KnowFat, a healthy fast casual restaurant franchise based in Massachusetts is changing its name to UFood Grill.
George Naddaff Chairman and CEO of KnowFat Franchise Co. bought KnowFat Low Fat Lifestyle Grill in 2004 with Eric Spitz co-CEO and President. They are changing the name to UFood Grill, updating the menu, and redesigning the stores to capture a larger audience.
To help market the UFood Grill franchises, Naddaff has signed a deal with former heavyweight champ George Foreman. The new concept and the Foreman endorsement agreement come at a time when quick-serve restaurant sales continue to climb and consumers are increasingly looking for more healthy dining options.
The first UFood Grill opened in Naples, Fla., a couple of weeks ago. The KnowFat stores in Boston’s Downtown Crossing and Landmark Center, as well as the five other locations in Massachusetts, will close for two days this summer to be converted to UFood Grills. The 74 KnowFat units slated to open under eight area developers nationwide will open as UFood Grills
The menu items, all without trans fats and many low-fat or no-fat, will remain largely the same with name changes for some of the products — KnowFat AirFries will become UnFries, for example. Efrem Cutler, the former executive chef at Ritz-Carlton Hotel Atlanta, is the vice president of food development.
The company is selling three franchise models: a two-in-one food and retail store at about 2,500 square feet; a smaller, 2,000-square-foot model without retail; and a 1,000-square-foot mall food court model. Many of the KnowFat stores have a retail component already to them and can account for 20 percent of a store’s sales.
The fast-casual segment has been averaging 15 percent to 20 percent growth over the past few years, according to food service research firm Technomic Inc.
Naddaff — known for creating the highly successful Boston Market franchise concept — and Spitz decided to change the concept after months of focus groups and research led them to believe they were already reaching the fitness-minded consumer and needed to drop the word “fat” from their name to reach a broader audience. The new tagline is intended to attract that audience: “Feel great. Eat smart.”
In the agreement, the legendary boxer will lend his smiling mug to UFood Grill and franchises in return for an undisclosed number of shares in the company, according to Naddaff.
Cross Posted at: Let’s Talk Franchising
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With over 25 years of franchise, marketing, and entrepreneurial experience, and the owner of Franchise Perfection, Jim Coen, brings key skills to franchise consulting for those interested in buying a franchise business opportunity.
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