Meet Jeffrey Harris | Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of the Board

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeffrey Harris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeffrey, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve been concerned about the plight of animals from a very young age. I became a vegetarian at the age of 14 and I embraced a fully vegan diet when I was 36. Beyond the ethical issues of consuming animal products I also gradually became aware of the devastating impact that animal agriculture has on the environment and the fact that it is a major contributor to climate change. So the question was, how do we introduce the benefits of a plant-based diet to millions of people who may not otherwise be thinking about the ethical, environmental and health dimensions of such a change? And then one day it came to me: Someone needs to build a 100% plant-based version of traditional fast-food restaurant chain. Something like McDonalds, Burger King or Jack in the Box, but 100% vegan. It’s seemed like an insane idea at the time and there was no shortage of well-meaning friends and colleagues (all smarter than I) who confirmed that this might be just plain dumb. But, what if, working with a team of like-minded people, I could be part of building a scalable business that offered millions of people the opportunity to experience delicious, plant-based meals in the convenient fast-food format they were already familiar with? And what if “regular folks” were exposed to the idea of a cruelty-free and ecologically friendly diet just by enjoying a tasty burger, fries, shake and some “chicken” nuggets? What if I could find a team of inspired people who working together could build company that offered health insurance to team members and treated them with genuine respect? What if we could create real growth opportunities and a chance for people to be part of something they truly believed in? What if packaging materials and utensils were plant-based and bio-degradable? What if a group of committed individuals put together the right brand and the right business model in order to demonstrate the viability of an entirely new plant-based fast-food paradigm? This idea took hold and I literally couldn’t shake it. This was way back in 2008. It took me a few years to find Mitch Wallis and Zach Vouga, the two men who would become my partners. And when I did find them, I discovered that they were thinking exactly the same thing.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Plant Power Fast Food is a 100% plant-based version of traditional fast food restaurant chains like McDonalds, Burger King, In-N-Out, Jack in the Box and all the others. Our menu ranges from burgers, fries, shakes and sandwiches to healthier wraps, salads and fresh juices. We have a children’s menu and in my opinion, the best breakfast menu on the planet. I know……..I’m probably biased.

I founded it along with my partners Mitch Wallis and Zach Vouga. Mitch and Zach had the restaurant ops experience from their years at Mitch’s San Diego based restaurant Evolution Fast Food. I had over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing and managing teams from my many years in the professional audio industry. We opened our first restaurant in Ocean Beach California in 2016. Ocean Beach is a very cool little beach town in San Diego and with it’s collection of yoga studios, surf shops, coffee shops and a natural foods co-op and it seemed like the perfect fit for our new brand. Now, almost 7 years later, we have 11 restaurants, a food truck, our own manufacturing facility, a great co-packing partner, national distribution and new restaurants in development. Although we’re still quite a ways off from our goal of hundreds of locations, we’ve built a solid operational infrastructure, a world-class team and an investor family willing to support further development.

A big part of getting what we’re all about is understanding our “why”. What motivated us to take on such a daunting task? We’ll, in a way it’s quite simple: We want to serve food that is kind to our animal friends, easy on this beautiful planet we all share and healthier for these bodies we live in. We’ve boiled it all down to our motto: “Changing the World, One Burger at a Time”.

Behind all that is the idea that each one of us makes choices every day and that those choices have an impact. We wholeheartedly believe that making more plant-based food choices is one of the most powerful things anyone can do to improve their own lives and the world around them. But that’s certainly not easy for everyone. So, as a purveyor of plant-based fast-food, our mission is in fact to make it much easier. We wanted to create an familiar entry point, a portal if you will, for consumers to explore plant-based food in the convenient fast-food format that they’re already familiar with. If your curious about plant-based food but aren’t quite ready for a bowl of brown rice, broccoli, spinach and tofu, then Plant Power might be just the thing for you.

