up to all of us to make sure of it!"

We're up for Newsweek's Best Fast Food Chain in America 🇺🇸, do us a next level solid and vote Next Level Burger! #eatplants

Shucks, our CEO Matthew de Gruyter caught up with Forbes to talk about acquiring Veggie Grill by Next Level and taking it to that...next level 😱 De Gruyter says that Veggie Grill fits right into the identify of Next Level Burger. “It speaks directly to our core mission to fight climate change and help build a more sustainable future,” he explains. When a guest chooses a plant-based meal at either Next Level brand, “they’re reducing the carbon footprint of their meal by at least 50%,” he says

Happy Earth Day!!! Our CEO and Co Founder Matthew de Gruyter sharing a bit about what this day means to us at Next Level, the future is bright, but it's up to all of us to make sure of it! 🌎 #EarthDay2024

Calling all NLB Fans: we need your help to WIN!!! 🧡💚 We’re in the running for Nation's Restaurant News’ Burger Showdown for most exciting burger concept, and we’re the ONLY plant-based restaurant in the running! To show your love for NLB, tap over to the Burger Showdown post below and comment “Next Level Burger.” That’s it! THANK YOU for helping us take this plant-based mission to the next level!! 👊🎉

When you've been crushing on @vegnews for years and they write ya up so kindly...🙏 Next Level Burger 💚's you #eatplants #fightclimatechange #LFG Our CEO Matthew de Gruyter talking shop with Anna Starostinetskaya

We have BIG NEWS!!! As of this past weekend, Next Level has acquired Veggie Grill from VegInvest, a passionate and committed vegan investment fund that shares our values and our commitment to a brighter and more compassionate future. Read the full statement from our Co- Founders below!

From Matt and Cierra de Gruyter, co-founders of Next Level Burger   We’re the founders of America’s first 100% plant-based burger joint chain, Next Level Burger. We started NLB back in 2013 to help share what our family discovered with the world: the power of eating plant based.   We've built Next Level on the foundation of offering awesome plant-based burger joint fare, using only organic produce and non-GMO ingredients while paying our team members living wages. Year in and year out, through thick and thin, we've stuck to these values, and we've been fortunate to not only survive but to thrive and grow these past few years.    Our teams are now leading the charge for this mission from 10 Next Level Burger locations from coast to coast. We've now served millions of guests across six states, eight cities and four time zones while stopping almost 60 million pounds of carbon emissions from making their way into the atmosphere, conserving nearly two billion gallons of fresh water, and supporting acres and acres of organic farmland. That's enough carbon to fill almost a billion birthday balloons and enough water to fill more than 3,000 Olympic-size swimming pools!   But here's the thing: We're just getting started, and the next chapter of Next Level has begun.   We’re excited to announce that as of this past weekend, Next Level has acquired Veggie Grill from VegInvest, a passionate and committed vegan investment fund that shares our values and our commitment to a brighter and more compassionate future. VegInvest stepped in to save the Veggie Grill brand and mission from bankruptcy last year after a number of decisions led to a make-or-break moment for its continuance. We're delighted to share the news of our acquisition of Veggie Grill, and that VegInvest has joined Next Level as a mission-aligned shareholder and partner.   Veggie Grill by Next Level will mean all sorts of changes: organic produce, non-GMO ingredients and ensuring living wages for our many team members across the country. Everything you know and love about Veggie Grill is about to be taken to the Next Level, but know that the fan favorites aren’t going anywhere. While change can be scary, it's also ripe with possibility.    We’ll leave you with this as we approach MLK Day, as Dr. King Jr.'s immortal words ring as true as ever: "The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice."   Let's make sure we're all doing our part to lean on that arc. At Next Level, we believe the future is bright, but that it's up to all of us to help make sure of it.   All the Best, Matt and Cierra Matthew de Gruyter Cierra de Gruyter  

Going out to almost 80 million readers! A fireside chat with Matthew de Gruyter, our CEO and co-founder as he talks vegan ventures and America's first plant-based burger joint! #eatplants Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that? We opened our first Portland NLB in October of 2015. A few short months later, in early ’16, I got an email from Whole Foods that they were interested in what we were doing. After striking a deal to join their Whole Foods Market 365 concept in Portland, I was invited to the 365 launch party, so I dusted off my Versace suit from my former life in finance and went to New York. I had a strong intuition that the trip may lead to something bigger and indeed it did. After being introduced to the man, the myth, the legend, John Mackey, co-founder and now former CEO of Whole Foods, we hit it off and soon after that, John started popping up at our NLBs in the PNW. After running into him at our original NLB several times, he asked me out for beers and the next thing I know, John says to me, “Matt, I think you should consider allowing Whole Foods to invest in Next Level.” I played it cool on the outside, but if I’m being honest, it was nearly as surreal an experience as the moment I asked my wife to marry me. Time stopped for a heartbeat, I took a sip of my beer and said, “John, I’d be very interested in having that conversation.” I think the lesson of that story is to form authentic connections with people, because you never know what will come of it.

Thanks for the warm invitation Brian Kateman and the one and only Reducetarian Foundation for our CEO & Co Founder Matthew de Gruyter to speak on the restaurant panel at the 2023 Summit, it was an honor 👊 #eatplants https://lnkd.in/guXTA3sP