Lifestyle
What’s Behind Kevin Hart’s Abrupt Closing of His Hart House Vegan Restaurant Chain
The sudden closure of all 4 Los Angeles locations of Kevin Hart’s vegan fast-food chain Hart House has industry experts wondering concerning the sustainability of vegan food businesses.
When Hart teamed up with Andy Hooper, former CEO of &pizza, to launch Hart House in 2022, the plan was to open 100 locations over five years. Menu offerings included plant-based “burgers” and “chick’n” sandwiches, consistent with Hart’s transition to a mostly plant-based weight loss program in 2020. Hooper also had an interest in entering the patron packaged goods industry.
Hart House initially opened to widespread acclaim and support. TikTok food sensation Keith Lee gave Hart House a glowing review when he visited in 2023. He praised the place for its reasonably priced prices, with sandwiches priced under $8 and combos under $15, and called a sandwich he tried “amazing.”
Now that the corporate has closed all of its locations, some experts are calling the plan “ambitious.”
According to Food InstituteHart House was faced with a rise within the California minimum wage from $15.50 to $20 (as the corporate already offered higher wages, extensive health care, and worker advantages) and a saturated market.
“Consumers may have viewed Hart House as a novelty rather than a serious player in the fast-food industry,” Bassem Mostafa, chief market analyst and owner of Globemonitor Market Research Agency, told The Food Institute.
He added: “While Kevin Hart’s star power has given him name recognition, it has not necessarily translated into consistent customer traffic and retention, both of which are key to surviving in a competitive restaurant market.”
Hart House isn’t the one vegan food business to recently close shop. The Food Institute also reports a “wave” of closures across the country, including the closure of 40% of its locations by the Veggie Grill chain, Stalk & Speed in Minneapolis, Wild Thing in Oregon and VegeNation in Las Vegas.
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“The response to the product has been incredible. We thank our dedicated team, customers and community partners for helping us make the transition we wanted and for their unwavering support of Hart House,” Hooper noted in a press release confirming the closure of Hart House, The Food Institute reported.
High and rising operating costs in an already saturated market may mean that Hart House simply won’t give you the chance to compete in its previous form. Instead of using Beyond or Impossible patties like many other establishments offering vegan options, Hart House has provide you with its own. While Lee appeared to like them, others have recently expressed the alternative opinion.
According to Daily mailsome have even gone thus far as to match Hart House to other black-owned vegan brands, corresponding to the wildly successful Slutty Vegan. It’s hard to inform whether the reviews were written in good faith or not, but we do know that Hart likely doesn’t care.
In a recent episode of his podcast,Golden Minds with Kevin Hart,” he told his “Fright Night” co-star Chloe Bailey that he “never” reads reviews for “any” of his material — good or bad.
“I don’t get caught up in the good or bad version of it, because I get caught up in the idea and then I tell myself I’m going to do it, I work with people to do it, I finish it, and then I see that idea on the big screen or the small screen or in script form,” he said, adding, “I said, ‘Man, great. I set my mind to something and I finished it.’ So I’m happy with the fact that I get to do the things that I say I’m going to do. What other people think about it doesn’t affect my joy in my goal of finishing it.”
It stays a mystery what the longer term holds for Hart House, although the corporate’s farewell statement Instagram suggests “next chapter.”
Lifestyle
BlaQue Community Cares is organizing a cash crowd for serious food
QNS reports that Queens, New York-based nonprofit BlaQue Community Cares is making an effort to assist raise awareness of Earnest Foods, an organic food market with the Cash Mob initiative.
The BlaQue Cash Mob program is a community-led event that goals to support local businesses, reminiscent of grocery stores in Jamaica, by encouraging shoppers to go to the shop and spend a certain quantity of cash, roughly $20. BlaQue founder Aleeia Abraham says cash drives are happening across New York City to extend support for local businesses. “I think it’s important to really encourage local shopping habits and strengthen the connections between residents and businesses and Black businesses, especially in Queens,” she said after hosting six events since 2021.
“We’ve been doing this for a while and we’ve found that it really helps the community discover new businesses that they may not have known existed.”
As a result, crowds increase sales and strengthen social bonds for independent businesses.
Earnest Foods opened in 2021 after recognizing the necessity for fresh produce in the world. As residents struggled to seek out fresh food, Abraham defines the shop as “an invaluable part of the southeast Queens community.” “There’s really nowhere to go in Queens, especially Black-owned businesses in Queens, to find something healthier to eat. We need to keep these businesses open,” she said.
“So someone just needs to make everyone aware that these companies exist and how to keep the dollars in our community. Organizing this cash crowd not only encourages people to buy, but also shows where our collective dollars stand, how it helps sustain businesses and directly serves and uplifts our community.”
