Modern Market Eatery's Nationwide Expansion: Leveraging Qdoba's Strengths for Success

Modern Market Eatery, the 31-unit fast-casual franchise, is strengthening its ability to support product distribution across the country.This remarkable growth is bolstered by a relationship with Qdoba Mexican Eats, which is also owned under the Modern Restaurant Concepts umbrella, enabling Modern Market to leverage the extensive resources of an 800-unit franchise network. The combined purchasing and distribution power provides substantial advantages.

Modern Market Eatery's journey began in 2009, but it was only after COVID-19 that the brand began franchising. With the acquisition of Qdoba a few years ago, Modern Market found itself part of a much larger family, bringing significant benefits to its franchisees. 

“Franchisees choose a brand based on the unit level economics, the return on investment and the brand’s size,” said Modern Market Chief Development Officer Christopher Cheek. “Modern Market Eatery is a 31-unit brand, but because Qdoba has been rolled into the same parent company, we can leverage the benefits of a brand that has over 800 units.”

To start, this collaboration means Modern Market Eatery franchisees benefit from the same purchasing power as Qdoba, ensuring cost savings on food, packaging and kitchen equipment.

“We have the talent of a large purchasing organization to navigate the ups and downs of commodities,” said Cheek. “The impact of these strategic moves is evident in the food and labor costs we have achieved this past year.”

Beyond negotiating power, the partnership has also refined logistical operations to reduce costs. By realigning supply sources and managing its own freight, Modern Market has minimized shipping distances and streamlined distribution. 

“Today, Qdoba is in a lot of markets we aren’t, whether it be Upstate New York or Central Florida — they already have distribution set up in those markets,” Cheek said. “That existing infrastructure will allow Modern Market to seamlessly enter new territories.”

A new Modern Market restaurant is coming to the Atlanta market later this year, for example, as well as to the Boston area. “Those are new franchisees, but since there is already a Qdoba in those markets, it allows us to source products and open the facility much faster,” said Cheek.

This extensive distribution network not only facilitates market entry, but also ensures a steady supply of high-quality ingredients, regardless of where the restaurant is located. 

With a much larger purchasing power available to us, there is more support available for our franchisees,” said Cheek. “This reliability in supply is crucial for maintaining the brand's commitment to fresh, clean ingredients.”

Overall, this shared service with Qdoba exemplifies how Modern Market Eatery is able to punch above its weight, offering franchisees a unique value proposition in terms of cost efficiency and operational support. This synergy ensures that Modern Market can provide fresh, high-quality food at competitive prices, making it an attractive option for both franchisees and customers.

The estimated initial investment ranges between $928,500 and $1.5 million for a single Modern Market Eatery restaurant. The 18 company-owned Modern Market locations open for the fiscal year of 2023 saw an impressive AUV of $2.3 million.*

*More details are available in Modern Market Eatery’s Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). For more information on franchising with Modern Market Eatery, visit: https://1851franchise.com/modern-market-eatery.