WHO: WISE BOYS BURGERS

What: A plant- based burger stall on wheels.

How: The slogan ‘ Create the world you want to live in’ underpins the ethos of this budding zerowaste business which serves a menu of plantbased takeaway burgers from a food truck built out of a recycled trailer base, steel, pallets and corrugated iron. Exasperated by “the token vegetarian option” at fast food outlets, 27- year- old Auckland engineer Tim Burrows, his brother and a friend set about transforming a gap in the marketplace into a sustainable start- up business on wheels. “It was a leap of faith. We were nervous that being meat- free could isolate us in the marketplace. The response has been phenomenal.” Launched in January 2016, Wise Boys Burgers operates across markets, festivals and corporate and private events in Auckland and beyond. It steers with an eco- conscious, ethical rudder. “We’ve created a holistic business we totally believe in. People can grab a lovingly made burger, created without impacting on the environment or at the expense of animals. Our food scraps are composted and our packaging is biodegradable.” Crowdfunding has recently helped finance a partial refit of the truck kitchen to enable faster food preparation to meet demand. Wise Boys Burgers was a winner in the 2016 Sustainable Business Network’s Good Food Boost programme which partners emerging food businesses with industry mentors. wiseboys. nz