Can Fast Food Be Healthy? Pokemoto Chain Expands Across U.S.

Image: Muscle Maker Inc.

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Fast food has many pros in that it is convenient and, well, fast. It also typically has some cons — namely, it hasn’t always been seen as a healthy option.

Fast food providers are increasingly wising up to this. Big names like McDonald’s Corp. MCD have pages on the company’s corporate website detailing its commitment to quality food and offering advice from its dietitians. KFC Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands Inc. YUM, offers calorie and other nutritional data on its chicken and other offerings.

Less-established names in the fast-food world are also ramping up healthier takes on convenience foods. One such is Texas-based Muscle Maker Inc. GRIL, which is continuing to expand with its newest subsidiary Pokemoto, drawing on the Hawaiian concept of the poke bowl, a dish traditionally served with raw fish, rice, and vegetables as staples.

The company, founded in New Jersey in 1995, now has 25 Pokemoto locations across the United States with 6 new franchise agreements signed in recent weeks, including in New York, Massachusetts, and the company’s first-ever in Mississippi. That represents almost double the number of total locations since Muscle Maker acquired the Pokemoto chain in May.

With this acquisition, not only has the chain expanded its footprint an astounding 92%, but the company has also introduced a new product: Bubble tea. Taking a page from the popular consumer trend, Pokemoto is offering Bubble tea, also referred to as Boba tea, with a variety of toppings that are prepared fresh and to the customer’s liking. This may exist as a stand-alone concept, or in conjunction with other locations, due to its popularity with the current customer base. The Bubble tea market is expected to grow to upwards of $4.3 billion by 2027 thanks to an increase in health consciousness in consumers, driving them towards the tea-based customizable drinks.

Muscle Maker believes that Pokemoto’s low cost of entry, ease of operations, exclusive territory options, and multiunit discounts make the brand an attractive opportunity for prospective franchisees. Muscle Maker says it is particularly focusing on areas of heavy foot traffic close to colleges for its poke bowl brand and already includes locations close to such establishments as Yale, Quinnipiac, and Franklin Pierce universities.

“The fresh-ingredient build-your-own bowl, burrito or salad model is very attractive for multiple reasons including, but not limited to, smaller footprint, minimal cooking and the ability to serve guests quickly in a linear fashion,” said Mike Roper, Muscle Maker CEO. Such convenience should be an attractive option for potential franchise owners, he added.

Muscle Maker Expanding Elsewhere Too?

The Pokemoto expansion is not the only example of Muscle Maker’s recent growth.

The company recently signed a franchise agreement to expand its Muscle Maker Grill brand into Saudi Arabia with 40 new locations there. That builds on an original agreement to open 10 units in Kuwait.

Muscle Maker is also the parent company of Superfit Foods, a Florida-based fresh-prepared meal prep company that delivers dietary-specific meals direct to homes or designated pickup locations.

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.