Before veganism was hip and Nashville had, like, half a vegan restaurant, we turned our house, The BE Hive, into the spot. Our band, Born Empty, threw massive vegan potlucks (sometimes 80 deep) with everyone bringing homemade dishes. It was wild, it was communal, and somewhere in the chaos, we even recorded a Christmas caroling album–because why not?

Since our favorite eatery, The Wild Cow, was closed on Tuesdays, we did what any logical group of vegan foodies would do –started a weekly $10 plant-based buffet. A chunk of the cash went to a local nonprofit, some to The Wild Cow, and the rest fueled our dream. It was here that we realized people loved seitan. Like, "take my money" loved it. So The BE Hive LLC was born.

After 18 months of weekly buffets and a handshake deal for a kitchen that fell through, the partners went their separate ways, but Ben wasn’t about to call it quits. Fueled by determination (and a whole bunch of seitan), he doubled down on creating a killer line of plant-based proteins, one wheat-packed bite at a time.

Ben went full hustle mode. He started in a friend’s kitchen before leveling up to a rental space, refining the lineup along the way. It began with chorizo, filets, and bulk blocks. And then a real game-changer happened. Baja Burrito. Ben walked in, pitched the owner, and sold 60 lbs on the spot. Just like that, The BE Hive had its first big customer. And it’s never been that easy since.

Tired of bouncing between kitchens, we finally locked down our own space in East Nashville. No more borrowing, renting, or sharing. This was ours. Even better? It was connected to The East Room, a DIY venue that gave us the perfect spot to start throwing events again. With a kitchen to call home and a built-in creative hub next door, things were about to get real.

With a permanent spot, we cranked out events and expanded the lineup. Hello, pepperoni, bacon, roast beef, and sausages (RIP). The events transitioned into a Saturday deli pop-up that quickly turned into Saturdays and Sundays. Until…

We’d just signed the lease for a 7,500 sq. ft. space in Donelson when COVID hit. Panic? Maybe. But we flipped the deli into a to-go window and BOOM…lines out the door. Started with weekends, then Fridays, then five days, then seven by the end of the year. When life hands you lemons a pandemic, you turn it into a plant-based empire, right?

We thought 7,500 sq. ft. would last us a while. Turns out, not so much. Within six months, we were drowning in pallets and 53-ft trucks, completely outgrowing our space. So, in December 2021, just 18 months after moving in, we leveled up again. We bought the building, built a dock, installed an elevator, expanded our freezer space to 2,000 sq. ft., and took over the entire basement. Now? We’re rolling with 15,000 sq. ft. and zero plans of slowing down.

Now? We’re out here slinging Dope Plant Food, infiltrating restaurant menus nationwide, and smashing the “vegan food is boring” stereotype bite by bite. And trust us, we’re just getting started… so stay hungry.