Pinky Cole becomes first Black woman to franchise vegan empire

From Baltimore roots to global plant-based powerhouse, Pinky Cole’s Slutty Vegan redefines vegan dining while breaking barriers in business and culture.

Aisha “Pinky” Cole grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants who instilled in her the grit of hard work and community service. Her mother juggled four jobs to keep the family afloat, while her father, sentenced to federal prison on the day Pinky was born, offered business wisdom from afar through letters and calls. This unconventional upbringing shaped Pinky’s entrepreneurial spirit, teaching her to create opportunities where none seemed to exist. Despite the challenges, she pursued higher education at Clark Atlanta University, an HBCU that became a cornerstone of her networking success. There, she built lifelong connections with future executives and leaders, proving that college’s true value often lies in the relationships forged, not just the degrees earned.

After graduating, Pinky dove into television production, honing her storytelling skills in a fast-paced industry. But her passion for food simmered beneath the surface. As a vegan for over eight years, she craved indulgent, junk-food-style plant-based options that didn’t feel like a compromise. In 2014, she channeled this into her first venture: Pinky’s Jamaican and American Restaurant in Harlem, New York. The spot blended her heritage with American comfort fare, but two years in, a devastating grease fire forced its closure. Broke and back at square one, Pinky relocated to Atlanta, where she rebuilt from her two-bedroom apartment. These early failures weren’t deterrents; they were fuel. Pinky Cole’s journey from TV producer to restaurateur exemplifies how Black women entrepreneurs in the vegan space turn setbacks into setups for greater triumphs.

The Birth of Slutty Vegan: Cravings Meet Bold Branding

In July 2018, Pinky Cole’s late-night hunger pangs sparked a revolution. Craving a vegan burger that packed the punch of fast food without the guilt, she started selling handmade patties through delivery apps. By September, the Slutty Vegan food truck rolled out in Atlanta’s West End, a predominantly Black neighborhood ripe for innovative eats. The name? Pure genius marketing. “Slutty Vegan” merged two ultimate indulgences—sex and food—into a provocative hook that turned heads and sparked conversations. “I knew if I named it Pinky’s Vegan, nobody would come,” Pinky later quipped. Instead, the cheeky moniker drew crowds eager to “get sluttified.”

The menu sealed the deal. Items like the “One Night Stand” burger—a juicy plant-based patty topped with vegan cheese, Slutty Sauce, pickles, and caramelized onions on a Hawaiian bun—delivered soul-satisfying flavors. The “Fussy Hussy” loaded fries with cheese, chili, jalapeños, and that signature Slutty Sauce, while the “Chik’N Head” sandwich mimicked crispy fried chicken with a vegan twist. Sides like Slutty Fries dusted with “Slut Dust” seasoning elevated every bite. Pinky sourced ingredients for authenticity and accessibility, using Beyond Meat and Impossible patties to ensure broad appeal. Non-vegans flocked too, proving vegan food could be fun, flavorful, and far from kale salads.

Word-of-mouth and Instagram buzz propelled the truck to sell-out status daily. Lines snaked around blocks, turning meals into block parties. By January 2019, Pinky opened the first brick-and-mortar in Westview, Atlanta. Slutty Vegan wasn’t just a restaurant; it was a cultural phenomenon, challenging stereotypes about veganism in Black communities where meat-heavy soul food reigns. Pinky Cole, as a Black woman franchising a vegan restaurant brand, positioned herself at the forefront of this shift, making plant-based eating sexy and communal.

Rapid Rise: Expansion and Accolades

Slutty Vegan’s growth was meteoric. From that single truck, Pinky scaled to multiple Atlanta outposts in Jonesboro, Duluth, Athens, and Edgewood by 2020. The “Big ‘Ol Slut” food truck fleet kept the energy mobile, popping up at events and festivals. By 2022, expansions hit Birmingham, Alabama, and Brooklyn, New York, with plans for 10 more that year. Pinky’s strategic eye targeted underserved areas, raising property values and drawing foot traffic to neighboring Black-owned businesses. She owned 70% of the real estate outright, a savvy move that buffered against economic dips and amplified her wealth-building.

Investors took notice. In 2022, Pinky raised $25 million in Series A funding from heavyweights like Danny Meyer’s Enlightened Hospitality Investments and Richelieu Dennis’s New Voices Fund, valuing Slutty Vegan at $100 million. This capital fueled nationwide pushes: Dallas, Texas; Harlem, New York; and pop-ups in Los Angeles and Chicago. By 2023, 11 locations dotted Georgia, New York, Alabama, and Texas, with more in Maryland and Florida. Airport outposts at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International and plans for Nashville signaled global ambitions. Pinky’s cookbook, Eat Plants, Btch: 91 Vegan Recipes That Will Blow Your Meat-Loving Mind*, dropped that fall, earning NAACP Award nods and topping VegNews’s “Top 100 Vegan Cookbooks.” Her follow-up, I Hope You Fail, chronicled turning failure into fuel, resonating with aspiring entrepreneurs.

