Aloha Poke Co., the fast-casual poke restaurant concept, announced its Atlanta location is now open for business. The brand’s newest restaurant is the first in the Atlanta market and is owned and operated by local entrepreneur and franchise veteran Randy Elias and is located at 3348 Cobb Parkway in Acworth.
This venture marks the first Aloha Poke Co. fast-casual eatery in the state of Georgia, with plans to open locations throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area. Aloha Poke Co.’s Atlanta opening signals a surge in growth for the popular poke brand and follows major growth in Texas and other states. Aloha Poke Co.’s success is built on the concept’s customer-centric brand promise to offer fast, fresh-packed sashimi-grade seafood along with other unprocessed, natural ingredients.
“Aloha Poke Co. is thrilled to open in Georgia,” said Chris Birkinshaw, CEO, Aloha Poke Co in a statement. “We are happy that the people of Atlanta and surrounding communities now have access to healthier fast casual food options while staying on-the-go with busy lives. At a time of continued awareness around the quality and healthfulness of fast-casual menus, our poke bowls are made from delicious, nutritious, and natural ingredients.”
Randy Elias joins the Aloha Poke Co. brand with a more than twenty-year career in fast-casual franchising. Elias’ portfolio includes several Moe’s Southwest Grills in the Acworth and Cartersville communities along with other fast casual ventures. Elias sought out Aloha Poke Co. franchising to simplify his franchise portfolio and was attracted to the brand’s franchise development program, the projected return on investment, the efficiency of operations, and low labor requirements.
“We are thrilled to welcome our first guests into Atlanta’s first Aloha Poke Co. restaurant,” says Elias. “I have seen many different franchise concepts that require complex back-of-house build outs and cooking staff. Most are now experiencing the strain caused by current labor issues, economic turmoil, and supply chain challenges. Aloha Poke Co.’s brand development strategy and buildout require much less to start and maintain, while still offering an attractive return on investment year-over-year.”
With the pandemic sharply accelerating convenience trends, restaurateurs and brands must anticipate customers’ needs post-COVID. As multi-unit, multi-brand franchisees seek to craft the most profitable franchise portfolio, many have turned to diversification to maximize returns. Since the pandemic, this diversification strategy has often turned to simplification, especially for restaurateurs faced with ongoing challenges associated with untenable shortages of line cooks, servers, and kitchen staff and an unpredictable, upside-down supply chain.
Based in Chicago, Aloha Poke Co. operates 19 locations in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C. In addition to the brand’s responsibly sourced menu and simple, efficient operations.
