Canada's Meat-Free Butcher Shop Wins on Dragons' Den!
YamChops, a Toronto-based vegetarian butcher shop, was featured on the reality TV show Dragons’ Den on February 10 and won!
The family-owned business opened its doors in the summer of 2014 in the Little Italy neighborhood of Toronto, where it has become a big hit for vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters alike due to the incredible options and variety offered. Just some of the items available at the YamChops counter include bean burgers, Korean BBQ chick*n, ‘shawarma’, chick*n parm cutlets, black pepper ‘beef’, and coconut bacon. They also offers home delivery, catering, and have organic cold-pressed juices available.
While the business has the steady support of “yambassadors”, in order to franchise, which would be the company’s next (highly requested) step, it needed a little help from some dragons. Dragons’ Den invites budding entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas or investment plans to five venture capitalists, with the hopes of securing business financing and partnerships.
The YamChops family of four, Michael, Toni, Leia, and Jess Abramson, requested $250,000 for 20% of the business. Jim Treliving, owner of the Boston Pizza chain, was the dragon most impressed by the company’s potential, and while they received their requested funding, he went for 30% of the business, with a 50% say in business decisions.
YamChops added a new item to the menu in order to honor the recent win called the Dragons Bowl, which is filled with cabbage, carrots, beets, roasted sweet potato, and grilled zucchini over rice with a nutritional yeast based dressing!
Until we find out what the next steps for YamChops will be, make sure to check out the episode right here!
Photo Credit: http://www.bestoftoronto.net/
