Tampa, FL – Patrons will find hamburgers, French fries and chicken strips at EVOS. What they won’t find are deep fryers or greasy grills inside this fast food eatery that offers a healthy version of All-American comfort foods served quickly.
Headquartered in Tampa, EVOS is a rare find in most areas of the state which is why customers from as far away as Orlando and Miami are hungering for one in their own backyard.
“Everybody is doing something healthy – smoothies, sandwiches, wraps – but no one is doing a healthier burgers and fries like we are,” said Dino Lambridis, one of three EVOS co-founders.
Lambridis said the company’s immediate goal is to expand the healthier and environmentally-conscious fast casual concept to major cities in Florida.
The expansion has already begun in the west and the southeast.
EVOS recently inked multi-unit franchise agreements with two area developers. One will develop a minimum of 21 stores in Atlanta and North Carolina over the next five years. The other will open a minimum of 207 stores in 12 states in the west over the next 10 years.
National franchise interest convinced EVOS to focus on statewide expansion. The half a dozen monthly inquiries they receive from Orlando and Miami persuaded the founders to begin saturating those two markets.
“We like the idea of Orlando because of its proximity to our headquarters and the competitive restaurant landscape,” he said. “Many people that visit the Tampa area ask us when we are opening more in other Florida cities."
Miami’s body-conscious attitude makes the market an attractive one for EVOS to break into.
From the floor plans to the food, EVOS has perfected every detail to create a concept that is easy to replicate and primed for profitable growth.
With vegan, vegetarian, high-protein, low-carb, low-fat, low-calorie, cholesterol-free and organic offerings, EVOS’ diversified menu appeals to every consumer, Lambridis said.
“We use the most minimally-processed ingredients and food products on our menu,” he said. “Further more, because of the special partnership we have with Sysco, we have been able to engineer a diverse menu mix which would not be possible for most individual restaurants, making EVOS very unique and competitive within the fast casual segment.”
EVOS uses trademarked Airbaking ovens and creative recipes to provide a menu free of trans-fats. Without sacrificing taste, EVOS has developed a menu of traditional comfort foods that contain 50 to 70 percent less fat than competitor restaurant chains.
“Our unique process helps reduce the formation of cancer-causing ‘heterocyclic amines’ that form on meats when cooked on traditional gas or coal flame broilers, high-heat grills or dirty-oil deep-fryers,” Lambridis said.
EVOS also supports organic farming by purchasing organic milk, produce and products whenever possible, chooses eco-friendly and energy-efficient materials in the building of their stores and print brochures on recycled paper with soy-based inks instead of petroleum-based inks.
“Consumers can feel great about eating at EVOS, and franchise owners can feel great about investing in a sustainable concept like ours,” Lambridis said.
Today three units are open in Tampa, one operates in Nevada, and two more are under construction in Sarasota and near Tampa’s University of South Florida campus.
EVOS knows healthy consumers equal healthy profits.
The average unit volume is $940,000 with guest checks averaging $9.50. EVOS is currently enjoying a 41-month same-store comp increase record.
EVOS units range from 2,500 to 2,800 square-feet with seating for 65 to 100 guests. EVOS locations exist as free-standing units, in-line strip mall units and non-conventional sites such as food courts. The first drive-thru is expected to be in operation this year in Las Vegas.
The initial investment per unit ranges from $350,000 to $450,000 which includes a $35,000 initial franchise fee.
In the future, EVOS plans to roll out new menu items including all-natural hot dogs, a hip retail line and an array of wholesome grab-and-go snacks.
“Fast food is part of our culture,” Lambridis said. “It’s not going away. The key to our success is that we recreated the All-American combo meal into something that not only tastes great, but is great for you and makes you feel great.”
Additional information is available at www.evos.com.
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