As one of the first Black women to franchise a vegan restaurant brand, Pinky Cole’s story inspired a wave of plant-based innovators, proving veganism could thrive in diverse, meat-loving markets.

Challenges on the Path: Restructuring and Resilience

No empire rises without storms. In 2024, Slutty Vegan hit turbulence. Rapid expansion ballooned corporate overhead to $10 million, outpacing revenue. Locations like the Bleecker Street spot in New York shuttered after months, and others temporarily closed amid operational strains. Pinky, stretched thin as the visionary but not the day-to-day operator, faced a harsh lesson: “You can never take your hands off the wheel.” In February of this year, a global restructuring led to her temporarily relinquishing ownership to an assignee—a gut-wrenching move for the self-made mogul.

The low point deepened when a freak car accident hurled a mattress through her windshield at 70 mph on an Atlanta highway, landing her in the hospital. Bruised but unbroken, Pinky emerged with clarity: prioritize people over spreadsheets. On March 28, she bought back the business under “Ain’t Nobody Coming to See You, Otis LLC”—a cheeky nod to her fan-first ethos. Downsizing to eight core locations sharpened focus, closing underperformers like Spelman College’s campus spot. Pinky fired the entire C-suite, reinstalling herself as CEO for “Slutty Vegan 2.0.” This rebirth echoed her Harlem fire: failure as fertilizer.

Through it all, Pinky maintained authenticity. Social media stayed her megaphone, sharing vulnerabilities to build community. As a Black woman franchising a vegan restaurant brand, she navigated biases head-on—proving that bold Black women in business don’t just survive; they redefine success.

Franchising Frontier: Pinky Cole’s Game-Changing Move

Enter franchising: Pinky Cole’s boldest pivot yet. Long teased in interviews, the official rollout positions Slutty Vegan as one of the first vegan restaurant brands franchised by a Black woman. Drawing from husband Derrick Hayes’s success franchising Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, Pinky eyed this model for scalable, global growth. “It’s time to take SV worldwide,” she declared, hinting at SV or SVA rebrands for international markets wary of “slutty.”

Franchising democratizes ownership. Pinky invites partners aligned with her vision—community-focused, unapologetically fun—to helm outposts. Applications flood in via the Slutty Vegan site, vetted for shared values. This isn’t dilution; it’s multiplication. Early franchises target HBCU campuses, urban hubs, and international spots like Dubai and Africa, blending Jamaican roots with global appeal. By owning the blueprint—recipes, branding, Slut Dust—Pinky ensures consistency while empowering diverse operators.

As one of the first Black women to franchise a vegan restaurant brand, Pinky shatters ceilings. Vegan franchising lags behind traditional fast food, with few models beyond chains like Cinnaholic or Veggie Grill. Her entry injects inclusivity, prioritizing Black and brown franchisees. It’s economic alchemy: turning a $100 million valuation into generational wealth. Pinky Cole’s franchising era isn’t just expansion; it’s elevation, inviting others to “eat plants, b*tch” while building empires.

Giving Back: Philanthropy Powers the Plate

Pinky Cole’s impact transcends burgers. The Pinky Cole Foundation, launched in 2019, empowers generations of color through education and opportunity. During COVID-19, she fed essential workers and partnered with Georgia’s Department of Juvenile Justice to hire 30 formerly incarcerated youth, pairing jobs with $10,000 scholarships. In 2020, she covered college debt for 30 Clark Atlanta students and funded scholarships for Rayshard Brooks’ four children after his tragic death.

Scale amplified her reach. In 2024, at Savannah State University’s commencement, Pinky gifted the class an $8.75 million “Entrepreneurial Starter Pack” via Operation HOPE and One Million Black Businesses—resources for launches, mentorships, and funding. The 2025 Community Giveback at Edgewood’s flagship distributed toiletries and goods, hugging every attendee. Pinky’s mantra: success shared multiplies. As a Black woman franchising a vegan restaurant brand, she weaves philanthropy into her core, proving profit and purpose coexist.

Legacy of a Slutty Revolution

Pinky Cole Hayes—wife, mother of four, and unyielding force—embodies the new American Dream. Married to Derrick Hayes since 2023, their power duo blends Slutty Vegan’s plants with Big Dave’s cheesesteaks in joint ventures. Products like Slutty Strips vegan bacon and Slut Dust hit Target shelves in metro Atlanta, extending the empire homeward. A Revolt Creative Visionary in Residence role cements her cultural clout.

At 37, Pinky Cole stands as a beacon for Black women entrepreneurs in vegan dining. Franchising Slutty Vegan isn’t just business; it’s a blueprint for resilience, innovation, and joy. From Baltimore stoops to global franchises, she’s rewritten the script: vegan can be slutty, successful, and soulful. As lines form and partners sign on, one truth endures—Pinky Cole didn’t just build a brand; she birthed a movement. Get ready to franchise your future.