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Racing Driver Lewis Hamilton Launches Meat-Free Burger Chain

Hamilton invests in fast-food joint Neat Burger which will offer a variety of meat- and dairy-free burgers, hot dogs, milkshakes.

Racing Driver Lewis Hamilton Launches Meat-Free Burger Chain
Formula 1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton, for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes at an auction in London, U.K. (Photographer: Carl Court/Bloomberg News)

(Bloomberg) -- Racing-driver Lewis Hamilton is jumping on the meat-free boom by helping launch an international plant-based burger chain.

The vegan Formula One champion has invested in Neat Burger, a fast-food joint which will offer a variety of meat- and dairy-free burgers, hot dogs and milkshakes. It’s set to launch its first outlet in London on Monday and plans to expand globally by opening 14 franchises in Manhattan, Los Angeles and other locations over the next 2 years.

Neat Burger will feature Beyond Meat Inc.’s vegetable-based burgers, mixed with its own herbs and ingredients.

“As someone who follows a plant-based diet, I believe we need a healthier high-street option that tastes amazing but also offers something exciting to those who want to be meat-free every now and again,” Hamilton said in a statement Thursday.

Fast-food chains have been quick this year to offer plant-based meat and dairy substitutes in a race to win over consumers looking to cut down on animal protein, out of environmental or health concerns. Burger King has been selling veggie burgers made by Impossible Foods Inc., while Nestle SA is supplying McDonald’s Corp. in Germany.

Beyond Meat’s shares have surged more than 500% since its initial public offering in May. The company supplies fast-food chains including KFC and Dunkin’ Donuts.

To contact the reporters on this story: Ellen Milligan in London at emilligan11@bloomberg.net;Corinne Gretler in Zurich at cgretler1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Eric Pfanner at epfanner1@bloomberg.net, Thomas Mulier

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