Big names investing in vegan restaurants

Veganism is more trendy than ever according to a recent story by CBS News. In fact, A-list celebrities, former presidents and business moguls are now frequently spotted at top vegan restaurants around the country and have become spokespeople for them.
Some are so taken with the craze that they have even invested in restaurants such as Portia de Rossi and Ellen Degeneres who have a stake in Los Angeles-based Veggie Grill, a portfolio company of Brentwood Associates. Veggie Grill currently has seven locations in Orange County and Los Angeles and has plans for expansion.
“It seems to all add up,” Charles Stahler, co-director of The Vegetarian Resource Group, said to CBS News. “It comes from different angles — the public campaigns of animal rights groups, the emergence of the health rationale, the environmental movement.”
Brentwood Associates is a leading private equity investment firm based in Los Angeles with more than $750 million under management.