Yves Veggie Cuisine Inc. was started by Yves Potvin in 1985. Yves was born in Quebec and has traveled extensively throughout Canada and South America. In 1983 Yves biked across Canada to Vancouver on a 55 day bike trip. Working as a French chef at a restaurant in Vancouver's Kitsilano, Yves recognized the growing need for a healthy alternative to conventional fast food. He developed recipes for hotdogs and hamburgers using an all-vegetable soy-based protein in place of meat. At the age of 28, Yves started his company with $10,000 of his own money and $30,000 borrowed from family and friends. In the beginning, Yves did virtually everything by himself: packing, selling and distributing. Now, Yves products are sold in most major food stores across North America. Yves Veggie Cuisine was sold to the Hain Celestial Group in 2001.