Aisha “Pinky” Cole Hayes, the powerhouse entrepreneur behind Slutty Vegan, has made history once again by becoming one of the first Black women in the United States to franchise a vegan restaurant brand.
The bold move marks a new chapter for the entrepreneur who has faced extraordinary challenges in recent years yet continues to redefine what’s possible in the plant-based dining space.
Cole officially announced the launch of Slutty Vegan’s franchise program after repurchasing her company earlier this year. The expansion will be led by Shawntel Daniels, a veteran executive with experience at Planet Fitness, 7-Eleven, and BP.
Daniels has been tapped as franchise president and is tasked with building out a sustainable model that prioritizes both strong operations and franchisee support.
From Shared Kitchen to Global Stage
Pinky Cole first launched Slutty Vegan in 2018 from a shared kitchen in Atlanta before scaling into a food truck and eventually multiple brick-and-mortar locations in Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, and New York. With a provocative name and menu items like the “Hollywood Hooker” and “One Night Stand,” Cole flipped perceptions of vegan food, proving it could be fun, indulgent, and crave-worthy.
Her branding genius, coupled with her bold personality, attracted the attention of celebrities including Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, and countless others who helped propel Slutty Vegan into the national spotlight.
In 2022, the company was valued at $100 million, boasting 18 locations at its peak.
Surviving Setbacks and Fighting Back
But success didn’t come without hurdles. Facing mounting debt, costly overhead, and cash flow challenges, Cole entered insolvency proceedings earlier this year through a restructuring process.
In February 2025, she filed for an alternative to bankruptcy, and by March she had repurchased the brand under a new parent company, Ain’t Nobody Coming to See You Otis.
Reflecting on her journey, Cole described it as one of grit and determination: “I went to restructure on February 13, 2025, and then I repurchased the company on March 28, 2025. We’re in September, and I’m about to announce franchising. I’ve never seen anybody do what I’ve done in less than one year.”
Her comeback story resonates as much as her food. For Cole, franchising represents more than business growth—it’s about building generational wealth and inspiring others to push through adversity.
A Bold Vision for Franchising
The newly announced franchise program will allow qualified entrepreneurs to open Slutty Vegan locations, with costs ranging from \$555,900 to \$1.16 million depending on size and format. Prospective franchisees will have the option to add a food truck for additional flexibility.
Cole has already teased that the first franchisee will be a “high-profile celebrity,” a move likely to supercharge visibility as Slutty Vegan transitions from a cult favorite to a scalable national chain.
Franchise president Daniels stressed that success will rely on selecting the right partners:
“We want people that really want to invest their time and money toward growing the brand. A franchise isn’t just slapping a name on a building—it requires knowledge, passion, and commitment.”
Leading by Example
Cole’s story continues to inspire entrepreneurs across industries. After experiencing both meteoric success and near-collapse, she has reemerged stronger, more focused, and unafraid to take risks others might shy away from.
“My audience is actually not vegan—they’re meat eaters,” Cole has said. “Most people come because they want to see what the hype is about. They want to see if vegan food can really taste good. And as long as I can continue to create that narrative, I’ll always have people coming through the doors.”
With franchising now underway, Slutty Vegan is poised to become not just a restaurant chain, but a cultural institution—one that redefines plant-based dining while breaking barriers for Black women entrepreneurs in the U.S.
