Taboonette Middleterranean Kitchen, the fast casual restaurant in Union Square, near New York City’s Greenwich Village, that has been leading the trend for Middle Eastern/Mediterranean foods since 2012 is now offering franchises. According to reports from Whole Foods Market and The National Restaurant Association, one of the hottest food trends in 2018 will be Middle Eastern ethnic cuisine.

“Things like hummus, pita, and falafel were tasty entry points, but now consumers are ready to explore the deep traditions, regional nuances, and classic ingredients of Middle Eastern cultures, with Persian, Israeli, Moroccan, Syrian, and Lebanese influences rising to the top,” according to Whole Foods Market.

According to Gary Occhiogrosso, a 30-year veteran of franchise development and sales and Founder of Franchise Growth Solutions, LLC, “The mash up of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines has resulted in one of the most talked about franchises of the year: Taboonette.”

The popularity of Taboonette’s convenient, budget-friendly and healthy dining options is fueling the franchise market for a turnkey, fast casual. Taboonette owner, Danny Hodak, recently partnered with Occhiogrosso and Franchise Growth Solutions, LLC, to leverage the franchise business model from a single Greenwich Village, NYC location to 25 planned locations by 2021. Occhiogrosso reports that the “market demand for simple handmade, fresh, and flavorful foods made famous by the Taboonette brand takes one of 2018’s hottest trends and makes it one of 2018’s hottest franchise opportunities.”

“Middleterranean foods combine the healthy oils, grains and proteins of the Mediterranean region with earthy spices and stuffed and skewered specialties of the Mid East to create created a cuisine all its own,” says Occhiogrosso.

He adds, “Middleterranean specialties, such as hummus, falafel and pocket foods: meat, seafood, and vegetable fillings stuffed into pita, are today’s go-to menu items—especially among dietary, yet flavor, conscious Millennials.”