If all goes according to plan, The Juice Shop Kitchen & Juicery will be the next New York City-based eatery to start franchising in Fairfield County.
“It”™s something we have been thinking about for a few years now,” said co-founder Eli Halali. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to bring our nutritious food and beverage offerings to guests in new markets, and Fairfield has a number of towns where we believe The Juice Shop will be received well.
“We will also benefit from the synergy created by Fairfield”™s close proximity to New York City,” Halali added. “Many Fairfield County residents who work in New York City have reached out to us about how lucrative a Juice Shop would be in their town.”
Established in 2014, The Juice Shop offers not only juices and smoothies ”” the latter of which can feature kale, spinach, chia and hemp seeds, and nutrient-rich spirulina ”” but also salads, toasts and bowls of the acai, kale and poké varieties.
“What separates us is the food,” Halali said. “Where other juice-centric concepts look at food as an auxiliary category, we offer chef-driven items that are both healthy and delicious.”
The firm has signed with Fransmart as its exclusive franchising partner to expand across the country. Fransmart is credited with helping to grow the likes of Five Guys Burgers & Fries, The Halal Guys and Qdoba Mexican Grill from their respective beginnings in Arlington, Virginia, Manhattan and Denver.
“At a time when healthy fast casuals are exploding, The Juice Shop hits on all of the moment”™s most sought-after items: salads, smoothies, acai bowls and fresh juices,” said Fransmart President and CEO Dan Rowe.
“In addition to being attractive to consumers,” Rowe continued, “The Juice Shop is ideal for franchisees looking for a concept that has over $1 million in average unit sales, average store size approximately 550-600 square feet, an inexpensive build out, lower cost conversions and higher franchisee returns on investment.”
The franchise fee for The Juice Shop is $30,000. The minimum liquid capital to invest is $250,000 while the required minimum net worth is $500,000.
The concept operates six corporate-owned locations in New York City, including Brooklyn, and Short Hills, New Jersey.
Within Fairfield County, Halali identified Bridgeport, Danbury, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan and Westport as focal points. “We would consider any town in Fairfield for The Juice Shop as long as the real estate and operator conform with our standards.”
Halali declined to specify how many stores could ultimately open in the county, though he said he expects to begin announcing franchisees next year.
If and when it does set up here, The Juice Shop will be the latest Manhattan-based eatery to expand to the county. Mexicue, which started life as a food truck before evolving into a restaurant chain, opened its first Connecticut store in February at Stamford”™s Harbor Point, while the Mediterranean-themed Hummus & Pita Co. opened its first Connecticut location in Brookfield in August. Boulder, Colorado-based Rush Bowls, another chain promising nutritious fruit bowls and acai bowls, has reportedly been considering a move into the Nutmeg State, although no official announcements have been made.
Hi : is it kosher?
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