What began as a personal health experiment has grown into a national plant-based brand. Jason Rosenbaum, CEO and co-founder of Actual Veggies, turned a homemade veggie burger recipe into products now sold in more than 10,000 stores, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Wegmans. Through disciplined focus, strategic partnerships, and innovative product development, Rosenbaum and his team have scaled a side hustle into a thriving business.
Joining us on the latest episode of The Small Business Show, Rosenbaum, dissatisfied with processed plant-based options, wanted a true veggie burger made with real vegetables, beans, and spices, colorful, flavorful, and ready to cook in under 10 minutes.
The company began as a side hustle during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Rosenbaum and co-founders Haley and Alex devoted extra time to handcrafting samples and refining the product. Initial funding came from Big Idea Ventures, a strategic investor specializing in plant-based startups, which provided both capital and guidance for navigating the food and beverage industry. Rosenbaum personally invested his own money and went over a year without drawing a salary, demonstrating early commitment and risk-taking.
Actual Veggies’ first major order came unexpectedly through QVC, where it sold more than $100,000 worth of veggie burgers in the first three minutes of airing. The brand soon partnered with Sprouts Market, rolling out products to more than 400 stores. Early investors were instrumental in helping the team establish a production facility capable of large-scale manufacturing, avoiding typical small-kitchen constraints and enabling rapid growth.
Over five years, the company has raised roughly $12 million in venture funding, including a Series A round, with an eventual goal of acquisition by a larger strategic buyer. Rosenbaum emphasizes that strategic investment, such as money coupled with industry expertise, was critical to scaling efficiently and meeting the demands of national retail distribution.
Rosenbaum and his team continue to develop new products, including kid-focused offerings, but remain focused on expanding core categories and retailer partnerships rather than pursuing new ventures, such as vegetable-based buns, too early.
“You just have to be open-minded and understand that there’s going to be multiple ways to do something… and something that might have worked for someone five years ago isn’t necessarily going to work today.”
While actual veggies sells products to thousands of restaurants, the company has no plans for standalone brick-and-mortar locations, though pop-up concepts are possible. Rosenbaum notes that maintaining focus on the brand’s most successful products is key to sustaining growth and customer trust.
Notably, Rosenbaum’s journey underscores several lessons for early-stage entrepreneurs:
- Start with personal insight and identify unmet market needs.
- Strategic investors offering mentorship and industry knowledge are as valuable as capital.
- Focus on core products and scale thoughtfully rather than chasing every new idea.
- Entrepreneurship requires patience, risk tolerance, and adaptability.
Actual veggies demonstrates how disciplined focus, strategic partnerships, and customer trust can transform a side hustle into a thriving national brand in a competitive industry.
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