Ryan is an attorney and valuation specialist residing in Chicago. He chronicles his thoughts and research on FranchisePundit.com. You may reach him by email ryanknoll@gmail.com or mobile telephone 312-212-3423.
About 25 Original SoupMan Cafés have opened (plus a wholesale business) since Yeganeh began to franchise his restaurants last year based on his original Soup Kitchen International in New York. One blogger feels that $7.95 for a bowl of soup from the Soupman (Soup Nazi from Seinfeld) is too pricey. He posted some pictures too.
Considering I paid about $5 for a grande, sugar-free Cinnamon Dolcé Latte at Starbucks today, 3 more dollars for hearty veggies and/or meat seems with the reasonable range.
Previous mentions of Soup Nazi
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- The Original SoupMan and Cold Stone Creamery Franchises Team Up
- Soup Nazi for $30K
- Follow up to the soup franchise idea
- ‘Seinfeld’ Soup Nazi Franchises Troubled
- Example of a Clever Seasonal Menu
A bulky soup can have as much meat/veggie contents (less the bread) as a sandwich. I bet the fat content in the creamy soups rival Big Macs, though. I would favor Soupman over the others because the nastalgic buzz from Seinfeld will probably last through the 30-50 age demographic for another decade.
1. The issues with the franchisor are much deeper than it appears.
1. The company is undercapitalized. An investment bank retained to raise capital for the franchisor had discontinued its efforts after having received commitments for approximately 25% of the targeted capital. This was a result of the poor operating results of the company and its underlying franchisees.
2. The company has been seeking an acquiror of its operations. Throughout this effort the issues and challenges brought to the attention of the company by its franchisees have been quietly addressed but none of the problems have been resolved.
3. The misrepresentations made by the franchisor to induce franchisees to acquire territories and open up an Original Soupman outlet are many: (a) understatement of food costs; (b) co-branding with Cremalita ice cream to balance overall sales in warm months was abandoned soon after first 12 stores opened for business; (c) mandated use of cups and bowls that are 25% larger than purported serving portions, resulting in giving away 25% more product than consumer was paying for and at the same time causing an increase in purchases of product from the company to replenish inventory.
For everyone’s own good…stay away from Soupman. The Soup is great. But…don’t even think of it as a good investment….unless your idea of a good investment is to lose tons of $$….like hundreds of thousands. Franchisor is a horror and phony, misrepresents cost of investment and COGS, model has never worked…price point is too high to build any loyal following that will even support the operation to a break even point. Speak to the 12+ locations that already closed and the Franchisees all lost Hundreds of thousands, filed for bankruptcy and lost their homes. Didn’t know that many closed? Maybe because the Franchisor and their soldiers don’t disclose what they are required to.
Stay Away From the Soup Nazi! OR SOUP NAZI STAY AWAY FROM COMPANY?
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Entry for February 09, 2009
THERE (3) THINGS I HAVE NEVER DONE IN MY LIFE:………AL YEGANEH
1 — I HAVE NEVER MADE ANY SOUP, CONTAINING ANY KIND OF NOODLE OR PASTA PRODUCTS.
2 — I HAVE NEVER NAMED OR APPROVED ANY CHARITY FOUNDATION UNDER MY NAME “AL YEGANEH”.
3—I HAVE NEVER APPROVED ANY KIND OF MERCHANDISING (T-SHIRT, MUG, ETC….) TO BE SOLD OR GIVEN AWAY…
SO……IF YOU SEE:
1— Any soup containing any noodle or pasta products with my name on, it is not mine.
2 – Any charity foundation under my name (AL Yeganeh), it is not mine.
3 — Any kind of merchandising with my name and photo on, it is counterfeit.
Monday February 9, 2009 – 05:04pm (PST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
THE ONLY PRODUCTS I EVER MADE AND AUTHORIZED TO BE SOLD.
THESE 48 SOUPS ARE THE ONLY PRODUCTS, I EVER MADE AND AUTHORIZED , THE COMPANY WHO PICKED THE NAME “ORIGINAL SOUP MAN” TO OPERATE UNDER.
. . ……………………………………………… THE REAL SOUP MAN, AL YEGANEH
AS YOU SEE BELOW:
I NEVER, EVER MADE ANY SOUP THAT CONTAINS ANY NOODLE OR PASTA PRODUCTS.
IF YOU SEE ANY OF MY SOUPS CONTAINS ANY KIND OF NOODL OR PASTA, IT IS NOT MINE.
*Chicken vegetable, garden vegetable, tomato & zucchini, tomato & basil
Tomato & mussel, tomato & wild rice, broccoli & cheese, jambalaya,
Italian wedding, mulligatawny, so many bean, Eggplant parmesan
Minestrone, cream of asparagus, butternut squash (hot).Split pea w/ham
Lentil, white bean w/ham & bacon.
* Chili: CHICKEN, beef, turkey, 5 bean.
* Goulash: beef, veal.
* Bisque: lobster, crab, shrimp, seafood.
* Chowder: corn, chicken & corn, Manhattan clam, New England clam, seafood.
* Gumbo: chicken, shrimp, turkey, sausage, seafood.
* Barley: chicken, beef, mushroom.
*chilled soups: tomato & corn, vichyssoise, borscht, butternut squash, fruit cornucopia. Gazpacho, cucumber
Friday January 30, 2009 – 10:01am (PST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Entry for November 04, 2008
AL YEGANEH , SOUP MAN , NEW YORK,USA yeganeh1@aol.com
NOTICE: TO MEDIA Who have misinformed public for last 4 years while I have been away from United States.
In case you did not take a minute to call 212 757-7730,my closed store on 55th st. & 8 ave. Manhattan New York or have not checked my website ( http://www.therealsoupman.com ), I have created this blog for you to give the public, accurate, fair and balanced information to prevent any disasters.
SINCE I don’t have AND never had any PR , spoke person and manager, I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO SPEAK FOR ME.
If you visited my website or called my store’s voice mail, it says: I do not live in United States any longer (since March, 2005) and have not resided there for the last 4 years.
And: I only sold the North America right to this company who PICKED the name “original soup man” to operate under.
And: any inquiry regarding North America right including franchises, contact (email) THEM at: http://www.originalsoupman.com
And: For rest of the world franchise right,
Contact ME: yeganeh1@aol.com . AL YEGANEH, SOUP MAN
Tuesday November 4, 2008 – 04:20pm (PST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
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