Vegan Restaurant Chain Opening Dieppe Location
DIEPPE – Copper Branch, a “fast-casual” restaurant chain that boasts its meat-free, plant-based menu, is opening its first Atlantic Canadian location at 200 Champlain St.
Marketing director Andrew Infantino said the restaurant is under construction and will likely open “closer to mid-March.” He said opening more locations in Atlantic Canada “would definitely be the goal” this year.
“We’re excited to expose the brand to eastern Canada and hopefully have several more come perhaps later in 2019.”
Started in Montreal, Copper Branch currently has 39 locations in Quebec, Ontario and Alberta. It will open its first two locations in the U.S. early this year, as well as one in Vancouver, B.C.
“Obviously with Copper Branch, our goal is to expand across Canada nonetheless. But with Atlantic Canada, there’s an interesting opportunity that we saw. We see increased demand and limited opportunity in terms of the space that we’re in – the more healthy, casual space,” Infantino said.
Dieppe becomes the first spot for Copper Branch’s Atlantic Canadian location because developers Katie Enman and her father Jim McDonald approached the company to bring the concept to New Brunswick.
“They chose Dieppe essentially because it’s an area in which they were familiar with, it’s an area in which they’ve done business before and they were and still are in the restaurant industry,” Infantino said. “For us, it’s a start. Of course we’re interested as well in more main cities and of course, that’s key for us once we have proof of concept with this first location.”
The Dieppe restaurant will have around 40 seats in a space spanning between 1,700 and 1,900 square feet. It will have around 12 to 18 team members, including the franchise owners and part-time staff.
The menu will be the same as other Copper Branch locations, which includes power bowls, sandwiches, burgers, chilli and soups, desserts, smoothies, and organic teas and coffees, among others.
“What really sets apart Copper Branch apart is that our is entirely plant-based and vegan, so there are no animal products,” Infantino said. “And we don’t serve any products that are processed or manipulated in any way, so what we propose to the consumers is a health-conscious quality meal that’s plant-based but that also has great taste.”
The average price of meals ranges between $13 to $15, including a main item like a $9 burger or a $10 bowl, a side and a beverage.