Improved Catering Options Are Giving Zoup! Franchisees More Opportunities to Diversify Their Revenue Streams

With 103 locations in 20 U.S. states and Ontario, Zoup!’s soup-differentiated restaurant franchises fill an industry gap by serving customers fresh, hot soup. With its focus on a wide variety of fresh and authentic soups that people love to eat – but seldom have time to prepare – the brand has become the well-established category leader in the fast-casual space. To further leverage its growing customer base, the company also takes its award-winning soup, salad and sandwiches outside of its restaurants’ four walls.

From optimizing slower business windows to driving new customer traffic, catering presents an array of benefits to any fast-casual concept. For Zoup! it offers new ways for franchisees to diversify revenue streams and maximize earning potential through a complete offering that includes great food options, innovative packaging and creative marketing initiatives.

“Following industry trends and the lead of some entrepreneurial franchisees in our network, it became clear that developing our catering options opened up unlimited possibilities,” said Richard Simtob, director of Zoup! For the steadily growing franchise concept, catering further empowers owners to achieve their personal and professional goals. And Zoup! is going out of its way to make it easy for franchisees and for customers alike.

An improved and streamlined catering menu with online ordering capabilities and standardized pricing simplifies the customer experience and eases the kitchen preparation process. Serving options, such as the box lunch program and individual labeling, create a highly customizable offering. The company has even streamlined their packaging, creating a catering box that converts into a tray for ease of use. Best of all, the establishment of the CaterClub Rewards program helps create opportunities for partnerships and repeat catering business.

This “Everything Matters” approach is paying off. Average Zoup! locations are driving eight percent of their revenue through catering services with high performers achieving 30 percent or more. This percentage is uncommon in an industry that typically drives around 7 percent.

As an extension of the brand, catering also helps locations grow their reach by giving existing customers new ways to engage with the brand and introducing new customers to the concept. New customers then visit the bricks and mortar locations, enlarging the store’s overall customer base.

“Guests who have never visited a Zoup! location get to try the food and become customers, driving newcomers into a location. And existing customers are a source of catering business as well. It is very reciprocal,” says Simtob.

With a multi-unit, semi-absentee business model that is already highly scalable, this heightened focus on catering presents further growth potential for franchise owners. And, with lower start-up costs and comparatively shorter operation hours than other concepts, it is clear why Zoup! was listed in the top 200 Franchises of 2017 by Financial Business Review, with high marks in overall franchisee satisfaction.