How to Finance a Slutty Vegan Franchise: Three-Unit Commitment
By Marc Cornella
A Slutty Vegan franchise loan rarely funds just one restaurant. The Atlanta-born vegan burger brand asks new franchisees to develop at least three units in a protected territory, so your financing plan needs to cover a first opening and a path to the next two.
US Professional Funding is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Slutty Vegan; the name is used only to describe the business. Figures from the franchisor’s disclosure document and website can change, loan programs vary, and every loan is subject to approval. Nothing here is legal, tax or investment advice.
Slutty Vegan Franchise Loan at a Glance
- Concept: made-to-order vegan fast food built around plant-based burgers, served in restaurants and from food trucks.
- Origins: founded by Pinky Cole in Atlanta in 2018.
- Single-unit investment: $555,900 to $1,166,500, according to the franchisor’s website.
- Multi-unit investment: $587,900 to $1,201,500 per location.
- Food truck program: $255,750 to $312,000, and it must be paired with a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
- Financial requirements: $500,000 in liquid capital and a $1,000,000 net worth.
- Development commitment: a minimum of three units in your protected territory.
- Ongoing fees: 6% royalty, 1% marketing fund that may rise to 2%, and 2% local store marketing with a $3,000 quarterly minimum.
- Restaurant size: 1,500 to 2,100 square feet.
- Initial franchise fee: not published on the franchisor’s website; see Item 5 of the FDD.
- SBA status: listed on the SBA Franchise Directory (code S8843) with notes on lease documents and lien position.
What Is Slutty Vegan?
Pinky Cole began selling vegan burgers out of her Atlanta apartment in the summer of 2018, taking orders through social media. The concept moved to a food truck and a shared kitchen, and the first restaurant opened that October. Long lines at its early locations became part of the brand’s identity.
The menu centers on signature plant-based burgers alongside items such as avocado egg rolls and a cauliflower po’boy. The company’s website lists restaurants in the Atlanta area and other markets, plus a food truck that serves events around metro Atlanta.
The brand has only recently opened franchising, and its website describes a model built on multi-unit development, a flexible restaurant footprint and an optional food truck.
Why lenders view it the way they do. Slutty Vegan has strong name recognition and a loyal following, but it is a young franchise system. Lenders will look closely at the operator’s restaurant experience, the strength of each site and the borrower’s ability to fund a three-unit schedule. Our article on financing an emerging franchise explains how lenders treat newer systems.
Slutty Vegan Franchise Costs
According to the franchisor’s website, a single Slutty Vegan restaurant costs an estimated $555,900 to $1,166,500 to open. Under the multi-unit model, the estimate is $587,900 to $1,201,500 per location. The Item 7 table in the FDD gives the full breakdown, and it should anchor every Slutty Vegan franchise loan request.
Initial franchise fee
The website does not list the franchise fee. Check Item 5 for the fee per unit and any development fee tied to the three-unit commitment.
Real estate and build-out
Restaurants run 1,500 to 2,100 square feet. Most of the investment range reflects build-out, which swings with whether you take over a second-generation restaurant space or start from a shell.
Equipment
A burger kitchen needs flat-top griddles, fryers, refrigeration, a hood and fire suppression system, prep stations and point-of-sale technology.
Opening costs and working capital
Plan for opening inventory, staff hiring and training, deposits, insurance and pre-opening marketing. Item 7 will state the additional funds the franchisor recommends for the early months.
Total investment
When you review Item 7, look for these line items:
- Initial franchise fee and any development fee
- Lease deposits and rent before opening
- Leasehold improvements and construction
- Kitchen equipment, furniture and fixtures
- Signage and décor
- Technology and point-of-sale systems
- Opening inventory and supplies
- Training travel
- Grand-opening marketing
- Additional funds for the initial period
The Food Truck Program
Slutty Vegan offers a food truck at an estimated $255,750 to $312,000, but only paired with a brick-and-mortar restaurant. The franchisor positions it for events, pop-ups and brand exposure.
From a financing view, the truck is a vehicle and kitchen on wheels, so equipment financing often fits better than folding it into a restaurant loan. Lenders will want to know how the truck adds sales rather than pulling them from your restaurant.
Ongoing Fees and How They Affect Your Loan
The franchisor’s website lists a royalty of 6% of net sales, a marketing fund of 1% of net sales that may increase to 2%, and local store marketing of 2% of net sales with a minimum of $3,000 per quarter.
Together these can take a meaningful share of every sales dollar before rent, food and labor. Lenders subtract them when testing whether the restaurant can cover its loan payments, so model the marketing fund at the higher rate. The quarterly local marketing minimum also matters in a slow opening period, when 2% of sales may fall below it. Check Item 6 for technology, transfer and renewal fees.
Franchisor Requirements for New Owners
According to the franchisor’s website, candidates need $500,000 in liquid capital ready to invest and a $1,000,000 net worth, and must commit to developing at least three units in their protected territory.
The approval process. Candidates inquire, apply and request the FDD, attend a discovery day in Atlanta and then sign both the franchise agreement and a multi-unit agreement.
Ways to Own a Slutty Vegan
A multi-unit development deal. This is the standard entry point. You finance the first restaurant, then return for financing on the second and third units as your schedule requires. Our page on multi-unit franchise financing covers how lenders handle staged growth.
Adding a food truck. A franchisee with a restaurant can add a truck, financed separately.
Buying an existing location. As the franchise system grows, resales may appear. They require franchisor approval, and the lender will review the unit’s history.
Financing Options for a Slutty Vegan Franchise
SBA 7(a) loans
An SBA 7(a) loan can cover the franchise fee, build-out, equipment and working capital for each restaurant. See our franchise start-up financing page for how a new unit is structured.
