Kevin Cochran, CEO & Founder of Jackie Mays Grill

My name is Kevin Cochran, and perhaps like you, I grew up eating meat and potatoes and occasional vegetables. But today I consider myself a flexitarian. I am working my way to be 100% plant-based because of climate change and my love for animals, and because of all the health benefits. It is a big cultural shift and a slow process. I also intend to preach what I practice, as the famous investor Steve Jurvetson would say. To be clear, however, I'm NOT preaching that you should go 100% plant-based, I'm only preaching that the world needs a better fast food alternative.

I got my start in the restaurant business as a dish washer at Alhambra Fuel & Transportation here in Sacramento and went on to bus and wait tables for many restaurants in Santa Barbara, Denver, Santa Ana, and Newport Beach. I had the pleasure to work in some of the finest dining establishments such as the Metropolitan Club and Center Club, as well as high-traffic dine-in restaurants such as the Old Spaghetti Factory and Elephant Bar. And I was the first GM and a member of the original team at Freebirds World Burrito, a fast-casual chain now of about 75 stores; and subsequently served as the company's advertising manager and later as a real estate project manager.

After having given up the food business two decades ago for the high tech world, and working in clean tech the last ten, I am now working on my newest venture Jackie Mays. After nicknames of my wife and son, Jackie Mays is also a subtle tribute to Jackie Robinson and Willy Mays for breaking barriers. I have had the good fortune to be trained at top universities in the US and Europe, and earn a Masters Degree in business administration. I currently serve as a director on the board of the Sustainability Management Association. A through-line in my career has been a personal passion to combat climate change. You can read more about this on my BLOG at www.sustainabilityX.com and also look me up on LinkedIn.

This restaurant concept brings my restaurant, technology, and sustainability background together with a mission to transform the fast-food dining experience. As you may be aware, we are at the beginning of a food revolution where protein products now come from alternative and better sources. So in addition to great tasting, convenient, and low-priced fast food, our products will also be climate-friendly and cruelty-free.

Team and Advisors

We are honored to have the following exceptional individuals on our team:

Paul Shapiro, CEO of The Better Meat Co., author of the national bestselling Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World, a four-time TEDx speaker, and host of the Business for Good Podcast. View Paul's LinkedIn Profile. (Jackie Mays Business & Product Advisor)

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Armen Najarian, CMO and Chief Identity Officer of Agari. View Armen's LinkedIn Profile. (Jackie Mays Marketing & Brand Advisor)

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Raul Mandujano, Director of Restaurant Operations at South Restaurant, Food Supervisor for Merryhill Schools. View Raul's LinkedIn Profile. (Jackie Mays Restaurant Advisor)

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Miles Hoffman, Sustainability Specialist at Premier Members Credit Union, Former Chief Ecosystem Officer of REV Sustainability. View Miles' LinkedIn Profile. (Jackie Mays Sustainability Advisor)

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"Wow, that's awesome!"

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What exactly is your restaurant concept?
We are working hard to open the first-of-its kind fast food restaurant that has drive-thru and a similarly-low-priced menu, like the big fast food chains. However, unlike these chains, we’ll have only 100% plant-based food that is as tasty but is also indistinguishable to original fast food, healthier, climate-friendly, cruelty-free, and accessible to everyone.

Our mission is to become the leading sustainable fast food brand. We envision using leading technologies to create the most convenient fast-food experience ever. Our restaurants will be powered by clean energy with the goal to be zero-net-energy buildings.

Our restaurants will be sustainable, and will be minority-owned by the communities they serve. Once we’re up and running, one percent of the proceeds from Jackie Mays restaurants will go to the Jackie Mays Foundation to support youth causes. Jackie Mays will also have a subtle Americana nostalgic professional baseball theme.

How is Jackie Mays different than the other plant-based restaurants I’ve heard about?
Jackie Mays will be less expensive like fast food. The other plant-based concepts are primarily fast-casual restaurants which typically have more variety, but have higher prices and are not as convenient.

Why are you crowdfunding to start a restaurant?
We’re crowdfunding to raise awareness and excitement in the Sacramento community and beyond. By building our base of followers we can prove initial demand to our prospective investors.

