With his $70,000,000 Venture Scaling Up, Lewis Hamilton Sends a 5-Word Welcome Message as Proof of His Philanthropy

Is there anything better for a restaurant that has the brilliant “0% Cow, 100% Wow” as its slogan? There’s one thing, and it is to be backed by one of the most famous athletes in the world, who also has a plant-based diet himself: Lewis Hamilton. Yes, Mercedes’s driver backs the Neat Burger chain, which is rapidly expanding across the globe. And now it has set foot in the United States, in New York.

The Briton shared the update on the new outlet opened in New York City, on his Instagram story. His friend and another backer of the brand, the Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio, made it possible. Previously, the venture, worth around $70 million, started serving in London and Dubai. Reports suggest that the brand promoting vegan food and desserts is now eyeing a launch in Italy.

As per F1 Briefings, Hamilton, in a press release, said, “The response to Neat Burger since we opened has been incredible. I’m really proud of the boundaries we have been able to push in this space and the plans for expansion are really exciting.”

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On his Instagram story, Lewis Hamilton shared the burger from the outlet while sharing his message: “come by and say hi” as a testimony of his commitment to the cause. The New York outlet of the brand opened in Manhattan on April 17th.

In the past, he has voiced his opinion on animal rights and been an advocate of meat-free diets. The Mercedes star made the investment in the brand in 2021, when it raised $7 million at a valuation of $70 million, making him one of the early backers.

Lewis Hamilton making a fortune away from F1

Lewis Hamilton had been the highest-paid driver in F1 until Max Verstappen got a massive paycheck boost in his last season. But this has stopped the Briton from making a fortune elsewhere. He has slowly expanded his portfolio away from F1 and now has his hands in other sports and businesses.

Reported to be worth nearly $300 million, Hamilton has expanded his investments to Extreme-E racing as well as owning a small stake in the NFL team Denver Broncos. Plus, he has his +44 clothing brand and investments in vegan companies such as Neat Burger and the online grocery app Zapp. All of these ventures reportedly earned Lewis an additional $8 million, apart from his over $50 million in salary.

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Certainly, he has clear plans laid out for his time after Formula 1. With his activism, the driver holds real power to make changes for the better.