Franchising
Oakberry driving growth with racecar driver-turned-franchisee
February 27, 2024
Oakberry has made its debut in Copenhagen, bringing acai bowls and smoothies to Denmark for the first time with the help of master franchisee Kevin Magnussen, MoneyGram Haas F1 Team driver.
With Oakberry just surpassing its 100th location in Europe, Magnussen aims to continue the brand's growth by opening additional locations in Denmark throughout the year. The chain should hit nearly 1,000 global units by year's end while tripling its European footprint by 2026, said Oakberry CEO Georgios Frangulis.
"We couldn't be more thrilled to work with Kevin to continue expanding our presence in the European market," he said in a company press release. "After Oakberry was named the official acai sponsor for the MoneyGram Haas F1 team, Kevin fell in love with our brand and products. During the 2023 Miami Race, he told me I needed to open an Oakberry in Copenhagen so he could eat his favorite acai bowl every day. Much to the surprise of everyone in the room, I told him he should open the location himself, and the rest is history."
In addition to expanding in Scandinavia, the brand is continuing to execute its growth plans with master franchisee deals in France and in the Netherlands, while rapidly increasing its footprint in London. The European expansion comes on the heels of raising $67 million through a Series C funding round that will fuel growth plans in the United States and have the brand on its way to becoming a global icon.
"This project is a reality because I personally love Oakberry's product, Magnussen said in the release. "I'm always busy and am often looking for a healthy yet delicious alternative to fast food. Oakberry is the solution for that, and I am so excited to partner with the brand to bring their acai to Scandinavia for the first time," said Kevin Magnussen. "My go-to order is The OAK acai bowl with peanut butter, coconut flakes, chia seeds, granola, banana, strawberry and kiwi."
To round out the partnership, Magnussen will wear an Oakberry-inspired helmet design featuring the brand's colors and its macaw during the 2024 season.
Oakberry will also sponsor the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team for a second consecutive year,
Oakberry was founded in Brazil in 2016 by Georgios Frangulis and Renato Haidar and has over 700 locations across 40 countries.
