by Nation's Restaurant News
Hosted by Nation’s Restaurant News’ editor in chief, Take-Away with Sam Oches features interviews with CEOs and founders of restaurant companies big and small, sharing their stories and ideas for the future but also real, tangible insights for how to innovate in our foodservice future. Each episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches provides key take-aways from Oches’ interviews, with on-the-go observations about how each leader’s strategy fits within the broader foodservice context and what actionable insights you should be applying to your own business.
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April 29, 2025
<p>In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Shannon Allen and Zach Cohen, the founder and CFO of the Miami-based fast-casual concept Grown. Shannon opened this concept with her husband, NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen, in 2016, driven by the fact that their son Walker was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was a toddler and Shannon struggled to find healthy foods served fast that she could feed him. Grown aims to disrupt the restaurant industry by serving fresh, nutrient-dense foods using organic ingredients in a counter-service setting that includes a drive-thru window. Shannon’s big dreams for Grown hit a wall with Covid, but now she’s brought Zach on board and they’ve developed a franchise model leveraging shipping containers that they think can help them quickly scale while keeping costs low. The two joined the podcast to talk about the evolution of healthy eating and why Grown can succeed as a health-forward concept where so many others have failed. </p><p> </p><p>In this conversation, you’ll find out why:</p><ul><li>Healthy food is more than just a trend for millions of customers</li><li>There is a shift in how Americans are perceiving processed foods </li><li>Your growth plan today may not be the growth plan your brand needs</li><li>It might be easier to find 100 people who believe in you than to raise $100 million</li><li>If you want to go far, go with someone beside you </li><li>A turn-key franchise solution offers opportunity for people who previously faced barriers to business ownership</li><li>Your “why” can steer your business through the opportunities that come your way</li></ul><br/><p>Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p>
April 22, 2025
<p>In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Dan DiZio, cofounder and CEO of Philly Pretzel Factory, a Philadelphia-based snack concept with more than 170 locations primarily in the East Coast. Philly Pretzel Factory has achieved broad appeal with its paperclip shaped pretzels and wide variety of dips, and it’s especially found success with its Party Trays, which have been hugely impactful in getting the word out about the brand at parties, sporting activities, meetings, and more. Dan joined the podcast to talk about how Philly Pretzel Factory has essentially become a wholesale provider with its bulk pretzel orders and why that strategy has been such successful grassroots marketing for the brand.</p><p> </p><p>In this conversation, you’ll find out why:</p><ul><li>You should never doubt your entrepreneurial instincts</li><li>There is incredible power in bulk orders</li><li>There’s no better marketing than free food</li><li>You shouldn’t miss the marketing opportunity that is national food holidays</li><li>Franchisees today want operational simplicity </li></ul><br/><p> </p><p>Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p>
April 15, 2025
<p>In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Nathan Louer, chief brand officer at Jamba, the legacy smoothie bowl concept that is one of seven brands in the GoTo Foods portfolio. Nathan declares that Jamba is on the comeback trail, and a big part of that comeback is the just-announced new store prototype called Hello Sunshine, which updates the Jamba aesthetic but also the experience leveraging self-order kiosks, digital marketing screens, and streamlined store layouts. It also provides strategic cost efficiencies and financial incentives for franchisees. Nathan joined the podcast to talk about the art of designing a new store prototype and why finding efficiencies isn’t always about drastic change.</p><p> </p><p>In this conversation, you’ll find out why:</p><ul><li>If you’re looking for a refresh, start with your roots</li><li>Even if you go back to your roots, your brand refresh requires newness and innovation</li><li>How you make guests feel is as important as the product they consume</li><li>Great hospitality transcends convenience of an experience </li><li>You can’t go halfway on brand evolution</li><li>Efficiency doesn’t always require blowing the model up for cost savings</li></ul><br/><p> </p><p>Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p>
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