Crowdfunding is often used as a way to rally a community as well as international interest groups around a cause or public good. Our causes are to combat climate change and to promote animal welfare, in addition to promoting healthier diets and social justice.

Won’t you need more than $20,000 to open your restaurant?
It’s true, we’ll need more than $20,000, but raising money to open our first restaurant is not our goal. Crowdfunding is our first step to build awareness. The plant-based market is growing rapidly and there is high interest in new plant-based companies. We’re in touch with several investors in preparation for our next step of opening our first restaurant.

Why is it important that I support your campaign?
We can’t start this venture without you. That means if we can’t receive enough pledges, it will make it difficult to open our first restaurant right here in Sacramento.

The fast food industry has one of the worst records of sustainability of any industry. Everyday about 50 million people eat at fast food restaurants in the US that serve mostly unhealthy food, inflict harm on the environment, and disregard animal welfare. Fast food restaurants are concentrated in vulnerable communities of low-incomes which creates harmful consequences for people.

We are assembling a team of leading food, sustainability, and brand experts, many of whom have built multi-unit restaurants. And we’re crowdfunding to raise awareness of our movement and excitement in our vision. So let’s help change the world together! Won’t you consider joining us with your pledge of only a dollar or more? Together we can break new barriers with Jackie Mays!

When you say Jackie Mays will be 100% plant-based, do you mean it will be a vegan restaurant chain?
Yes we do. We don't use the word "vegan" because it has negative connotations. We are appealing to animal-meat lovers and vegans alike. (And animal-meat lovers, we promise you won't notice a difference.)

Jackie Mays will always only serve cruelty-free foods; and that means, no meat from slaughtered animals or no dairy from living animals.

We will also make it perfectly clear to our customers if we ever introduce and sell food made with cultivated (clean) meats grown from animal cells or dairy products made without animals.

Do I pay anything when I make a pledge?
No, you're not charged anything for making a pledge. You only are charged the amount of your pledge after the campaign ends AND if our campaign reaches the $20,000 funding goal. Otherwise, you don't pay anything no matter how much you pledge.

To make a pledge today, just sign up with a credit card here on Ulule. The amount will be held on your card until the campaign ends. And if you like, you can remain anonymous.

Thank you for considering making a pledge. We appreciate your support, and every dollar really counts!

"It's meat." JM: It's meat made from plants. "It is? Really?!"

Jackie Mays Club Memberships

Jackie Mays Free Membership includes:

Receive a Jackie Mays Club Card to pay for purchases (by adding cash or connecting your credit card or bank)
Earn reward points for every purchase, redeemable for food and merchandise
Refer each new guest for a Jackie Mays membership and earn reward points worth one Cheeseburger
Free monthly e-newsletter with news and promotions
Terms apply, such as non-transferable, non-refundable, cancel anytime, terms subject to change, etc.

Jackie Mays Standard Membership costs $5/month and includes:

Receive a Jackie Mays Club Card to pay for purchases (by adding cash or connecting your credit card or bank)
Earn reward points worth one Cheeseburger every month (redeemable immediately and valid for 90 days)
Earn reward points for every purchase, redeemable for food and merchandise
Refer each new guest for a Jackie Mays membership and earn reward points worth one Cheeseburger
$10 loyalty coupon at the end of every year for merchandise purchase, valid for 12 months
Free monthly e-newsletter with news and promotions
Terms apply, such as non-transferable, non-refundable, cancel anytime, terms subject to change, etc.
Jackie Mays Lifetime Standard Membership Price: $1,992 (half price for seniors 65+)

Jackie Mays Premier Membership costs $15/month and includes:

Receive a Jackie Mays Club Card to pay for purchases (by adding cash or connecting your credit card or bank)
Earn reward points worth one Value Meal every month (redeemable immediately and valid for 90 days)
Earn reward points for every purchase, redeemable for food and merchandise
Refer each new guest for a Jackie Mays membership and earn reward points worth one Cheeseburger
$25 loyalty coupon at the end of every year for merchandise purchase, valid for 12 months
Free monthly e-newsletter with news and promotions
Terms apply, such as non-transferable, non-refundable, cancel anytime, terms subject to change, etc.
Jackie Mays Lifetime Premier Membership Price: $5,976 (half price for seniors 65+)

Jackie Mays Burger Grill

Jackie Mays Burger Grill