FSR July 2023
First Course
Over the course of seven years, Fer ris has witnessed the wellness-forward brand grow from 11 locations to 43 and counting, as well as evolving from culi nary, operations, training, supply chain, and marketing perspectives. “We’re constantly changing and evolving, and we have to, especially in such a busy and crowded restaurant space, and especially in that health driven wellness space as well,” she says. For example: In April, True Food Kitchen unveiled the largest menu revamp in company history. The well ness chain debuted its new spring menu boasting more than 30 new items including burgers, pizzas, bowls, sandwiches, and more. A focus on integrating seasonal and sustainably sourced ingredients was paramount, and the brand also updated its bever age program with reimagined scratch made cocktails, refreshers, and teas. Plus, True Food Kitchen recently announced it was launching a quick service prototype, which will have some of the brand’s classic menu items but also some exclusives, like spiked slush ies. Called True Food To Go, the new model will open in Tempe, Arizona, this summer. “The goal at this location is to see if this footprint in this format really works, and we are really wholeheart edly believing that it will,” Ferris says. Looking forward, Ferris adds True Food Kitchen is launching another new menu on July 12, and in the fall of 2023, the brand will debut new “awesome” partnerships with “some big brands.” In the meantime, the brand will “bulk up on brunch” with more offerings, which it sees as a huge opportunity. “True Food is one of the brands that pioneered the world of healthy dining, but I think True Food is so much more than that,” Ferris adds. “It's extremely important to fuel your body with nutri ent-dense ingredients that make you feel great, and I think you can do that while still enjoying a pizza, or you can do that while still enjoying burrata or a burger. And that's what we want peo ple to know—that you can enjoy us at so many different levels.”
Franchise Frenzy: EGGS UP GRILL & CULVER'S Midwest favorite Culver's is making waves in the South, with visits to the Wisconsin based burger chain up 13.6 percent year over-year, and 6.8 percent compared to February 2020, according to Placer.ai . Meanwhile, South Carolina-based Eggs Up Grill has seen visits soar by nearly 30 percent since 2020, and has grown from 38 stores in 2019 to 59 locations in 2022. With a growing demand for breakfast spots at an affordable price point, Eggs Up Grill is cracking open opportu nities for eager franchisees across the country, and has a 30-unit devel opment deal in Texas already in the works.
EGGS UP GRILL
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FSRMAGAZINE.COM
JULY 2023
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