Clearwater, Fla. - Jodi Antonacci has always had a passion for cooking and seems to have a real knack for it.
Her husband, Randy, is quick to call Jodi a talented cook and her 13-year-old son, Alex, is always eager to eat his mom's home-cooked meals.
Jodi's skill may be a basic one, but kitchen wisdom has become rarer this day and age.
Even as the culinary culture becomes more main stream with countless cook books and chef programs, many adults can't cook, won't cook or simply can't find the time.
But Americans still crave home-cooked meals because they are more flavorful and nutritious than dining out or traditional takeout.
Antonacci's solution is a tasty business venture that promises to have a long shelf life.
The stay-at-home mom is the second franchisee in Florida to buy into a meal preparation business launched by two Tampa mothers who wanted to simplify the dinner making process, put healthier and tastier food on the table, and save valuable time and energy.
Let's Eat! - which Marni Poe and Melissa Slack opened in 2004 in South Tampa - appears to be on the forefront of a home meal replacement trend. Time-pressed and cooking-shy consumers have embraced the concept with such fervor that Poe and Slack have sold five franchises and opened two corporate locations. They plan to have 294 franchised locations within five years.
Antonacci's 2,200-square foot Let's Eat! shop is like a combination of an immaculately designed commercial kitchen and a TV cooking show set that includes 16 food preparation stations with all the ingredients, utensils and accessories customers need to assemble their meals from the Let's Eat! menu.
Located in the Bayside Bridge Plaza at the intersection of McMullen Booth and N.E. Coachman roads, Antonacci's shop is twice the size of the original stores to accommodate more assembly stations and private parties.
In a two-hour session, customers can make eight to 12 dinners, all of which can be frozen and eaten later. Most of the meals are entrees, but each month there are also side items and dessert features. Each dish serves four to six people at $2.50 to $3 per serving.
For Antonacci, who was searching for a promising business concept to invest in, Let's Eat! appealed to her on a professional and personal level.
"We felt confident in this because I've run into a lot of people who just don't cook or don't feel comfortable cooking, but they think they are capable of reading a recipe and following it," she said. "This allows busy people to go in and prepare a great meal very inexpensively, and we take the preparation and cleanup from 3 hours to 15 minutes."
As a parent of a teenage son with a demanding academic and extracurricular schedule, Antonacci appreciates the time and energy Let's Eat! can save her.
"Three out of the five week nights, we are running to guitar lessons and karate, not to mention the projects and the homework after school," she said. "Let's Eat! lets me devote more time to my family's needs."
Recent studies confirm that the home meal replacement market is appealing to a cross-section of demographics. Antonacci plans to open three Let's Eat! franchise shops in the near future to meet the demand.
"Even single people get tired of picking up food and taking it home," she said. "It also works well for people who may have an ill neighbor or family member they would like to provide meals for. Parents may also provide wholesome dinners for their college-aged children living on their own."
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Media Contact:
Krista Zilizi
Quantified Marketing Group
706-627-3204
407-936-1010
kzilizi@quantifiedmarketing.com
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