PlantX Welcomes Meek’s Vegan Pizza to Chicago Foodhall Lineup
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — October 30, 2023 — PlantX Life Inc. (CSE: VEGA) (Frankfurt: WNT1) (OTCQB: PLTXF) (“PlantX” or the “Company”), the digital face of the plant-based community, operating a one-stop shop for plant-based products, is thrilled to announce a delectable addition to the Chicago Foodhall lineup. Meek’s Vegan Kitchen, showcasing Meek’s Famous Vegan Pizza with its origins in the dynamic culinary landscape of Houston, Texas, is primed to enthrall pizza lovers in the Windy City.
Meek’s Vegan Pizza, a celebrated black-owned establishment, is renowned for its unwavering commitment to cruelty-free ethics and the creation of exquisite flavors. The culinary sensation was conceived by Demetrius Walker, a dedicated father on a mission to craft a vegan pizza that would captivate his son’s taste buds. In May 2022, Antonio “Tone” Barnes, a fellow culinary visionary and seasoned entrepreneur, presented his longtime friend Demetrius with an exciting opportunity to expand and establish a location in Palos Heights, IL. To bring this dream to fruition, Tone rallied a group of like-minded individuals. Together, they formed MAKAS Management, a dynamic team composed of Antonio “Tone” Barnes, Demetrius Walker, Allen Slovick, Gregory Henderson Jr, and Keith Johnson. Their collaborative efforts culminated in the birth of Meek’s Vegan Kitchen, which opened its doors in February of this year.
Antonio “Tone” Barnes commented on the exciting update stating that “I’ve faced challenges, embraced opportunities, and dedicated myself to this journey. It’s been a path of hard work, but I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity. With Meek’s Vegan Kitchen, we aim to create something extraordinary, to give our all to a community that deserves nothing but the best. I’m confident in our mission and gracious for the chance to make it a reality.”
The transition of Meek’s Vegan Kitchen into our foodhall signifies the end of PlantX’s unique collaboration with Kitchen 17’s Station 17:B, which stood apart from other foodhall restaurants due to PlantX’s management and procurement of wholesale products from Kitchen 17. With Kitchen 17’s primary focus on expanding their wholesale enterprise, they were not originally contracted to fully oversee the foodhall concept. After a month of operations, PlantX has recognized that partnering with restaurants looking to run their own restaurant operations is the ideal approach. This allows PlantX to focus on top-level foodhall operations while restaurant owners can take over the complete management of their booths. PlantX reaffirms its dedication to supporting their restaurant and will continue to stock Kitchen 17’s frozen products both in our bodega and on our online store.
The Kitchen 17 owners weighed in on the changes: “We have been partnering with PlantX to carry our wholesale product since their inception in Chicago, and are excited to continue that partnership with the bodega. For our frozen pizzas wholesale just makes more sense, and while we were eager to give PlantX’s foodhall partnership a try we understand their desire to stop operating a booth and bring in a self-contained outside vendor. We wish Meek’s all the best and welcome them to the Chicago pizza community!”
Sean Dollinger, the founder of PlantX, expressed his enthusiasm about this exciting change: “After my first call with Tone and the entire team behind Meek’s, I was just so blown away by the grit and hustle, and I knew they needed to be a part of what we’re doing here. I would also like to give a shoutout to Joe and Jennie from Kitchen 17. They have been amazing partners since day one, and I know their wholesale business is going to thrive. I cannot wait to see sales for their frozen pizzas online and in our bodega.”
This transition marks an exciting chapter in PlantX’s journey to redefine plant-based dining, and we look forward to the continued support of our dedicated patrons and the warm embrace of Meek’s Vegan Pizza.
About PlantX Life
As the digital face of the plant-based community, PlantX’s platform is a one-stop shop for plant-based products. With its fast-growing category verticals, PlantX offers customers across North America more than 5,000 plant-based products. PlantX also has other brands in the PlantX portfolio including a juice brand, a coffee company, a plant shop, and brick-and-mortar grocery stores. PlantX uses its digital platform to build a community of like-minded consumers and, most importantly, to provide education. PlantX’s digital presence eliminates entry barriers for anyone interested in living a plant-based lifestyle and thriving in a longer, healthier, and happier life.
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Contact
Lorne Rapkin
Chief Executive Officer
(416) 419-1415
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