Denver — Modern Market Eatery, a made-from-scratch fast-casual concept, has signed a 41-unit development deal with its first franchise partner, Thrive Restaurant Group. The agreement will expand the brand to 11 new markets, including Wichita and Kansas City, Kan.; Austin, San Antonio and Waco, Texas; Des Moines, Iowa; Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C.; and northwest Arkansas.
Based in Wichita, Kan., Thrive Restaurant Group is a generational, multi-brand restaurant enterprise with deeply rooted values centered on guest-centric hospitality and a passion for scratch-made food. Founded by Darrel and David Rolph and led by Jon Rolph since 2011, the group is the fifth-largest Applebee’s franchisee and operates more than 100 restaurants nationwide, including its own culinary-driven portfolio of brands: Carlos O’Kelly’s, HomeGrown and BakeSale.
“We are proud to play a part in developing brands we believe in and expanding the footprint of better-for-you foods and quality ingredients with a passion for scratch-made meals,” says Rolph, president and CEO of Thrive Restaurant Group. “Modern Market encompasses each of these values, and we are very excited to bring the brand to the markets we serve and beyond.”
Founded in 2009, Modern Market is a fast-casual concept born from the philosophy that faster food can be better food. Focusing on fresh, whole and sustainable ingredients crafted into scratch-made entrees ranging from salads to brick oven pizzas, the menu offers guests a diverse and customizable experience.
“Any brand’s first franchise partner is extremely special, but what makes Thrive Restaurant Group exceptional is their passion for our shared values,” says Rob McColgan, Modern Market co-founder and Modern Restaurant Concepts co-CEO. “Their commitment to hospitality, their people and their communities is truly at the heart of their company and everything they do. We feel privileged to have the opportunity to work alongside them and help bring amazing, healthy food to as many people as possible.
Modern Market Eatery was founded in Boulder, Colo., in 2009. Today it has nearly 30 locations across Colorado, Texas and Arizona, as well as Denver International Airport and the University of Notre Dame campus in Indiana. For more information, visit modernmarket.com/franchise.
Thrive Restaurant Group owns and operates more than 100 restaurants nationwide. The restaurants are in 12 states across the Midwest and Appalachia. Thrive also co-developed Nigel Hospitality Suite, a restaurant point-of-sale system with menu management, kitchen display system, payments and more.
Modern Restaurant Concepts will be one of the largest fast-casual restaurant platforms in North America, with nearly 800 units across three brands, including QDOBA (pending acquisition), Modern Market Eatery and Lemonade. The system will operate company-owned and franchised units across nearly every U.S. state, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit modernmarket.com.
SOURCE: Modern Market Eatery