SOUTHWEST GRILL SIZZLES

Superhot food concept cooks up a bundle with its healthy fare and fast-casual restaurant dining structure.

So it’s clear that Martin Sprock knew what he was doing when he launched Atlanta-based Moe’s Southwest Grill in January 2001. The franchise system straddles the two up-and-coming worlds: southwest cuisine and fast-casual restaurants. The entrepreneur, who founded the Planet Smoothie franchise in the 1990s, aims to ride the wave of success that both segments are experiencing.

“We get 60 to 70 calls a day and another 30 e-mails from people interested in opening a Moe’s franchise,” he says. “This is clearly the hottest restaurant segment to come along in quite a while; others with similar themes are also doing well. We’re confident that our approach will grab a huge chunk of this growth.”

“Demographics tell us that everything is headed towards booming popularity in Southwestern, Tex-Mex and Mexican food,” says Sprock. “I just feel that’s the wave of the future.”

Aside from the fresh, healthy food offered, Moe’s Southwest Grill features a fun, upbeat atmosphere with music from The Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix piping through (you can be seated under colorful portraits of same). Customers are greeted with a loud “Welcome to Moe’s” upon entering.

Sprock is quick to point out that Moe’s specializes in southwestern cuisine, a very particular slice of the Mexican food segment. Most food experts define this segment as a melding of tastes from various ethnic groups of the Southwest, including Native American, Hispanic, Spanish and Anglo-American. While southwestern cuisine features the typical taco, tostados and nachos, it can also encompass barbecued duck, wild mushroom quesadillas and roasted corn.

In addition to Americans’ taste for burritos, tacos and quesadillas, Sprock recognizes that the fast-casual dining segment is also growing. NPDFoodworld recently reported that fast casual is a $7 billion category that is growing quickly.

It is sometimes referred to as quick-casual fast food and quality quick serve. This segment combines the quality of sit-down food with the speed and convenience of fast food. Most fast casual restaurants feature counter service with more comfortable seating than the typical fast food restaurant. Industry experts expect this segment to grow into a $100 billion segment in about 12 years—approximately half the time it took casual dining and just a quarter of the time it took fast food to hit that mark.

Moe’s also capitalizes on American’s desire for healthy food. In fact, the food is so fresh there are no freezers or microwaves at any of the locations. Moe’s Southwest Grill offers a healthy twist on traditional southwestern fare. Instead of greasy burritos and fajitas drenched in sauce, Moe’s offers burritos, tacos, quesadillas and salads with a choice of grilled tofu, chicken or steak. Everything is free of animal fat and lard. Moe’s also offers vegetarian items.

Moe’s currently has 20 stores, with another 25 expected to open soon. Approximately 100 franchises have already been sold.

“I believe that we have hit on a real winner here,” says Sprock. “We expect to gradually grow the Moe’s brand to the point where we can compete with the likes of Chipotle and Baha, despite the big corporations backing them. Moe’s has a unique taste, and we believe that Americans appreciate that.”

When Martin Sprock decided to open a southwestern restaurant, he searched and searched for the ideal franchise to purchase—to no avail. So, he started his own.

Moe’s Southwest Grill offers a healthy twist on traditional southwestern fare. Instead of greasy burritos and fajitas drenched in sauce, Moe’s offers burritos, tacos, fajitas, quesadillas and salads with a choice of grilled tofu, chicken or steak and a terrific kid’s meal. Everything is free of animal fat and lard.

All food is cooked fresh daily. In fact, you won’t find a freezer or a microwave in a Moe’s restaurant. What you will find is food that has a fresh, hearty taste. And you’ll find an atmosphere unlike any other Tex-Mex eatery.

“Our typical customer is very similar to that of Starbucks,” offers Matt Andrew, V.P. of Finance and Franchise Devel-opment for the chain. “In fact, we like to locate near a Starbucks if possible, so close are our demographics.”

Sprock is known for his offbeat sense of humor and his commitment to the system. His approach to business comes from a long and storied past. He came out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and opened a chain of bars with the original owner of an Atlanta landmark called Clarence Fosters. In the late 1980s, they resurrected the old pub and opened about 12 restaurants in the Southeast. While the venture was financially successful, Sprock, along with his partner, was already itchy to spot and jump on the next trend.

So, in the mid 1990s, they sold off the bars and restaurants and started the Planet Smoothie franchise system. This highly successful system offers blended fruit beverages, along with healthy snacks and meals. In January of 2001, Sprock opened the first Moe’s.

Martin Sprock gives the thumbs up to the Moe’s casual dining restaurant concept. The fare is just what people want, says the entrepreneur. The industry category is expected to grow to $100 billion in the next 12 years.

Sprock admits that his in-laws prompted his interest in healthy food. They are all health conscious and two of his sisters-in-law are vegetarian. In fact, they provided invaluable assistance as Sprock and his team developed vegetarian meals.

That accommodating attitude has much to do with the reason Sprock decided to franchise Planet Smoothie and Moe’s. He wanted to put together a system that worked for both franchisor and franchisee.

“We understand that our franchisees are building our concept through their money and sweat,” he says. “So, we’re not going to nickel and dime them.”

That means franchisees get classroom instruction and training in the company store, construction and architectural consulting at no extra charge and supplies at cost. Sprock says that Moe’s provides one business consultant for every 10 franchisees—much higher than the industry norm. That consultant helps them with everything from site selection and project management to marketing and financing. A consolidated equipment package helps them open shop quickly.

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