The event will happen on November 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 123-01 Merrick Blvd in St. Albans. According to the shop’s co-owner, Earnest Flowers, he has partnered with several other Black-owned brands in the world to sell his products at the shop. Flowers is comfortable that his neighbors can come to his supermarket to purchase organic food and goods from local vendors like Celeste Sassine, owner of Sassy Sweet Vegan Treats.
At the grand opening three years ago which was visited by over 350 viewersSassine stated that the collaboration was “super, super, super exciting” to the purpose that the majority of the products were off the shelves inside hours.
Lifestyle
Keke Palmer Recalls the Key Advice Will Smith Gave Her as a Child: “It’s Hard to Be First”
Like many young people, actress Keke Palmer went through a phase wherein she clashed along with her parents. Recently in a performance at “Toast” podcast.Palmer revealed that fellow actor Will Smith helped her take care of the situation along with her family.
As a child star who has appeared on Nickelodeon and Disney productions, the “Akeelah and the Bee” actress explained how juggling fame has affected her and her family relationships — a lot in order that she admits she once considered emancipating herself from her parents.
Although her lawyer tried to get her into counseling, Palmer said it was Smith’s words that ultimately modified her mind.
“A couple of weeks go by, I’m on the set of ‘True Jackson, Vice President’ and I get a call from a very, very unknown number. And I said, “What? If it was strange, I would not answer,” she said, mentioning that she simply went back to work. Later, while retrieving her phone, Palmer received a voicemail from the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star.
“Hey Keke. This is Will. We’re here filming ‘The Karate Kid’ with (my son) Jaden and I just want to let you understand that I’ve talked (to your lawyer),’ Palmer continued, impersonating Smith. “He let me know every little thing you are going through and I need you to know that sometimes it’s hard to be the first, but you may do it. Just stay focused, love your loved ones and every little thing shall be high-quality.
Palmer remembers struggling as a child with the attention and fame that got here with climbing the ladder in the entertainment industry. While trying to adjust to the demands of her burgeoning profession, the actress recalls feeling that fame meant she would have to “throw (her) family away.”
“It’s something that happens when you leave and you can become a child artist, you can be the first person in your family to go to college, or you can be the first person in your family to get married,” Palmer said: explaining her feelings at that moment. “There are so many firsts that can happen as the generations of your family grow and evolve.”
Ultimately deciding not to undergo the emancipation process, Palmer emphasized the importance of getting a healthy community when navigating the entertainment industry.
“I think I’ve always felt like a lot of people, whether they’re big names or whether they’re my lawyers, have been a good community,” she added. “Also, my parents made sure I was around (people) who would encourage community rather than discord and separation.”
Lifestyle
Issa Rae will be honored at the British Fashion Awards 2024
Issa Rae gets flowers – in style.
The 39-year-old author, actress and producer will receive the Pandora Leader of Change award at the upcoming British Fashion Awards 2024, which will happen on December 2 at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the British Fashion Council announced.
Actress and former “Insecure” co-star Yvonne Orji will present the award to Rae at the event, which serves as a significant fundraiser for the council’s foundation, in keeping with Women’s on a regular basis clothing.
“We are thrilled to honor Issa Rae with the Pandora Leader of Change Award at the Fashion Awards 2024,” Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, shared in an announcement.
“Rae’s work has inspired and resonated with people around the world. “She is a staunch supporter of the civil and women’s rights movements, always advocating for equality and social justice in her acting and writing,” Rush continued. “She consistently uses her platform to highlight the lack of diversity in Hollywood and advocate for greater representation in the industry, including meeting people of color behind the scenes.”
She added: “She is wholeheartedly committed to moving the conversation forward and galvanizing voices that are typically absent and underrepresented to open doors for others. She truly embodies the principles of this award and we are very excited to celebrate her in December.”
According to the British Fashion Council website, the Pandora Leader of Change award recognizes individuals who “lead innovation” to extend representation in arts and culture. Rae will be the second-ever recipient of this award. According to official details about the award, one other actress and author Michaela Coel was honored in 2023 Elle Magazine.
“Issa Rae truly embodies the spirit of the Pandora Leader of Change award,” Berta de Pablos-Barbier, Pandora chief marketing officer, said in the release. “In this second year of presenting this award, we are (honored) to celebrate a woman whose love for her craft and community shines through in each multi-dimensional character she brings to life.”
Pablo-Barbier added: “Her passion and purpose make her a natural candidate for this award, which fits perfectly with our values at Pandora, where love is always at the center. Issa’s commitment to meaningful change and uplifting others makes her an extraordinary change leader, and we are proud to honor her.”
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