This Healthy Food Enterprise Reports Bulking Up Under CEO Michael Roper, a Former Undercover Boss

Photo provided by 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.

You could say Michael Roper’s path in franchising began with a cookie. The CEO of Muscle Maker Inc. GRIL reportedly has a broad and successful franchise background that lent itself well to his current role.

Muscle Maker is the parent company of healthier-for-you brands with the goal of delivering high-quality, healthy food options to consumers through traditional and nontraditional locations such as military bases, universities, ghost kitchens, delivery and direct-to-consumer, ready-made meal prep options. 

Roper, who has served as CEO of Muscle Maker Grill since 2018, started with experience running successful franchises and transitioned to leading a franchise company. 

In 2000, Roper launched his 1st franchise, a Quiznos sandwich shop.  With neighboring competition from Panera Bread Co. and Subway close by, Roper began giving out free cookies and coupons to drive attention to his store. His sales jumped 40% in a time when fast-food titans like McDonald's Corp. MCD and Burger King were closing locations. 

Before his venture into franchising, Roper says he cut his chops at several small information technology and data processing companies in the Chicago area. He told the Wall Street Journal in 2003 that it was in those roles he learned to wear different hats "from human resources to technology.” When the technology boom waned in 2000, he shifted his thinking to believing he could run his own company.

Roper’s success at the franchise level eventually vaulted him into the Quiznos chief operating officer and executive vice president roles through 2012. 

Roper’s next big challenge was taking over the Dallas, Texas-based Tex-Mex chain Taco Bueno in 2015 as CEO and having the prime responsibility of overseeing 162 company-owned and operated locations. That stint led to a visit to ViacomCBS Inc.’s VIAC “Undercover Boss,” where he went disguised as an hourly worker and, by his own admission, “crashed and burned” trying to operate a forklift. 

But the experience for Roper, like many of the business executives who have gone undercover for the TV show, was eye-opening. He told the Dallas Morning News, "I think this is probably the most important thing that I got out of all of this stuff, as you see your crew members day in and day out, and they're up there every day smiling at the customers, trying to go fast, trying to be really polite and everything and ... you don't know what they're going through,” Roper said. 

He believes his long and varied experience has helped turn Muscle Maker, the parent company of Muscle Maker Grill, Pokemoto and Superfit Foods, into a healthy food powerhouse. Roper has traded cookies and subs for a diverse menu created for everyone, from fitness enthusiasts and those starting their journey to a healthier lifestyle to people trying to eat better while on the go. 

Muscle Maker reported a 190% revenue gain in the 3rd quarter of 2021 and has announced a 40 location development deal for Muscle Maker Grill along with 25 new franchise agreements for Pokemoto over the last 60 days. 

To learn more about Muscle Maker Inc., visit www.musclemakergrill.com.  To learn more about Pokemoto, visit www.pokemoto.com.

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.