By Staff Reporter | NewsAmericasNow.com
News Americas, MIAMI, FL, Weds. June 10, 2026: During Caribbean American Heritage Month, few stories capture the spirit of Caribbean immigrant entrepreneurship quite like that of Khadejah Davis and Jamel Douglas – the Jamaican immigrant duo who have quietly built one of the most remarkable franchise empires in American business.
First-generation entrepreneurs. Multi-million dollar operators. History makers. Twice over. Davis and Douglas made history as the first US franchise owners of Juici Patties – the iconic Jamaican fast-food chain founded in May Pen, Clarendon, Jamaica in 1980 by a 16-year-old entrepreneur named Jukie Chin. Now they are making history again as the first-ever franchisees of Slutty Vegan – the Atlanta-based plant-based burger chain that has become one of America’s most talked-about food brands.
The Juici Patties Story
When Juici Patties began its expansion into Florida, Davis and Douglas stepped forward – and changed Caribbean food history in the United States. Their flagship location in Lauderhill, South Florida – at 5419 N University Drive – generated over $1 million in sales in just 90 days, according to reporting on their launch. A Brooklyn, New York location in Flatbush followed – bringing authentic Jamaican patties to one of the largest Caribbean diaspora communities in the United States.
The business partnership was built on deep cultural roots and market knowledge. Davis is a restaurateur of Jamaican descent with previous experience operating a Jamaican cuisine restaurant. Douglas – also Jamaican-born – owns an accounting and insurance firm and has been a lifelong Juici Patties devotee.
“It’s not just a venture of the heart, we’re very familiar with the market and know that patties are a must-have in Florida,” Douglas told Our Today, as quoted in the publication.
Their success is part of a broader Juici Patties expansion plan targeting 40 new locations across Florida. The pair plan to add four more Juici Patties restaurants to their growing portfolio.
Now – Slutty Vegan
Having conquered Jamaican patties in America, Davis and Douglas are now turning their franchise expertise to plant-based burgers. Atlanta-based Slutty Vegan has signed franchise agreements with the duo to operate new locations in Atlanta and Washington DC – adding experienced multi-unit operators to the brand’s expanding network as it grows beyond its Georgia roots.
Slutty Vegan founder and CEO Aisha “Pinky” Cole Hayes – who recently joined the cast of Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta – was deliberate in her selection of franchisees.
“Atlanta is where Slutty Vegan was born, and we’re planting deeper roots here while establishing our presence in DC,” Cole Hayes said, as quoted in the franchise announcement. “I was intentional about partnering with operators who understand our business and the culture because this is bigger than the burgers. We’re creating opportunity, legacy and proving what’s possible when you never give up.”
The road to this moment has not been without turbulence for Slutty Vegan itself. Cole Hayes temporarily lost ownership of the business in early 2025 following significant cash-flow pressures before reacquiring the company through restructuring. The franchise expansion with Davis and Douglas represents the brand’s most visible growth move since that period.
Khadejah Davis – More Than A Franchisee
Davis’s story is one of the most extraordinary in Caribbean-American entrepreneurship – and it extends far beyond the restaurant industry.
A former registered nurse turned entrepreneur, Davis holds a BFA in Acting from the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston, Jamaica – the first and only performing arts college of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean. She wrote, produced, and starred in the acclaimed one-woman show SHADE – which explored her Jamerican identity and the challenges of growing up Jamaican-born in America – performing it at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival.
She has since authored the Multipreneur’s Playbook and works as a franchise coach helping other women build wealth through business ownership. From registered nurse to playwright to multi-million dollar franchise operator – Davis is the embodiment of what Caribbean Heritage Month exists to celebrate.
A Legacy Of Firsts
Together, Davis and Douglas have built what they describe as a legacy of firsts – and they show no signs of stopping.
First US Juici Patties franchisees. First Slutty Vegan franchisees. Multi-state operators. Multi-million dollar revenue. And a broader mission to prove that Caribbean immigrant entrepreneurs can build generational wealth through franchising. For the Caribbean diaspora watching from New York, South Florida, Atlanta, and beyond – their story is both inspiration and instruction. The empire, as they put it, has just begun.