Actual Veggies Named to Inc. 5000 for Second Consecutive Year as Consumers Shift from Fake Meat to Real Food

Real-food brand is again the fastest-growing plant-based meatless company and projects $30 million in 2026 revenue

DENVER, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Actual Veggies, the food brand built around real vegetables and recognizable ingredients, has been named to the 2026 Inc. 5000. The company ranks No. 614 overall and No. 30 in Food & Beverage after delivering 561% revenue growth from 2022 through 2025.

This marks Actual Veggies' second consecutive year among the list's top 1,000 companies and its second as the fastest-growing plant-based meatless brand represented. Actual Veggies debuted at No. 561 in 2025 after posting 732% three-year growth.

The recognition validates the company's early bet. When Actual Veggies launched in more than 350 Sprouts Farmers Market stores in summer 2021, much of the plant-based industry was focused on products designed to imitate meat.

Actual Veggies took the opposite approach: thick, colorful burgers made from vegetables, legumes, grains and spices consumers could see and recognize. Its belief was simple; vegetables did not need to imitate meat to earn a place at the center of the plate.

"When we entered retail, the category was focused on fake meat. We made the opposite bet," said Hailey Swartz, Co-Founder and Co-CEO. "We believed consumers wanted real food and that vegetables could be the hero. Consumers are shifting in our direction. Being the Inc. 5000's fastest-growing plant-based meatless company for two consecutive years validates where the category is going."

Actual Veggies surpassed $20 million in revenue in 2025 and projects $30 million in 2026. Its products are available in more than 15,000 retail locations nationwide, including Whole Foods Market, Kroger, Sprouts and Albertsons.

Recent milestones include:

Launching its first organic burger this summer, a Costco-exclusive 10-count Organic Black Bean Veggie Burger across multiple Costco regions.

Expanding into family-friendly foods with vegetable-packed Dinosaur Nuggets, launched nationwide at Whole Foods Market and select Kroger banners.

Becoming the No. 1 brand by dollar sales in the entire plant-based meat category within the natural channel, according to SPINS Natural Expanded data for the four weeks ending May 17, 2026.

Earning the No. 1 position in Chowhound's August taste test of popular veggie burgers for grilling with the California Garden Veggie Burger.

"Consumers are not turning away from plant-based food—they are becoming more thoughtful about what they buy," said Swartz. "People still want convenient meatless options, but increasingly want real food and recognizable ingredients. We built Actual Veggies for this moment."

About Actual Veggies

Founded in 2020, Actual Veggies makes chef-crafted, vegetable-forward foods that make vegetables the most craveable part of the plate. Its veggie burgers, fries, tots and Dinosaur Nuggets are available at retailers and foodservice locations nationwide. Learn more at actualveggies.com.

About the Inc. 5000

The Inc. 5000 annually ranks America's fastest-growing private companies. The 2026 list measures revenue growth from 2022 through 2025. View Actual Veggies' Inc. profile.

MEDIA CONTACT: Actual Veggies Press Team | [email protected] | (818) 825-0532

SOURCE Actual Veggies