🥖 How this New Yorker is Putting Plant-Based on the Menu in NYC’s Iconic Bodegas

“If we want to help the planet, we need to encourage people to eat more plant-forward. And I’ve been obsessed with figuring out how to make that a reality for the past decade,” tells Nil Zacharias, Founder and CEO of Plantega, Inc.

Cast your mind back to 2020, when plant-based foods were finally having a moment - growing in popularity, and consumer demand was skyrocketing. 

Product innovation in the plant-based category was at its peak, as investors turned their attention to food-system solutions. 

But fast-forward to today, and plant-based foods face a more complex landscape. Consumer demand remains steady, yet challenges around accessibility, affordability, and product placement persist.

Zacharias shares his take: “The food industry wasn’t structured to accommodate an entirely new category of products on grocery store shelves and menus. It became clear that to bring about massive transformation in our food system, one of the biggest challenges to address was accessibility. I wanted to help solve that by creating a solution that would make plant-based foods easier to access everywhere.”

As a New Yorker, Zacharias turned his attention to the local food system, where bodegas and corner stores play a critical role. 

Instead of opening a brick-and-mortar store, he looked at existing corner stores for the answer. For context, there are around 13,000 bodegas in the city, and in several neighborhoods, bodegas outnumber grocery stores. 

Around half of them are equipped with a grill, fryer, and deli counter, serving up the ultimate culinary symbol of New York City — deli sandwiches. Bodegas were the last place you’d expect to find a good plant-based meal at the deli counter. 

But Zacharias was two steps ahead and decided to change that by creating a business model and brand (Plantega) that would launch plant-based menus within bodegas across the New York Metro area.

Getting Started with Classics

When starting out, Plantega focused heavily on recreating classic favorites to establish trust and familiarity with regular bodega customers. Their goal was to nudge customers towards a plant-based choice. 

As consumers became more familiar with their brand, they expanded the menu with new options—not only to keep things fresh and interesting but also to showcase the depth and versatility of plant-based ingredients.

Secret Sauce for Deli Sandwiches

Plantega set out to make plant-based versions of consumers’ favorite deli sandwiches and developed a turnkey solution that empowers NYC bodegas to prepare and sell 100% plant-based menus, both in-store and via third party food delivery apps. 

Plantega also partners with leading plant-based brands to open new distribution opportunities and consistently drive product trials. All while keeping a competitive price point for healthier and more sustainable food options.

Blueprint for Scaling 

The growth of Plantega over the past few years highlights that consumer demand for plant-based food remains incredibly high—provided the food is fun, familiar, and satisfying. 

Now Plantega is ready to take the next big step. 

Many meals in New York City are consumed within private institutions like corporate offices and event venues, and Plantega sees a tremendous opportunity to amplify their impact. 

“To this end, we recently launched Plantega Kitchen & Catering (PKC), our first fully Plantega-managed and staffed flagship commercial kitchen. PKC specializes in large group orders, corporate catering, and events across NYC. Additionally, this kitchen will serve as a blueprint for scaling the Plantega brand and operations outside of New York City,” notes Zacharias.

“We’re also proud of our recently launched Climate Partner Program—a new NYC-focused initiative inviting local businesses and nonprofits to collaborate with Plantega to reduce food-related carbon emissions at their workplace and events. This supports our mission to empower frontline communities with sustainable, plant-based food options,” he adds.

Embracing Food Culture

One effective way to shape the future of food is to preserve the culture while changing the ingredients. 

Plantega’s brand and menu aims to recreate the food you’d find at deli counters across thousands of New York City bodegas that are quick, easy to eat on-the-go, and satisfy the hustle of city life.. 

“Food is joy, connection, and community, and we need to retain all of that—just swap the ingredients,” says Zacharias. “What helps is that our food is sold in those bodegas, infused with the urban food culture—the pace, the attitude, the lifestyle. The only difference is our ingredients are plant-based - and better quality ingredients contribute to improved health and environmental outcomes.”

What’s on the Menu at the HackSummit?

We’re teaming up with Plantega at the HackSummit in New York on 12-13th December where we will serve three delicious menu items: 

• Chopped Cheese 

• Fried Chicken Sandwich

• Chili Crisp Ranch Protein Veggie Burger 

This showcases well-loved, high-performing options, along with a new Limited Special, from brand partners such as KARANA, Stockeld Dreamery, Fabalish, ABBOT’S and Daring:

• The Chopped Cheese is made with KARANA Burger (jackfruit-based), Stockeld Cultured Cheddar, sautéed peppers and onions, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and Fabalish Vegan Mayo on a roll. 

• The Chili Crisp Ranch Protein Veggie Burger is a Limited Special made with ABBOT’S Protein Veggie Burger, Fabalish Chili Crisp Ranch, lettuce, tomato, and onion on a bun. 

• The Fried Chicken Sandwich features a Daring Breaded Plant Chicken Patty, Stockeld Cultured Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, and Fabalish Vegan Mayo on a bun.