Friday 13 May 2022

US-based restaurant operator WOWorks, the holding company of better-for-you restaurant brands, Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and The Simple Greek, is acquiring US-based fast-casual restaurant brands Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina and Zoup! Eatery, the company said.

These two brands share a common core DNA found across all WOWorks restaurant brands, where they serve plant-forward food.

Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina is a Southwestern fast-casual burrito, taco, bowl and salad concept that allows guests to customize their order with their choice of proteins and toppings.

Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina serves only 100% natural meals, including hormone-free and plant-based proteins, prepared and cooked every day, as well as farm-fresh, locally sourced ingredients to suit any dietary lifestyle.

Founded in 2000 and based in Athens, Georgia, the brand has 50 franchise-owned restaurants and four company owned locations located primarily in the Southeast.

Zoup! Eatery is a fast-casual concept centered around offering soups, broth bowls, salads and sandwiches.

Zoup! Eatery offers 12 rotating daily soups as part of an innovative menu that offers delicious, nutrient-dense food crafted from clean label ingredients. Founded in 1998 and based in Southfield, MI, Zoup! Eatery has 67 franchise-owned restaurants and one corporate-owned location.

Zoup! is primarily located in the northern mid-central states and across the border in Ontario, Canada.

While Zoup! Eatery will join the WOWorks family of better-for-you restaurant brands, Zoup! Specialty Products, LLC, will continue to operate separately by Eric Ersher, the founder and previous CEO of Zoup! Systems, LLC.

Zoup! Specialty Products are broth products created from clean ingredients that were designed to bring the brand's restaurant quality taste to the retail market.

As a result of these acquisitions, WOWorks now has six brands and will end the year with well over 400 restaurants.

WOWorks is fully owned by Centre Lane Partners, LLC.