Any Healthy Fast-Food Restaurants Near Me? This Company Might Hold An Answer

Photo sourced from Muscle Maker

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In a fast-paced world, it seems everything is adopting the prefix “fast.”

From fast cars, the fast-charging feature on phones like Apple Inc.’s AAPL iPhone, to fast-food restaurants like McDonald's Corp. MCD and Wendy’s Co. WEN, it seems that the world is always moving in the fast lane.

Considered as a merger between fast food and sit-down restaurant dining, the fast-casual restaurant market has grown exponentially over the years into a multibillion-dollar industry. According to Allied Market Research, the industry is expected to reach nearly $210 billion by 2027.

But what is fueling the growth? Fast-casual restaurants appear to be meeting the increasing consumer demand for food that is fast, affordable, and healthier than traditional fast foods.

Consumers — especially millennials — continue to seek healthy meals they can grab quickly without spending much, so it’s no surprise the fast-casual restaurant industry is one of the fastest-growing segments in food service.

A Growing Player in the Fast Casual Food Industry?

Muscle Maker Inc. GRIL, the parent company of Pokemoto, Muscle Maker Grill Restaurants and Superfit Foods, has been in the food-service industry since 1995. The company has grown from one tiny store in Colonia, New Jersey, into an international brand with more than 45 sites, employing more than 800 people. 

Through its “healthier for you” brands, Muscle Maker seeks to deliver high-quality healthy food options to consumers through traditional and nontraditional locations, including universities and military bases.

The company says it was established to serve customers with affordable yet enjoyable, healthy food. Muscle Maker Grill believes in offering fresh food to customers, plus its menu has options for high-protein, low-carb, and gluten-free food.

Pokemoto is known for its modern version of the traditional Hawaiian dish, poke. The company offers contemporary flavors with fresh and healthy ingredients such as ahi tuna, fresh mango, and roasted cashews.

Customers can choose from a range of signature bowls such as Pokemoto tofu, sesame ginger chicken, and sweet and spicy shrimp, or they can build their own unique bowls based on a combination of a rice or salad base, proteins such as ahi tuna, salmon and chicken, mix-ins such as edamame, mangos or hijiki seaweed, 8 flavor sauces, and different toppings such as avocado, black caviar tobiko or Kani salad.

Last September, Pokemoto announced the launch of its bubble tea program called Boba tea, available at participating locations. The bubble tea market is projected to reach over $3 billion by 2027.

Growth and Expansion

Unlike some other players in the food-service market that have suffered losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Muscle Maker has reported expansion both inside and outside the U.S. despite the pandemic. The company announced a 228% revenue increase in the second quarter of 2021.

As part of its growth strategy, Muscle Maker Grill has deployed ghost kitchens in several of its locations as well as free standing ghost kitchen locations. The company is among the restaurants expanding the use of ghost kitchens, an industry that’s expected to reach $71 billion by 2027.

Pokemoto has seen a significant expansion since it was acquired by Muscle Maker in May 2021. In just a few months, the company moved from being in 13 open locations to 19 open locations and 27 newly signed franchise locations for Connecticut, Massachusetts, Mississippi and New York.

Its parent company, Muscle Maker Inc. announced in November that it has reached a franchise agreement for 40 units in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Before that, Muscle Maker Grill signed a 10-unit franchise deal in Kuwait.

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice.