Formula One star Lewis Hamilton is revving up the environmentally-conscious food market by opening a new chain of vegan burger restaurants.
The 34-year-old said the first eatery in the Neat Burger chain would open in London on September 2.
Hamilton, who gave up meat about two years ago, said the restaurant would sell plant-based burgers among other items.
“Today we announce the launch of Neat Burger, a plant-based restaurant chain with a commitment to ethical practices and being kinder to our world,” the five-times world champion wrote on Facebook (NASDAQ:FB).
“I’m so excited to be part of this company, which aims to revolutionise the way we view meat-free food.”
Other investors in the British driver's chain include Italian entrepreneur and UNICEF ambassador Tommaso Chiabra, a backer of US-based plant-based protein company Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND).
Livestock is a major driver of climate change — accounting for nearly 15% of greenhouse gas emissions — while producing meat uses land and water less efficiently than crops, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Increasingly many environmentalists are placing their hopes in greener alternatives for carnivores such as plant-based food.
Hamilton is the star of a sport that has a huge carbon footprint, including the emissions of the vehicles themselves and the moving of the teams around the world.