City Roots buys creator-founded vegan seafood brand Fysh Foods
What's the deal? City Roots HospitalityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the New York restaurant group led by chef Guy Vaknin, has acquired Fysh FoodsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the self-funded plant-based raw fish brand founded by creator Zoya Biglary. Terms were not disclosed.
What each side does: Founded in Los Angeles in 2022, Fysh Foods makes a raw, plant-based alternative to sushi-grade seafood — a category left largely untouched as plant-based burgers and chicken took off. City Roots runs a portfolio of plant-forward restaurants across New York City.
Why it stands out: Biglary bootstrapped Fysh Foods without a venture round, incubator, or food-industry co-founder. It grew through direct-to-consumer sales and her nearly 1.7 million social media followers.
The Shark Tank angle: Both founders are Shark Tank alumni. Biglary appeared on ABCDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s show in autumn 2024 and accepted an on-screen deal with Daniel Lubetzky, but ultimately declined the investment — keeping Fysh Foods self-funded and female-owned through the sale.
"I always treated my brand as a food company, rather than a 'food tech' company," Biglary said. "Today, those same competitors are no longer in business."
What changes? Fysh Foods will be built into City Roots' New York restaurants, with its raw plant-based fish reimagined for sit-down dining alongside existing menus.
What's the endgame? City Roots calls the deal a foundational step, citing potential plans to expand Fysh Foods beyond New York as it grows its restaurant portfolio. Specific timelines and locations were not announced.
The signal: While many creator-founded food brands have been bought by consumer-goods companies and private equity, Fysh Foods' move into a restaurant group marks one of the first times a creator-led brand has gone directly into a restaurant portfolio rather than staying in retail or e-commerce.
Read more: Business Insider
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