SBA 504 loans
If you buy or build the property, an SBA 504 loan can fund the real estate and long-lived equipment. Keep the directory’s lease note in mind when real estate secures the loan.
Conventional term loans
Borrowers with strong liquidity and collateral may use conventional business loans for some units, especially later ones backed by results from the first.
Equipment financing
Griddles, fryers, refrigeration, hoods and the food truck itself can be financed with restaurant equipment financing.
Working capital and lines of credit
A working capital line can carry payroll and inventory through the ramp-up of each new unit and cover the quarterly marketing minimum.
Seller financing on resales
If you buy an existing unit, the seller may carry part of the price. Lenders usually require the note to be subordinate, and SBA rules may limit it.
SBA Loans for Slutty Vegan Franchisees
Slutty Vegan is listed on the SBA Franchise Directory under code S8843, with two notes:
- Lease assignment option. When the real estate where the restaurant sits will secure the SBA-guaranteed loan, the “Option to Obtain Lease Assignment” may not be executed. In plain terms, if your property is collateral, that lease-takeover document cannot be signed for the deal.
- Lien position. The lender must obtain the correct lien position on all collateral as SBA rules require.
Our article on restaurant lease assignments explains how these documents work. The SBA 7(a) program maximum is currently $5 million, though rules can change. Because the brand asks for three units, plan whether each unit gets its own Slutty Vegan franchise loan.
SBA application tips. Provide the FDD, franchise and multi-unit agreements, a sources-and-uses budget, a lease or letter of intent, projections and your personal financial statement.
How Lenders Evaluate a Slutty Vegan Deal
Personal credit and financial history. Expect a full credit review and questions about past debts.
Net worth and liquidity. Beyond the franchisor’s minimums, lenders want cash for the down payment on the first unit and reserves for the next.
Industry and management experience. Restaurant operations experience carries weight, especially for a multi-unit commitment.
Business plan and projections. Show realistic sales for your market, the full fee load, labor for made-to-order food and the development timeline. Lenders know a strong opening line does not ensure steady sales.
The FDD and agreements. Lenders read the development schedule, territory, term and transfer rules in Item 17 and any financing in Item 10. Check Item 19 to see whether the FDD includes financial performance representations.
Site and lease. The lease should run at least as long as the loan and fit the brand’s footprint.
Historical financials for resales. A resale needs tax returns and sales reports.
Multi-Unit Growth and Development Agreements
The three-unit minimum is the defining feature of a Slutty Vegan franchise loan. Lenders generally fund one restaurant at a time and want to see the first one perform before approving the next, so your liquidity has to stretch across the full schedule.
Map each opening date to its funding source. If unit two depends on results from unit one, build in time for that ramp-up.
Real-World Scenarios
An experienced restaurant operator. A multi-unit owner of another concept signs for three units, funds the first with an SBA 7(a) loan and plans conventional loans for later units.
A first-time owner with strong capital. A professional with the required net worth hires an experienced general manager and leans on a detailed plan for the first unit.
Adding a food truck. A franchisee whose restaurant is open finances a truck with equipment financing for events and pop-ups.
A second-generation site. An owner leases a former restaurant space to cut build-out costs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Planning for one restaurant when the agreement requires three.
- Modeling the marketing fund at 1% instead of up to 2%.
- Forgetting the $3,000 quarterly local marketing minimum.
- Assuming early buzz will carry sales.
- Ignoring the SBA directory notes when real estate is collateral.
Read our guide to restaurant loan mistakes for more.
Next Steps to Finance Your Slutty Vegan Franchise
Step 1: Confirm you qualify. Check your liquidity and net worth against the franchisor’s minimums.
Step 2: Apply and review the FDD. Study Items 5, 6, 7, 10, 17 and 19.
Step 3: Map your territory and schedule. Plan all three openings and their funding.
Step 4: Build your budget. Prepare a sources-and-uses budget for the first unit.
Step 5: Run the numbers. Test payments with our SBA loan calculator.
Step 6: Talk to a financing specialist. Compare SBA, conventional and equipment options.
Step 7: Secure the site and close. Lock in the lease, close the loan and start the build-out.
Slutty Vegan Franchise Loan FAQs
How much does a Slutty Vegan franchise cost?
The franchisor’s website estimates $555,900 to $1,166,500 for a single unit and $587,900 to $1,201,500 per location under the multi-unit model.
What is the Slutty Vegan franchise fee?
It is not listed on the website. Item 5 of the FDD states it.
What is the royalty?
6% of net sales, plus a 1% marketing fund that may rise to 2% and 2% local store marketing.
How much liquid capital do I need?
$500,000 in liquid capital ready to invest.
What net worth does Slutty Vegan require?
$1,000,000.
Can I open just one Slutty Vegan?
The franchisor’s website says franchisees must develop at least three units in their territory.
Is Slutty Vegan eligible for SBA loans?
Yes. It is listed on the SBA Franchise Directory under code S8843, with notes about lease documents and lien position.
Can I finance the food truck separately?
Yes. Equipment financing often fits a food truck, which must be paired with a restaurant.
How big is a Slutty Vegan restaurant?
1,500 to 2,100 square feet, according to the franchisor.
Does Slutty Vegan offer financing?
The website does not mention any. Check Item 10 of the FDD.
Can a first-time owner get a loan?
Possibly, if you meet the capital requirements and bring experienced management.
Final Thoughts
A Slutty Vegan franchise loan is really a plan for three restaurants. Size your capital for the full development schedule, model the fees at their upper rates and choose sites carefully before you sign.
US Professional Funding helps franchise investors finance new units and growth. See our restaurant financing options to get started.
