Kitchen 17, known for its award-winning vegan deep dish pizzas (voted #2 in the nation in VegOut Magazine’s 2021 awards) is expanding by moving its nationwide shipping operation to Indiana.
Vegan Deep Dish Pizza That Ships Nationwide
2020 was a tough year for the restaurant industry and Kitchen 17 owner Jennie Plasterer, a pioneer in vegan food, creatively found a way to not only save her restaurant and keep her staff employed, but also to pivot and expand her business by transforming the Chicago eatery into a full-fledged production facility, launching “the original vegan deep dish frozen pizza.”
Plans for the Future
Plasterer unveiled the plans for expansion with the launch of an IndieGoGo campaign—in collaboration with Smiley Face Media, a full-service media production company founded by her sister Lorry Plasterer-Amieva and brother-in-law Rick Amieva.
Kitchen 17 will renovate the historical Herald Press building in Huntington, IN, equipping it with a food production and distribution facility, a new rooftop, urban farming solutions, a prep kitchen, photo and video production studios, and a restaurant, bar, and special events space in the old newsroom. The 25,000 square foot facility will house the company’s headquarters, creating more than 64 jobs for the city, and will feature a retail tasting room, complete with outdoor dining and more.
A Mission-Driven Business
Plasterer’s passion for animals and the environment runs deep (she went vegan at six years old) and her vision has never been limited to pizza, with a master plan to bring healthy, fresh, delicious plant-based foods to all the hard-to-reach places (small towns, public schools, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.).
How You Can Help
Kitchen 17 is also giving their foodie fans an opportunity to be a part of this expansion by donating to the campaign in exchange for perks like vegan cheesecake, gourmet vegan charcuterie, frozen vegan pizza packs, and even custom artwork by Plasterer herself.
