Veganizing the NYC Bodega
“There are thousands of bodegas in New York City and they are all immigrant-owned independent businesses that have survived thanks to their grit and resilience,” Plantega founder Nil Zacharias told SFA News Daily.
Plantega is a plant-based deli service that endeavors to bring more options to the bodega—a popular New York City staple that serves the unique needs of the communities in which it operates.
“Plantega is on a mission to make plant-based food easier to access everywhere,” said Zacharias, who works to spur consumers who do not identify as vegan or vegetarian, to give plant-based foods a try.
Bodegas often merchandise prepared foods, snacks, beverages, grocery essentials, and cater to basic household needs from a convenience-store sized space. On the prepared foods side, customers can often get simple hot and cold sandwiches in addition to classics like Chopped Cheese and Bacon, Egg, and Cheese sandwiches.
Plant-based versions of bodega offerings.
“In New York City bodegas are not only convenient but also essential. They are as much of an iconic symbol of New York City as our vibrant parks, subway system, or skyscrapers,” said Zacharias.
Plantega operates out of 64 bodegas across all five NYC boroughs and can be found on food delivery apps. It offers plant-based variants of classics using ingredients from specialty food brands such as Fabalish, Prime Roots, and Zero Egg.
The company sources ingredients for its deli counters that emulate the sensory experiences of meat-based products like bacon, breakfast sausages, and eggs.
“The food served at the deli counters of bodegas across New York City has become much more than a convenience food; they're a culinary symbol of the city itself. This is what’s at the forefront of our minds while evaluating potential brands to partner with,” said Zacharias.
Additionally, it looks for unique flavors and nutrition profiles so that it can experiment with new menu concepts.
When asked what advice he'd give to plant-based makers looking to break into the space, he said “Spend more time understanding consumer behavior and what drives food choices and study the rich cultural history of food. Spend less time developing the perfect alternative. Food should excite people, entice them, and make them feel a range of good emotions in addition to nourishing them.”
Plantega founder Nil Zacharias
SFA News Daily also asked Zacharias about Plantega’s mission.
Can you speak about the desire to work with local bodegas?
In several neighborhoods, bodegas outnumber grocery stores and most of them are equipped with a grill, fryer, and deli counter with a cook whipping up fresh sandwiches any time of the day or night. Unfortunately, finding anything plant-based or healthy at these deli counters was nearly impossible.
So not only was there a need for better options, but it also seemed like a massive untapped opportunity to make plant-based products widely available in all neighborhoods of the city.
Can you speak about the value you hope to drive to the plant-based industry?
From an industry perspective, we are creating a platform for brands that not only opens distribution in a key market but also drives consistent consumer trials. But beyond that, the true value we provide is integrating plant-based products into the environment in which people consume food by weaving our offerings into the context of the prevalent food culture.
In other words, Plantega is addressing the direct challenge of meeting the needs of a vast majority of consumers who do not identify as vegan or vegetarian by nudging them to give something plant-based a try. We’re driving a simple message: what if you can still indulge in your favorite sandwich at your local bodega without compromising on taste but also without damaging your health or the environment? Wouldn’t you want to try it?
What’s next for Plantega?
Our vision is to transform the food landscape within NYC and beyond by making plant-based food easier to access. Bodegas are just the starting point.
We have built a turnkey concept with a simple model, a small footprint, with minimal build-out costs that are easy to operate. We also have a strong brand centered around New York City bodega-style sandwiches that are packed with flavor, quick to prepare, easy to eat on the move, and satisfying enough to fuel your day.
We believe this brand and concept can be scaled in several ways, and we are currently exploring plans that range from licensing partnerships to standalone locations.
Images: Plantega