Franchising

Yampa Sandwich Co focusing on regional growth

Photo: Yampa

July 23, 2024

Born 25 years ago in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Yampa Sandwich Co. has grown to eight stores and is ready to expand its footprint across the southwestern United States. Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer David Pepin expects to add up to 20 restaurants over the next several years in Colorado, Arizona, Texas and Utah.

"Our mission at Yampa Sandwich Co. has always been to elevate the sandwich experience by infusing it with creativity, quality, and passion," he said in a company press release. "People love Yampa and we're excited to begin delighting even more customers with great tasting food that satisfies the soul."

Pepin, a native New Englander and avid outdoorsman, visited his high school friend, Peter Boniface, in 1998 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The duo grew up together surfing and working in hospitality. As they explored outdoor activities in the Yampa Valley, they quickly realized that the area lacked a good sandwich shop. In 1999, they opened the first Yampa Sandwich Co.

"We had a blast serving hearty provisions to guide services, to fuel them up for their day-long journeys," Pepin said. "Word got out and our delicious sandwiches now serve everyone from weekend warriors to workday professionals and families."

"We chose the name Yampa in honor of the Yampa River that flows through Steamboat Springs. It's a tribute to the town where we got our start and the adventures that inspired us to open shop in the first place," Boniface said.

Yampa locations are open for breakfast, lunch or early evening meals. Catering and box lunches are popular with outdoor adventure enthusiasts, executives and office workers.

"We don't just make sandwiches. We feed the adventures of everyday life, whether that's hiking the great peaks or getting through that afternoon meeting," Pepin said. "Yampa Sandwich company fuels people's bodies, minds and lives. Once someone visits Yampa, they quickly become lifelong fans."

Yampa Sandwich Co. is seeking multi-unit operators with what Pepin calls "the heart of an adventurer." Including a franchise fee of $45,000, the total initial investment to open a 1,500-2,500 square-foot Yampa restaurant with seating for at least 30 guests ranges from $484,670 to $630,970.