What excites us the most is the fact that the great majority of our guests are neither vegan or vegetarian: They’re omnivores who are exploring alternatives to a traditional diet based around animal products. Whether they’re motivated by a concern for animal welfare, climate change or improving their health with food free of cholesterol and artificial ingredients, a growing number of people really are interested in new options and the possibilities that those options represent. We’re thrilled when our customers rave about our food and say things like “I can’t believe this is vegan!”. The vegans and vegetarians love that we’re here of course but it’s particularly exciting for us to surprise people who never imagined plant-based, healthier fast-food could be this delicious. Turing people on is our “jam”.

Of course, building a plant-based fast-food restaurant chain hasn’t been easy. The hardest part at first was convincing investors that this was worth a look. As almost every entrepreneur knows, getting funding can be tough. Back when we started, before we ever proved that this might work, it was like hiking up a very steep hill one grueling step at a time. I remember the anxiety we felt when we were building our second restaurant. We were literally paying rent, remodeling the structure and raising money all at the same time, hoping beyond hope that it would somehow magically all work out. Of course it did. But those types of cliffhangers characterized a lot of our early development and forced us to learn how to keep the faith, stay strong and remain laser focused on our goal.

At the beginning, it was Mitch, Zach and I plotting every step of the path together. But we knew that in order to grow this into the company we imagined it could one day be, we’d eventually have to build in an operational and reporting structure, bring in experienced professionals who shared our vision and then gradually cede power and responsibility to a new group of leaders eager to make their own meaningful contribution to the company. In a way, building that team and seeing each of them succeed has been one of the most rewarding things in my life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a Los Angeles native. Although I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, I think of all of Los Angeles as my home. If I had a guest in town for a few days and wanted to give them a taste of LA in particular and the vibe of Southern California in general, I’d probably start with a hike at Malibu Canyon State Park. It’s relatively close by but when you’re there, it might as well be Yosemite. With its streams and mountains, it’s really another world. I’d finish that with a trip into the valley and have dinner at Follow Your Heart in Canoga Park. It’s a combination grocery store, gift shop and vegan restaurant and in some (good) ways it feels like you’re stepping back in time to the 70’s. The staff there are always friendly and the food is amazing. Non-vegans are never disappointed. It’s one of those discoveries that feels like home the moment you find it. People that do come into town to visit me know that there will likely be a few vegan meals at places they’ve never been to before. Crossroads Kitchen (either in West Hollywood or Calabasas) is always at the top of my list. I love turning people on to their five star vegan cuisine. I often bring friends to Sun Café in Studio City or Vinh Loi Tofu in Reseda as well. Corazón Performing Arts center in Topanga Canyon often hosts inspiring musical events ranging from sacred music, international music or kirtan. I love sharing amazing music with friends in such a warm intimate venue.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Plant Power Fast Food became a reality because of the tireless work and dedication of hundreds of people along the way. But none of this would have happened with my brilliant co-founders Mitch Wallis and Zach Vouga and a team of extraordinary leaders including Ed Har, Fabian Cervantes, Jenny Ellsworth, Lori Bosserman, Dan Lowe, Rita Ugarte, David Diekmann, Michele Lange, Devin Dollinger, Keegan Dollinger & Getzhel Castellanos. Huge kudos to Chase Nuttall, Manjary Levins & Linda Abud for all manner of creative brilliance, Zach Risinger for technical wizardry beyond the call of duty and Eric Rousslet for keeping our restaurants and facilities in top working order.  There are so many friends, coaches and advisors whose support has been invaluable to me personally and it would be impossible to mention them all here, but if they’re reading this…….you know who you are.  And thank you.  It’s worth sharing that without the loving support and steady wisdom of my life partner Lani Reagan it would have been nearly impossible for me to have stayed steady and strong during some of the more challenging moments over the past couple of years.  None of us really does anything of consequence alone ultimately. It’s always about building a team, or a tribe, a circle of love and shared values in which we support each other’s visions and dreams.  At the end of the day, that’s what it’s really all about.  That’s how we take the first steps towards healing this world.

Website: www.plantpowerfastfood.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-harris-706b5b/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.harris.733/