Protein Bar & Kitchen opened a store with a new design, an 1,800-square-foot restaurant with seating for 50 and a separate area inside for digital order pickups and third-party delivery, in Northbrook, Illinois, in June.
With a new prototype store design completed and an aggressive plan in place to open stores of various sizes—some of them in nontraditional, high-traffic venues such as colleges, hospitals and major airports—Protein Bar & Kitchen is ready to franchise, CEO Jeff Drake said.
The only thing missing now is franchisees willing to make the $395,000 to $685,000 initial investment in the Chicago-based, healthy food brand. Drake, the president and CEO, however, is confident Protein Bar & Kitchen will not have much difficulty finding qualified operators.
With a streamlined kitchen equipment package and low build out costs and flexible footprints, and with average unit sales volumes of nearly $1.2 million, according to the company’s website, Drake is confident Protein Bar is going to be an easy sell.
“We put out a soft announcement about our franchising launch just last week and we’re already getting a lot of interest,” Drake said.
Jeff Drake, CEO of Protein Bar & Kitchen
Protein Bar & Kitchen currently has 12 corporate restaurants in the Chicago market. The brand opened a store with a new design, an 1,800-square-foot restaurant with seating for 50 and a separate area inside for digital order pickups and third-party delivery, in Northbrook, Illinois, in June. The company has locations scheduled to open in Salt Lake City International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport by February 2024.
It is all part of Protein Bar’s plan to open 100 stores in the next three to four years mainly through franchising, Drake said. The brand’s growth in travel, education and healthcare venues will primarily come through a combination of licensing and franchising, he added. The fast-casual brand is focusing its franchising growth plans in the Midwest and sees the opportunity to add a dozen franchised locations to its Chicago base.
“Finally, after the pause of the pandemic, we are really well positioned,” said Drake. “It was really important for us to get everything lined up for franchising, including opening our prototype store that showcases our new expression of the brand and to update our franchise disclosure documents and to get our dine-in, carry-out, delivery, mobile app for online ordering and catering customer experience lined up just right.
“We believe we can compete really well in the better-for-you fast-casual space,” he said.
Founded in 2009 by Matt Matros out of a small storefront in downtown Chicago, Protein Bar & Kitchen began by serving “fast fuel” power shakes. Following a majority stake purchase by private equity firm Catterton Partners in 2013 and Drake’s arrival in 2017, the menu was expanded to include high-protein salads, wraps, burritos and bowls that Drake said the public, especially younger folks, are now clamoring for.
Drake points to the brand’s success at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital in downtown Chicago and at Northwestern University Henry Crown Sports Pavilion in Evanston, Illinois, as proof of that growing interest in health-focused meals.
“When COVID hit and the pandemic temporary closed the 18 or so restaurants that are in the hospital, the staff asked specially to keep us and Panera open. We were the only ones that got that request,” he said.
Protein Bar & Kitchen is scheduled to open three airport locations— in Salt Lake City International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport— by February 2024.
Drake, who prior to joining Protein Bar in 2017 was president at Le Duff America and Forklift Brands, has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Along with the prospect for franchising growth in urban settings for his healthy food brand, he is excited about the potential for success in the three major airports they are about to debut in.
“I used to travel a lot and I used to joke that finding something to eat in an airport that wasn’t trying to kill me was incredibly difficult,” he said. “The reality is we are perfect for airports. We can execute on providing a healthy power meal or snack throughout the day; basically, a nutritious and delicious drinkable meal that travels well.”