Jeff Fenster did not got down to construct a restaurant franchise. In 2016, he had simply bought a enterprise and was in search of his subsequent transfer. A self-described “high-strung” entrepreneur, Fenster started tinkering with acai bowls in his residence kitchen after experiencing the fruit in Hawaii. What began as a private wellness experiment become one thing greater, and he started getting ready acai bowls for his associates throughout soccer Sundays.
“Once I was in a position to get them away from the standard soccer meals, and so they began asking for bowls, I spotted this was not only for health-conscious people,” Fenster says.
Then, throughout a go to to a closing smoothie store in California, Fenster had an concept: What if he took over the house and launched his personal meals idea? 4 days later, he signed the lease — with no identify, menu or restaurant expertise.
The delivery of Everbowl — and WeBuild
The primary Everbowl location opened in October 2016 with the purpose of constructing consuming healthfully inexpensive, better-tasting and extra filling. “Which meant I needed to make large parts, determine carry the price down, make it style good and construct numerous them,” Fenster says.
However he rapidly realized that constructing eating places is pricey. That first location price greater than $300,000 to open. “That did not make sense to me,” Fenster says. “I am not constructing a rocket ship.” Reasonably than settle for the excessive price of entry, Fenster did what few founders would dare: He launched his personal building firm. WeBuild, Everbowl’s in-house building agency, was designed to unravel a easy drawback — controlling buildout prices.
Fenster introduced on the contractor who helped with the unique retailer to run the corporate. Collectively, they recognized methods to chop prices utilizing off-site fabrication, streamlined supplies and environment friendly processes. Inside a yr, Fenster slashed buildout prices by greater than half. “By the top of 2018, we have been all the way down to $150,000,” he says. “Ultimately, we received beneath $100,000 per location.”
This strategy allowed Fenster to open 28 corporate-owned shops by early 2020, all with out taking up debt. He additionally launched his personal provide chain operation, importing proprietary acai strains straight from Brazil to present Everbowl a singular style that customers cannot get wherever else. “It is like french fries — they’re all potatoes, however they style completely different,” he says. “Now, nobody can say that they use the identical acai I exploit.”
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Franchising for everybody
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, Fenster needed to lay off greater than 500 workers in someday. However inside 48 hours, he and a small staff invented “Later Bowls,” a direct-to-consumer supply service providing frozen acai bowls from shuttered Everbowl kitchens. That sudden pivot led to a good greater alternative.
“We received over 400 franchise inquiries,” Fenster says. “That was the second I spotted what Everbowl may very well be.”
Fenster was initially skeptical of franchising — he thought it was just for the rich and was costly and dangerous. “I did not need winners and losers on my staff,” he says. Fenster in the end embraced it, however his mannequin was completely different; he needed franchising to be obtainable to everybody.
“We do not care about web price. We care about drive, tradition match and work ethic,” Fenster says. “If you happen to’re all-in, we’ll determine get you a retailer.”
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Jeff Fenster and Drew Brees
Picture Credit score: Everbowl
Enter Drew Brees
A kind of passionate believers was future NFL Corridor-of-Famer Drew Brees. Fenster and Brees had almost gone into one other enterprise collectively in 2018 however reconnected in 2020 throughout Covid, when Brees started sending Fenster images of his children consuming “Later Bowls” at residence.
“All of the shops have been shut down, and we have been like, Okay, what the heck will we do now?” Brees tells Entrepreneur. “We lived off acai bowls for breakfast for months in my home as a result of my children simply could not get sufficient. It turned a cool household bonding factor.”
Right this moment, Everbowl is ranked #450 on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500, and Brees is the model’s largest franchisee, with 160 places in varied phases of growth throughout 13 states. He is an investor and model ambassador who lives the life-style Everbowl promotes.
“I am concerned in a strategic capability with every of the manufacturers that I spend money on,” Brees says. “I sit on the board as one of many lead buyers, and I am at all times fascinated about how we construct the staff and the way we construct the model.”
Different notable companions embrace NBA star Jayson Tatum, UFC champion Kamaru Usman, and buyers like Gary Vaynerchuk and Tim Grover. However Fenster insists it is not about chasing movie star — it is about authenticity.
“I do not ask anybody to put up about us,” Fenster says. “In the event that they love the model, they speak about it. If they do not, they should not.”
A ‘better-for-you’ restaurant
With over 100 places open and greater than 350 in growth, Fenster is now eyeing worldwide growth. He is additionally engaged on making franchising much more accessible, with a long-term purpose of providing zero cash down for certified operators. “I need to discover the most effective individuals — not simply the richest individuals — and assist them construct their future,” he says.
And though Everbowl began with bowls of frozen fruit, Fenster sees the mission as a lot broader.
“We’re not a well being meals restaurant,” he says. “We’re a better-for-you restaurant. If I can get somebody to go from zero servings of fruit to 1 as we speak, that is a win. Let’s meet individuals the place they’re and assist them get simply 1% higher each day.”
Jeff Fenster did not got down to construct a restaurant franchise. In 2016, he had simply bought a enterprise and was in search of his subsequent transfer. A self-described “high-strung” entrepreneur, Fenster started tinkering with acai bowls in his residence kitchen after experiencing the fruit in Hawaii. What began as a private wellness experiment become one thing greater, and he started getting ready acai bowls for his associates throughout soccer Sundays.
“Once I was in a position to get them away from the standard soccer meals, and so they began asking for bowls, I spotted this was not only for health-conscious people,” Fenster says.
Then, throughout a go to to a closing smoothie store in California, Fenster had an concept: What if he took over the house and launched his personal meals idea? 4 days later, he signed the lease — with no identify, menu or restaurant expertise.
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