Newk's Eatery Franchise Expands to South Carolina as Insignis Partners Signs Five-Unit Deal

Seph Wunder spent 19 years as an attorney, but he kept returning to the work of helping entrepreneurs build companies. He moved between private practice and working alongside founders several times, and each stint taught him more about how businesses start, grow and scale.

Wunder, who calls himself "a recovering lawyer" but still holds his license, joined forces with Paul Sparks and Kyle Putnam to launch Insignis Partners in Greenville in 2021. The founding team brought more than 50 years of combined investment experience and a track record that included more than $5 billion in prior real estate transactions, with roots at several different real estate firms prior to forming Insignis Partners. Shortly thereafter, they entered into a joint venture with Robert Baxley, the former President/COO of Zaxby’s, to form Omnipotent Brands, LLC to focus on restaurant franchising and development.

Restaurant franchising became the group's fastest-growing piece. The team entered the space about four years ago through the Zaxby's organization, and Omnipotent and Insignis have since driven multi-unit Zaxby's expansion into new markets, including Florida and North Carolina, and added the burger concept HipBurger. Together, those moves took the company from seven employees to more than 900 across three states.

Omnipotent has now signed a five-unit development agreement with Newk's Eatery to bring the brand to the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson market in South Carolina. The first location is expected to open by the end of 2027.

"It was more of an evolution," Wunder said. He moved between private law practice and working for entrepreneurs multiple times before deciding he wanted to be the entrepreneur himself.

Wunder was already familiar with Newk's before considering it as a franchise opportunity. Founded in Mississippi, the brand was one he had visited while seeing his sister at Ole Miss. More recently, he attended meetings in the Athens and Atlanta areas that were catered with Newk's food, bringing the concept back to his attention.

But the decision to bring the brand to South Carolina came down to more than nostalgia. Wunder and his partners saw an opportunity to introduce Newk's to a market where the concept wasn't yet present. They also believed its menu differentiated it from competitors like Panera, Jason's Deli and McAlister's.

"Their menu mix is pretty incredible," Wunder said. "If you're looking for a healthy alternative or you want a savory meal, they've got it all." His favorite: a salad topped with salmon.

The team's evaluation also included diligence visits to Mississippi, where they assessed the franchisor's leadership and support systems. Wunder was particularly impressed by the processes and procedures Newk's had developed, which he considered more advanced than he would have expected from an organization of its size.

Wunder spoke with 1851 Franchise about his transition into restaurant franchising, the growth of Insignis Partners and why his team chose Newk's for its next expansion. Here's what he had to say:

1851 Franchise: Tell us your story in one sentence.

Seph Wunder: Being a lawyer, I kind of stumbled my way into restaurant franchising through the Zaxby's organization about four years ago. Through that, we've gotten into a burger concept called HipBurger. And so this is a natural evolution to add a third concept to our organization and grow.

1851: What was happening in your life that made you realize it was time to make a change?

Wunder: I enjoyed practicing law, but personally, I really enjoy creating and developing companies and culture. It's about finding ways to grow the economy while also giving people ways to grow in their own lives. So it was more of an evolution. I went from private practice to working for entrepreneurs and helping them grow businesses that they were creating, back into private practice, back into working for entrepreneurs again, and finally decided that I wanted to be on the entrepreneur side.

1851: Why did you choose this franchise over every other opportunity?

Wunder: My sister went to Ole Miss, so I was familiar with Newk's. Then, through conversations with some of my partners, I realized they were familiar with it too. It just wasn't present in our market. We feel like, where we are locally, it would do well. And so we jumped on the opportunity to bring a strong concept with a strong leadership team behind it into a new market.

1851: How has owning this franchise changed your life?

Wunder: Since we're not open yet, I can say, drawing on my experience with Zaxby's, every day is different. Everybody's got a different story. Some days are better than others, but it's always an opportunity to grow and learn and ultimately help others advance in their careers, even if we're just a first job for a 16-year-old who wants some spending money.

Personally, it's changed my life because we're putting processes and procedures in place to make that happen and, hopefully, benefit other people's lives.

1851: If your best friend had enough money to buy this franchise tomorrow, what would you tell them?

Wunder: I'd say yes. It's an opportunity to be your own boss, to create your own culture and make your own way. From everything we've seen so far with Newk's, it's a great organization: well supported, well thought out. Processes and procedures are much more advanced than you'd expect from a 100-unit organization.

1851: What's the one thing you wish someone had told you before you bought this franchise?

Wunder: To do it sooner, probably.

About Newk's Eatery:

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, Newk's Eatery is a fast casual restaurant brand known for its signature hospitality and scratch-made meals. With nearly 100 locations across 12 states, Newk's offers a diverse menu of handcrafted salads, sandwiches, soups and pizzas — all made in-house with fresh, premium ingredients and without the use of fryers or microwaves. Guests can also enjoy convenient grab-and-go options and mobile ordering through the Newk's app, available on Google Play and the App Store, for curbside, in-store pickup or delivery.

Newk's has earned national recognition from Nation's Restaurant News, Restaurant Business and Entrepreneur, and continues to be celebrated for food quality and guest loyalty. To learn more, visit Newks.com, join the Newk's Rewards program, or follow along on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X. For franchise opportunities, visit franchise.newks.com.