Building off its status as the leading poke concept in the U.S., the famed Pokéworks brand is continuing to grow through franchising and anticipates this next wave of growth to hit Boston.
The brand announced today that existing multi-unit franchise operator, Jason Sugarman and his business partners, signed a franchise agreement to open eight additional Pokéworks locations throughout the Greater Boston region.
Sugarman was first introduced to Pokéworks when his father, a restaurant developer since 1986, was looking to diversify with a strong concept.
“I fell in love with the brand immediately. The healthy-meets-tasty menu options and sleek design stuck out as differentiators,” says Sugarman. “Since joining in 2018, We knew we wanted to continue growing with Pokéworks. Now with five locations under our belt and most locations doing around $1.7 million in sales, we still have a tremendous opportunity to grow throughout the Boston DMA including in college towns and high-traffic tourist areas. This is especially true given the simple business model and flexible footprint.”
Growing up in the restaurant industry, Sugarman, his family and their business partners have built an impressive portfolio of restaurant concepts throughout the past few decades. Currently their ownership group has experience with than 25 restaurants across multiple brands such as Johnny Rockets, Sugar Factory, Asia Grille and more.
Becoming Pokéworks franchisees in 2018, the Sugarman group has developed five locations with sites in Somerville, Burlington, Longwood, and in the heart of the Harvard University community. With this new signed agreement, they plan to open eight more locations, varying in traditional and nontraditional locations, as well as licensed deals.
Adding to the brand’s growth momentum, this Boston deal comes just weeks after Pokéworks opened its first Cruise-Thru location in Knoxville, TN; its 16th Texas location, and an international site in León, Mexico. In tandem with the multiple openings, Pokéworks also just announced the appointment of its former Chief Marketing Officer Steve Heeley to CEO. With the team’s heightened focus on national franchise development, the brand anticipates another 10 more locations to open by end of year.
“We are excited to grow with the Sugarmans and their business partners. They’ve been a great asset to Pokéworks’ growth and development. With their experience in the restaurant industry, we know that they are the perfect candidate to take our brand to the next level in Boston,” says Pokéworks Chief Development Officer Larry Sidoti. “Given consumers’ preferences for customizable menu options and Pokéworks simple business operations, there has never been a better time to grow. We’ve seen firsthand how this group has thrived with Pokéworks, and we’re thrilled to support their continued growth now and in the years in come.”
