Franchise News
Although most of the brand’s locations are in the epicenter of the U.S., both Mazzarone and Perry have high hopes and strong initiatives to navigate the global pandemic.
According to the article, Sobol, a 40-unit acai bowl and smoothie chain, opened several locations in 2019 and was planning to double in size over the next year. The COVID-19 outbreak, however, has affected March and April sales, decreasing by 60%, and led to temporary closing seven locations. Mazzarone is doing everything he can as Chief Executive Officer including taking a personal pay cut, trimming operation hours and working closely with all franchisees to help keep doors open.
"No in-restaurant employees have been laid off yet," Mazzarone said in an interview with FastCasual. "Employees, who do not want to work or don’t feel comfortable working shifts, have been removed from the schedule,” emphasizing their support. "We are looking out for the safety of our staff and the safety of our customers by keeping minimal staff on," Perry says. "We are trying to divide the shifts we have available fairly between the employees who want to continue to work."
When asked if they’ve applied for aid under the CARES Act, both Mazzarone and Perry confirmed they indeed did, but don't know if they'll be approved or how much it will actually help them."The government stimulus package is changing daily, and it's hard to say what exactly will come of it and if it will be enough to keep us open," Perry said. "Anything and everything will help, but we won't be banking on the stimulus package to keep us open. We hope we will be able to stay open and serve our customers through takeout, online ordering, DoorDash and Ubereats.”
Perry also confirmed she’s applied for the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster loans, although she's not sure she'll use either. "But I felt it was smart to apply for both and make the decision when the time comes," she said. Mazzarone has applied for the same loans as Perry and is awaiting approval as she is as well. "We are trying to support our team any way we can," he said. "Whether it's assisting (franchisees) with customer communication efforts, helping find and partner with local charities, working closely with our PR firm and third-party delivery partners, or simply just being an ear for ideas and concerns."
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