Vegan chain Humpit Hummus to expand across the North of England
The Leeds-based group, which serves ‘meal-sized’ hummus bowls, pittas and salads, has received backing from Venturian Funding and Investment Group.
Humpit is the brainchild of entrepreneur Jonathan Philips, who founded the business when he was just 23-years-old.
The group began popping up in Leeds in 2014 and now runs two sites in the city, including one at Leeds University, and another in Sheffield.
Humpit is planning to use Venturian’s investment to expand to nine sites within the next two years.
The bulk of the new openings are expected to be in Yorkshire, the North East and North West of England, creating around 50 jobs.
"It’s been an unbelievable three years that have now resulted in a game-changing opportunity for Humpit,” says Philips.
“Our latest store inside Leeds University is a really exciting opportunity and together with Venturian I am confident that we will be able to secure some great new sites”.
Green party
The funding comes off the back of a rise in vegan openings, with a growing number of restaurants expanding their meat-free options as more diners adopt a plant-based diet.
Research by The Vegan Society says the number of people identifying as vegan has more than tripled to over half a million since 2006.
“With the growth in popularity of healthy eating and the huge rise in veganism, Humpit is extremely relevant in today’s food market,” says Greg Allsopp, investment director at Venturian.
“We see a significant opportunity for the business to expand into new cities, bringing the Humpit brand to a new audience."
