Freshii, a fast casual health food restaurant headquartered in Chicago, will be opening five outlets in Westchester and Fairfield counties, the first by the end of the year.
The restaurant, which started in Toronto and now has 50 locations in four countries, signed a deal with EJB Ventures, owned by Jonathan Blob, a former hedge fund portfolio manager who specialized in restaurant investments.
Blob said the first eatery would probably be in Greenwich,Conn., with The Westchester Mall in White Plains a possible second location because the food court there is set to be redone. Other towns in the running are Westport, Fairfield and New Canaan in Connecticut, and Scarsdale, Rye and Rye Brook in Westchester.
A Westport outlet would likely be on Post Road and another eatery on Elm Street in New Canaan. In Westchester, the restaurants will probably be in shopping centers, Blob said. In Rye and Rye Brook, he said, he has seen “nothing I”™d jump at yet.”
Cushman & Wakefield is evaluating sites for the restaurants.
“During my 10 years in the financial industry I met with the management teams and analyzed the vast majority of publicly traded restaurant companies as well as several private concepts,” he said. “It gave me great insight into how the leading management teams run their businesses and interact with their consumers.”
Fransmart is Freshii”™s franchise development partner. It has launched franchise programs for Five Guys Burgers and Fries and zpizza.
“Fast casual sales will continue to outpace the restaurant industry, primarily full-service dining,” Blob said. “Additionally, there (is) a lack of healthy eating options in Westchester and Fairfield counties, I just haven”™t seen a lot of them.” He said Freshii will serve what he called “superfoods,” such as kale- and quinoa-based salads. The menu includes not only salads, but burritos, wraps, rice bowls, yogurts and soups in a “build your own” setting. Freshii refers to the atmosphere in its restaurants as “fast, fun, hip and environmentally sustainable.”
Freshii will be opening more outlets in other countries as well ”“ four in Canada and five in Sweden. It already has stores in the United Arab Emirates, Canada and Austria.
