Lewis Hamilton and Leonardo DiCaprio's vegan fast food chain Neat Burger has closed all its UK locations, resulting in approximately 150 job losses.
The plant-based restaurant chain, which launched in 2019, has ceased operations at its final two London branches in Camden and Wembley.
The closure marks the end of the celebrity-backed venture's presence in the UK after six years of trading, during which it aimed to make plant-based eating more accessible to consumers.
The closure follows significant financial difficulties, with the company reporting losses of £7.9 million in 2022, more than double the £3.2 million loss recorded in 2021.
Lewis Hamilton and Leo DiCaprio have had to shut down all UK stores
Reuters
The chain had previously shut four London restaurants at the end of 2023, including outlets in Canary Wharf, Oxford Street, Liverpool Street and Westfield Stratford.
The company's ambitious plans to expand to 30 sites across London were halted as it struggled with slowing demand for vegan food and mounting cost-of-living pressures.
A company spokesperson confirmed the closure, stating: "We have no further comment at this time, other than to confirm that the business has taken the difficult decision to close its UK restaurants."
While the UK operations have ceased, Neat Burger continues to maintain a presence internationally with branches in Milan and New York.
This follows an earlier statement from the company, which had said: "We are concentrating our efforts on our best performing restaurants - we believe that sometimes taking a step back is necessary to make a bigger leap forward."
JUST IN:Gary Lineker swipes at BBC for 'forcing him to quit' and vows he has 'no regrets' in free speech row
Hamilton, who became vegan in 2017, had initially expressed enthusiasm for the brand at its launch. "I'm very passionate about being kinder to our world," he said.
"I believe we need a healthier high street option that tastes amazing but also offers something exciting to those who want to be meat-free every now and again."
The F1 star's commitment to veganism was sparked by watching the documentary 'What The Health', which highlighted ethical concerns in the meat and dairy industries.
The company took multiple measures to remain viable, including shutting its dark kitchen model due to high competition and customer acquisition costs.
READ MORE: John Higgins holds back tears and consoled by BBC host after Joe O'Conner victory
Lewis Hamilton has been a vegan since 2017
ReutersIn a letter to shareholders, co-founder Tommaso Chiabra noted customers had proved "flighty and cost-conscious" amid challenging market conditions.
A new menu launch failed to prevent customer transactions from falling by a fifth in late 2024, with trade continuing to decline through the first 12 weeks of 2025.
The chain's New York outlet had previously reported monthly losses of around $100,000 before its closure.
LATEST SPORT NEWS:
