Slutty Vegan Founder Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Edited by The VEGPRENEUR Team

Aisha “Pinky” Cole, founder of Slutty Vegan, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as the Atlanta based plant based restaurant chain faces nearly $1.4 million in debt.

Court filings show the company owes approximately $1.2 million to the U.S. Small Business Administration and $192,000 to the Georgia Department of Revenue. The SBA debt is tied to a loan issued through the federal government’s COVID-era Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

The next step in the bankruptcy proceedings is a teleconference scheduled for March 12. A proposed reorganization plan is due by June 12.

Rapid Rise and Expansion

Slutty Vegan began as a food truck in Atlanta in 2018 and quickly developed a national profile. The brand built momentum through bold marketing, celebrity support, and highly visible grand openings that often drew long lines.

At its peak, the company expanded to 14 locations, though several stores have since closed. The brand became one of the most recognized names in plant-based fast casual dining in the Southeast.

In August, a landlord for two of the company’s Edgewood Avenue locations filed a lawsuit claiming more than $87,000 in unpaid rent, late fees, and interest, according to court documents.

Debt Breakdown

The bankruptcy filing outlines two primary obligations:

• $1.2 million owed to the U.S. Small Business Administration related to a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan

• $192,000 owed to the Georgia Department of Revenue in state taxes

The EIDL program was widely used by hospitality businesses during pandemic shutdowns to offset revenue losses and maintain payroll and operating expenses.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy allows a company to continue operating while restructuring its debt under court supervision, rather than liquidating assets under Chapter 7.

Media Spotlight

The filing comes shortly after Cole announced she will join the upcoming season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Slutty Vegan remains one of the most high-profile plant-based restaurant brands to emerge in the past decade, and the Chapter 11 filing marks a significant development for the company as it moves into a court-supervised restructuring process.

Further details are expected to emerge following the March bankruptcy hearing and the submission of the company’s restructuring plan in June.