Another vegan brand is eyeing up Camden for expansion

The group plans to open a new site in the Camden area in 2018, ahead of wider expansion plans.

Located next to Kentish Town overground station, The Fields Beneath has been a popular brunch and lunch destination for North Londoners, and says its menu has become ‘better than ever’ since it when fully vegan earlier this year.

At present, the café batch-prepares all its menu items in the kitchen of a local primary school after the pupils’ lunch service finishes. Owner Gavin Fernback hopes that if the crowdfund is successful, the brand will be able to have their own kitchen, facilitating more services and generating more revenue.

“Having a kitchen of our own will mean we can not only make things we can’t make right now, but we’ll be able to get into office catering, takeaway deliveries and special events,” says Fernback.

The new café will be in North London, as close to Camden as possible, to allow its kitchen to supply both sites.

Within two years, Fernback says the group plans to open more cafes, which will also be supplied by the main production kitchen.

The café is looking to raise £30,000 by 18 December to buy a Rational oven, as well as build the bar and kitchen space.

The money raised, combined with the funds the brand already has, will cover the café’s progression for four months from signing the lease.

The campaign is being hosted on Kickstarter, with rewards for pledging cash ranging from a year-long supply of coffee to dinner and movie at the café, to a custom art print.

Camden is becoming the London hub for vegan restaurants, with Brighton pizzeria Purezza and Hackney vegan friend chicken shop Temple of Seitan both planning openings in the area in 2018.

Vegan businesses are experiencing surprising success on crowdfunds, too. “Artisan plant-based” burger company The Vurger Co. exceeded their crowdfunding target of £180,000 by 66% after a campaign was launched in July. Within 30 hours the company reached its target, making it the fastest ever restaurant raise on crowdfunding platform, Crowdcube.