Hidden Gems: Meet Matt De Gruyter of Next Level

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt De Gruyter.

Matt, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey to founding Next Level was anything but conventional. I started out as a US Marine before building a successful career in the oil and gas private equity industry. At that point in my life, I was eating up to 10 pounds of red meat a week, and I wouldn’t have even conceived of a vegan diet (heck, I couldn’t have even defined it!). It was my wife and co-founder, Cierra, who initially made the change to a vegan diet, and after my mom passed away from breast cancer in 2010 at the too-young age of 56, I decided to take a closer look. Once I saw how eating plant-based foods can positively impact your overall health and longevity, I began my transition to a fully vegan diet.

In 2014 Cierra and I risked everything to launch America’s first 100% plant-based burger joint, Next Level Burger, offering a wide variety of vegan burgers, sandwiches, fries and shakes. Next Level Burger’s success led us to acquire our biggest competitor in the vegan space 10 years later, Veggie Grill, in 2024. Next Level is the world’s largest wholly owned vegan restaurant group and proud of it.

This year, we rolled out our first unified menu at all Veggie Grill locations and began converting Next Level Burger locations into Next Level Veggie Grill, with plans to eventually unite both brands under a single name and menu.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think any business would say that they’ve had a completely flawless or smooth road, but each step in our journey – from vegan burger joint, to America’s largest wholly owned vegan restaurant company – has been driven by value set, determination and hard work (and a not-so-small amount of luck!). Our central mission has always been to make a global impact by changing the way America eats through delicious, wholesome vegan fare that’s made with organic fresh produce and non-GMO ingredients while also taking care of our team members and paying living wages. That commitment hasn’t changed, and after 11 years in business, we’re pleased to offer even more options for vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians and omnivores alike.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Next Level operates the world’s largest wholly owned vegan restaurant company, comprised of fast-casual brands Next Level Burger and Veggie Grill by Next Level with more than 20 locations from coast to coast – and growing. This year, we unveiled our first unified menu at all Veggie Grill locations and began the conversion of Next Level Burger locations into Next Level Veggie Grill, with plans to ultimately unite all locations under a single brand name, serving our All American Vegan menu. The AAV menu features the best of Veggie Grill and Next Level Burger, with more than 50 new menu items, including vegan burgers, sandwiches, wraps, protein plates, bowls, salads, burritos, veggie sides, smoothies and more. In line with our values, everything on the menu is free from cholesterol, artificial dyes and preservatives and features responsibly sourced, fresh organic veggies.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
None of this would be possible without our Chief Visionary Officer – my wife and the co-founder of Next Level – Cierra de Gruyter. The recipes we use in our restaurants are developed in Cierra’s home test kitchen, where she focuses on creating innovative, craveable vegan dishes that feature real ingredients and bold flavors.

I’ve long admired Whole Foods co-founder, John Mackey, who became a bit of a mentor to me early in Next Level’s journey when Whole Foods became our largest investor.

Our incredible Next Level team, who remain at the heart of everything we do, also deserve a huge shoutout. The energy, passion and dedication they bring to our company allows us to change the way America eats and change the expectations of what plant-based dining can be.

Pricing:

• Protein plates: $13.95-$27.95
• Burgers: $7.95-$15.95
• Bowls: $14.95-$18.95
• Shareables: $6.95-$15.95
• Shakes: $6.95-$11.45

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nextlevelvg.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/nextlevelveggiegrill
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/NextLevelVeggieGrill/

Image Credits
Menu items courtesy of Stephanie Kelly Photography. Matt and Cierra de Gruyter images courtesy of Next Level Veggie Grill.