The leading premium poke franchise
receives recognition for continued national growth with
innovative new location layouts
IRVINE,
Calif., June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pokeworks,
the leading and quickest-growing fast casual poke brand in the
world, continues its remarkable growth and success in the
first half of 2024. One of few healthy fast casual options,
the brand caters to a growing demographic of millennials, Gen Z's,
and Gen Alpha. With four new locations opened this year and plans
for another nine in 2024, Pokeworks' momentum continues to ramp up
as it looks to introduce the concept to new markets across
the United States and Canada as well as growing in their existing
territories.
The Poke Foods Market is expected to increase by USD 781.91
million from 2021 to 2026, at an accelerated CAGR of 8.41%,
and Pokeworks is set to be a part of this growth. In Q1 and Q2 of
2024, Pokeworks opened three new locations in Canada, bringing the brand to a total of four
in the country, and has plans to open three more there this year.
The brand also saw growth in the U.S., opening a new location in
Midtown, Atlanta, and is set to
open new restaurants in Fullerton,
CA, Houston, TX,
Astoria, NY, Rochester, MI, and Newark, NJ in the second half of 2024.
Pokeworks' growth has not gone unnoticed, with the brand being
honored in Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers & Shakers list for 2024
and Nation's Restaurant News' 2024 Power List. The brand has no
plans to slow down, and is actively targeting franchisees in their
existing markets, including Southern
California and Texas, as
well as new markets across the U.S.
"Our growth in 2024 is a true testament to our incredible
franchisees," said Peter Yang,
co-founder and Chief Development Officer of Pokeworks. "Pokeworks
strives to operate as a franchisee-first company, and we prioritize
the success of every single location. As we look to the future, we
are primed to continue international expansion and maintain our
status as the largest poke brand in the fast casual industry. We
look forward to partnering with new franchisees who will share our
company culture of MAHALO, and bring poke to new audiences across
the country."
As part of Pokeworks' commitment to innovation, the brand is
expanding into new and non-traditional locations this year. In May,
Pokeworks opened a new location at The Well Toronto, becoming the
brand's first 300 sq foot location in a food court. While most
restaurants require a larger storefront to accommodate operations,
Pokeworks can fit into small and unique spaces. Not requiring an
exhaust hood and range for cooking, or even gas, the brand has a
flexible restaurant design, and is able to accommodate locations
within airports, college campuses, malls, and food courts, allowing
franchisees more options when seeking a lease. Seeing immediate
initial success at The Well location, Pokeworks is now looking to
expand into more non-traditional locations in 2024 and beyond.
"Bringing Pokeworks to a food hall has been an incredible and
eye-opening experience," said George
Heos, Pokeworks' Master Franchisee for Canada. "Initially, we never thought we could
fit the restaurant into a space so small, but not being bound by
the typical constraints of full cooking areas has allowed for
tremendous flexibility and the ability to expose Pokeworks to a
greater audience. The relationship offered by the Pokeworks support
team is second to none, and has allowed us to grow new,
out-of-the-box ideas knowing we have their trust and support behind
us. We truly could not ask for a better partner to grow with in
this journey, and we look forward to seeing future success with
Pokeworks as we continue to expand in Canada."
Founded in 2015, Pokeworks was born from a group of close
friends and their love for Hawaiian poke, a unique, native Hawaiian
dish made from freshly diced seafood marinated with soy sauce,
sesame oil, and other sauces. The group experienced poke the way it
was meant to be enjoyed on the island, and sought to bring it to
the masses after seeing a gap in the market. Prioritizing fresh and
sustainable seafood, Pokeworks offers customized, healthy, and
delicious poke bowls, poke burritos, and salads. Pokeworks'
innovative Poke Your Way™ approach provides guests with limitless
ways to customize their poke order to match their eating
preferences including vegan, gluten-free, and other mindful
diets. It is also convenient for grab-and-go food, matching
modern dining habits.
"At the heart, Pokeworks is flavor first but offers food that
our customers will feel good about," said Mike Wu, co-founder and Head of Culinary. "We
have prioritized sourcing sustainably farmed and high-quality
seafood, ensuring each ingredient on our menu is fresh and
delicious. While our food can be prepared quickly for grab-and-go
dining options, our commitment to quality will never waver,
offering modern day diners a healthy, easy option with dynamic and
new flavors that cater to diverse tastes and various dietary
preferences."
Pokeworks is the leading and fastest-growing fast casual poke
brand in the world, with the highest store count and AUVs in the
industry. As the brand continues their franchise expansion, they
are actively seeking franchisees who align with Pokeworks'
commitments to their guests, as well as their core values of
Spreading Aloha, Positivity, Innovation, Attention to Detail,
Sustainability, and Integrity. With stores achieving $2.2M in sales, Pokeworks offers a unique and
attractive opportunity for franchisees looking to bring poke to new
communities. Over the years, the brand has focused on streamlining
internal systems and operations to provide a seamless franchisee
experience for interested candidates, including multiple streams of
revenue with their catering options, a modern technology stack with
convenient app and online ordering, loyalty programs, advanced
digital customer marketing and acquisition, and targeted local
marketing capabilities, as well as proven social media and digital
success. Including the franchise fee, Pokeworks offers a low total
investment fee for a Pokeworks location starting at $308,000 (USD).
For more information on Pokeworks' franchise opportunities,
visit https://pokeworksfranchise.com/.
About Pokeworks
Pokeworks was founded in 2015 with the simple mission of
spreading its love of poke –the crisp, fresh, healthy Hawaiian
favorite – with the world. Pokeworks' innovative Poke Your Way™
approach is groundbreaking, offering guests over 50,000 ways to
customize their poke order to match their eating preferences
including vegan, gluten-free, and other mindful diets. The Poke
Burrito has developed a cult-like following, much like Pokeworks'
proprietary sauces, which range from sweet and spicy to
savory. Pokeworks believes in supporting a healthy lifestyle
and serving guests meals made from the freshest, highest quality
ingredients from sustainable food sources. In 2022, the brand was
honored to be named the "Top Poke Franchise" by Startups
Magazine. Pokeworks has quickly expanded to become the leading
fast-casual poke brand in the world with three consecutive years
on Fast Casual's "Top 100 Movers and Shakers" list. The
brand has 67 locations across 20 states, Taiwan, and Canada. For more information,
visit pokeworksfranchise.com, or follow Pokeworks
on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
Contact: Amarra Lyons, Franchise Elevator PR,
alyons@franchiseelevator.com
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SOURCE Pokeworks