Franchising

Pokemoto ramping up franchise expansion

Provided

August 18, 2021

Pokemoto, a14-unit Hawaiian poke chain owned by Muscle Maker Inc., is ramping up its franchising efforts to expand in the northeast and beyond.

The chain, which is now in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Georgia, has signed an agreement for three locations in Hampshire County Massachusetts; specifically, the towns of Northampton, Amherst and Hadley, which will increase the overall footprint by 21%, according to a company press release.

The towns boast a heavy collegiate presence, which is a demographic focal point for the Pokemoto real estate team. Pokemoto already has university locations near Yale University, Fairfield University, University of Connecticut Stamford, University of New Haven, Southern Connecticut State College, Quinnipiac University and Franklin Pierce University, Mike Roper, Muscle Maker Inc. CEO, said in the release.

"One of the goals of the Pokemoto acquisition was to expand with the goal of increasing our traditional and non-traditional footprint and in turn, accelerating our top line sales, and here we are 90 days in, with a three-unit deal signed," he said. "We are in the process of integrating Pokemoto into existing and new Muscle Maker Grill locations to run dual brands in areas that are targeting Millennial and Gen-Z demographics.

"We believe our added buying power, expertise in franchising and site selection, operations and marketing and additional resources such as adding a robust tech solution completed the package to bolster Pokemoto's franchising program."

The "build your own" bowl, burrito or salad model is attractive to prospective franchisees for multiple reasons including low start-up costs, smaller footprint, minimal cooking and the ability to serve guests quickly in a linear fashion, Roper said.

"Guests want delicious, high-quality cuisine and they want it fast," he said. "Pokemoto is here to deliver in our restaurants via our contactless kiosks or on the go."