1851

For those who crave the comfort, warmth and feelings of well-being that soup offers, the consensus is clear &ndash; good soup, really good soup, is hard to find. That&rsquo;s exactly why Diane and Steve Crnokrak decided to bring <a href="http://www.zoupfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=husband-and-wife-business-partners-bring-zoup-to-their-hometown-11176" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Zoup!</a> to Northwest Indiana.

After spending 25 years working in the finance industry in downtown Chicago, internal changes and downsizing left Steve at a career crossroads. Too young to retire, he began researching new business opportunities&mdash;that&rsquo;s when he came across <a href="http://zoup.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=husband-and-wife-business-partners-bring-zoup-to-their-hometown-11176" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Zoup!</a> With nothing similar in the area, the concept itself was unique to his community in Highland, Indiana. Eager to experience what the brand is all about firsthand, he traveled to the nearest Zoup! He tried it, and immediately fell in love with its selection and quality of homemade soups.

&ldquo;Even though Zoup! has plenty of healthy options, I probably gained weight during that research phase,&rdquo; Crnokrak joked. &ldquo;But I was completely hooked. The closest thing we&rsquo;ve ever had to Zoup! was Panera Bread, but they simply don&rsquo;t have the same variety. I ended up contacting the company to learn about franchising. And just like that, one thing led to another&mdash;I&rsquo;ve never looked back since.&rdquo;

By May 2015, he signed his first franchise agreement with the brand, and by October 2016, the Crnokraks officially opened the doors to their business. What happened next earned them the coveted &ldquo;Rookie of the Year&rdquo; award at Zoup!&rsquo;s Annual Franchise Reunion.&nbsp;

&ldquo;We broke the brand&rsquo;s grand opening record with sales. We had such a crazy response&mdash;we couldn&rsquo;t keep up with the amount of people coming through the door. It was an incredible start, and the sign we needed to confirm that our investment in Zoup! was the right one,&rdquo; Crnokrak added.

Both Diane and Steve agree that Zoup!&rsquo;s concept itself is what drew them to the brand. With 12 rotating soups every day, customers can always look forward to trying something new. They can also expect that every soup is made with the same kind of care, high-quality ingredients and time-tested recipes. Plus, the brand&rsquo;s selection of sandwiches and salads allows them to compete with restaurants like Panera Bread head on&mdash;and if you asked Diane, Steve and their customers, Zoup! does it better, hands down.

&ldquo;Zoup!&rsquo;s concept is quite unique. The food really does speak for itself. Once you get the customers in the door, they&rsquo;re immediately hooked,&rdquo; Diane said. &ldquo;No matter the season, Zoup!&rsquo;s menu has something for everyone.&rdquo;

As first-time franchise owners, the Crnokraks also credit Zoup!&rsquo;s corporate support for their success. One of the most important elements leading up to their grand opening was finding the perfect real estate, and the brand&rsquo;s corporate team was on hand to offer unparalleled support. &nbsp;

&ldquo;We were incredibly pleased with the support from Zoup!&rsquo;s corporate team. They were with us every step of the way&mdash;from finding the perfect real estate and analyzing the community&rsquo;s demographics to assessing the nearby competition and building a local marketing plan,&rdquo; Crnokrak said. &ldquo;This was the first time we&rsquo;ve owned a business, and having someone helping us along the way assured us that we had made the right decision.&rdquo;

According to the Crnokraks, the best part about their new business adventure has been the exciting learning process they&rsquo;ve experienced along the way. And based on the initial success of the Crnokrak&rsquo;s first location, they&rsquo;re already considering opening another location in the years ahead.

&ldquo;There&rsquo;s still so much more to learn about running this business, and that&rsquo;s what excites us the most,&rdquo; Crnokrak said. &ldquo;Our experience so far has been nothing but positive, and we&rsquo;re looking forward to what the future holds for us and for Zoup!&rdquo;

Husband and Wife Business Partners Bring Zoup! to their hometown.

1851 Franchise

As first-time franchise owners, Diane and Steve Crnokrak credit Zoup!’s corporate support for their success.


This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

husband-and-wife-business-partners-bring-zoup-to-their-hometown

United Water Restoration Group

United Water Restoration Group: Maximizing Revenue with Emergency Services 

United Water Restoration Group: Maximizing Revenue with Emergency Services — Be There When Your Community Needs You

united-water-restoration-group-maximizing-revenue-with-emergency-services-be-there-when-your-community-needs-you

Right at Home

Right at Home 2025 Caregiver of the Year Award

Right at Home Honors Caregivers Worldwide:  Celebrating the 2025 Caregiver of the Year Awards

right-at-home-honors-caregivers-worldwide-celebrating-the-2025-caregiver-of-the-year-awards

Minuteman Press International

Minuteman Press Franchise Owner & President’s Club Member Matt Bloom, Norwich, CT.

Minuteman Press Franchise Review: From Venture Capitalism to Printing

minuteman-press-franchisee-continues-tradition-of-success-in-norwich-ct

Paris Baguette

Photo of array of Paris Baguette pastries

Paris Baguette Redefines Morning Routines With Fresh Breakfast and Premium Coffee Strategy

paris-baguette-breakfast-strategy-growth

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Subway Pushes Global Growth Despite U.S. Closures 

subway-pushes-global-growth-despite-us-closures

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

franchise supplier award design with Locate AI logo and 1851 Franchise badge

Franchise Real Estate Services | Locate AI — Emerging Leaders in Franchise Support

locate-ai-emerging-leaders-in-franchise-support

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: Building Your Brand’s Growth Machine

ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition — Point of Differentiation

how-to-position-your-value-proposition-with-a-point-of-differentiation

Photo of powerlifter, wearing red singlet and white socks, preparing to deadlift

The 5 Business and Life Lessons I Learned from Powerlifting

the-5-business-and-life-lessons-i-learned-from-powerlifting

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

Husband and Wife Business Partners Bring Zoup! to their hometown.

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS