Slutty Vegan has weathered a turbulent few years. Founder Pinky Cole Hayes, who launched the business in 2018, briefly lost control of the company in 2024 due to cash-flow issues before successfully buying it back in 2025. The corporate restructuring also led to several restaurant closures, reducing Slutty Vegan’s footprint to five locations.
But as of June 2026, things appear to be looking up. Hayes isn’t giving up on her vision of building a Slutty Vegan empire, and the chain is entering a new phase of growth with the help of franchise partners in Atlanta and Washington, DC.
Drea Nicole Photography
Experienced operators Khadejah Davis and Jamel Douglas, who already run franchises of Juici Patties, are leading Slutty Vegan’s first franchise locations in Atlanta. In DC, fellow franchisee Brandi Forte is spearheading the brand’s expansion.
“Atlanta is where Slutty Vegan was born, and we’re planting deeper roots here while establishing our presence in DC,” said Hayes. “I was intentional about partnering with operators who understand our business and the culture because this is bigger than the burgers.”
“We’re creating opportunity, legacy, and proving what’s possible when you never give up.”
The determined growth of Slutty Vegan
Hayes founded Slutty Vegan in 2018, and the concept was an immediate hit. With its signature Slut Sauce and indulgent vegan burgers, the brand attracted celebrity fans to its food truck and drew lines out the door at its first brick-and-mortar location.
According to Hayes, the key to the brand’s success has been making plant-based food fun, accessible, and, above all, delicious.
Slutty Vegan
“I intentionally did not want to sell veganism,” she told Forbes. “I have not eaten meat since 2007. I’m on a couple of very powerful boards that advocate for veganism. And I realized over the years that oftentimes you can get abrasive. I just want you to have a good time. When you come into a Slutty Vegan, we’re calling you a slut, music is booming through the speakers, it’s a whole vibe.”
Hayes has also taken on a new role as a cast member on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She told VegNews she hopes the show will help introduce more people to both Slutty Vegan and plant-based living.
“The vegan movement has had its challenges—like with some vegan restaurants closing in recent years—but I believe that being on the show is just another opportunity for me to reignite the momentum,” she said. “There are still people who want to eat vegan, and don’t want to eat the flesh of an animal.”
Interested in becoming a Slutty Vegan franchisee? The company is currently seeking partners who align with its mission and values. Find out more here.
“The next dimension I’m moving into—I’m calling it Slutty Vegan 2.0—is exciting,” added Cole Hayes. “I have a different level of fire in me and how I want to grow this company, because I know what it feels like not to have it. I have a concept that people love and respect, and they still line up. They still get excited about my brand and, because of that, I know that I have something good and something that’s worth fighting for.”
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Subscribe
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
