A. NHL Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg is helping bring Eggs Inc. to the United States. B. Swedish entrepreneurs Glenn and Elisabet Eriksson are the founders of Eggs Inc. C. Chef and Eggs Inc. partner Troy Guard wants to establish the brand in Denver.
A Denver-based chef and an NHL Hall of Famer have teamed up with a group of investors to introduce a new egg concept that goes beyond breakfast.
Swedish entrepreneurs Elisabet and Glenn Eriksson launched Eggs Included, aka Eggs Inc., in 2019 in Stockholm. From the start, their goal was to partner with American developers and establish a presence in the United States. They found their business associate in chef Troy Guard, who’s bringing the brand to the U.S. via his Tag Restaurant Group.
Joining Guard in the venture is two-time Olympic gold medalist Peter Forsberg, an NHL Hall of Famer who helped the Colorado Avalanche win two Stanley Cup titles. Forsberg, who’s Swedish, was the first to uncover Eggs Inc. and introduced it to his business partners back in Colorado.
Glenn Eriksson said they first met with Forsberg while being featured in a documentary film. As they later talked about their egg-centric establishment, Forsberg said it was exactly the type of restaurant he was looking for.
“When I played hockey, I could eat a kilo of pasta, but that doesn’t really happen anymore,” Forsberg said. “I had been wanting to find something else I could eat without that many carbs and Glenn and Elisabet introduced me to their business, and it ticked a lot of boxes.”
Forsberg not only became a quick fan of the various egg dishes, but also felt the concept could work in the U.S., especially Colorado, where he spent most of his career.
“I figured it would be a good fit here,” Forsberg said. “Eggs are popular, the food is good and the system they’ve built is great.”
To introduce the brand in the U.S., Forsberg contacted Guard’s business partner, John Zakhem, who in turn was able to get the chef involved.
“About a year and a half ago, John shared information about Eggs Inc. and eventually we were able to make the trip over there to try it,” Guard said. “I was a little hesitant because Americans, quite honestly, think breakfast when we say ‘eggs.’ But the Erikssons shared with us how the menu items are more than breakfast.”
Elisabet Eriksson, who also launched and grew European coffee chain Espresso House to 450 units, said Eggs Inc. originated because fast-casual options in Sweden were slim to none.
“The only things available were typical QSRs or options without much protein,” she said. “We wanted something available that you could get quick and have it be really healthy. We also wanted to change how people think about eggs, that it’s not just for breakfast and lunch.”
Guard said their efforts has been successful, coming up with innovative menu items such as an egg pizza and offering a great vibe.
“I loved the vibrant and fresh look of the brand,” Guard said. “It’s the type of place you can see people in their 20s having a meal with wine at 8 o’clock. Then you look at the kitchen, and Glenn and Elisabet have created one for quick turnaround times while keeping food fresh.”
The fresh food is expected to first hit Denver at restaurant pop-up events where customers can sample dishes and provide feedback. From there, Zakhem said the next step is getting three to four corporate stores opened.
“Once we get the concept open and have it humming along really well, then we can start looking at franchises,” Zakhem said. “We want to open the initial locations in the next two to three years, get the processes down, and then we’ll be able to really expand quickly.”
Guard said the team is doing site selection now and he has confidence Denver will be the right market to begin the brand’s U.S. operations.
“It’s a great area to start a business,” Guard said. “There are a lot of start-up restaurants here, we all know the success stories of Chipotle and Garbanzo. A lot of the people are hungry for food like this, too, that’s fast, healthy and flavorful.”
Zakhem added the name recognition of Forsberg and Guard will also play a role in the brand’s momentum.
“For a company to be successful, people don’t realize how important these little idiosyncrasies are,” Zakhem said. “But each thing means a lot, and I think the powerful names behind the brand creates some validity, and makes a springboard for us in Denver.”