Article

Trio ready to Americanize crepes

BannaStrow’s brand moves forward on development plans.

August 17, 2010 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

* View a slideshow of BannaStrow'shere.

Make some room, burgers and subs. Crepes have made their way into the American quick-service market.  

The longtime European breakfast staple is the focal point of BannaStrow’s, a 4-unit concept with immediate expansion plans. Three partners - Mauricio Acevedo, CEO, Luis Iragorri and Juan Estrada – have outlined their objective to translate these very thin French pancakes into an American favorite.

The first restaurant opened in 2003 and the company is now beginning to roll out its franchise arm with plans to tackle area distribution contracts mostly in high-traffic locations such as food courts, interstates and campuses. Stand alone shops are also being considered.

Acevedo said the timing is finally right for the company to expand.

“We have been around long enough that the kinks are ironed out and our products are refined. We wanted to make sure the concept was ready and the economic environment was a little more normal,” he said. “Plus, people are looking for something new, unique, and healthy. People want variety and that is what we offer.”

Variety of options

The offerings for BannaStrow’s signature crepes are, indeed, diverse. Customers can choose from numerous selections of crepes, from sweet to savory.

Ingredient options include ham, turkey, chicken, salmon, roast beef, almonds, cranberry sauce, chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, whipped cream, ice cream, granola, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, and more.  The batter is made of a whole grain flour mix to provide the base.

“We want customers to be able to mix and match whatever ingredients they want.  It can be barbecue flavored or taste like a pizza. We have more than 50 different recipes designed,” Acevedo said.  “The best thing about the crepe concept is the flexibility it provides. Anyone in the family can have whatever type of crepe they want at any time of the day, whether as breakfast, as a savory meal, a snack or dessert.”

Most of the crepes sold begin with a 16 inch base, although smaller snack versions are available. The price point is $5.50 to $8.50, depending on the amount of toppings included.

The company also offers “Wreps”(wrapped crepes), waffles, Andeano Gold Coffee (an organic brand from Colombia, where the three partners are from), and salads.

Unique business model

The menu items were chosen purposefully, to try and keep waste at a minimum or completely non-existent.

“All of our ingredients can be used. We don’t have pasta or fries or items that are thrown away if you don’t use them soon enough.  Everything is made-to-order. We want to keep it simple and we don’t want to throw anything away,” Acevedo said. “We’re not doing it to be chic; we’re doing it to be as efficient and responsible as possible. Restaurants throw away a lot of ingredients and it eats up the bottom line.”

Acevedo said the stores are designed so there is no back kitchen or kitchen and there is minimal equipment. Every ingredient available had to go through a “decision matrix,” he said, to assure that it could be used for the crepes, the waffles and/or the salads.

Additionally, Acevedo said this minimalist set-up will create more real estate opportunities and will be advantageous in the company’s growth.

Franchise plans

That growth comes after testing the business model with two company-owned stores and the subsequent addition of two franchises along the Florida Turnpike. Acevedo said the next step is to open franchises in metropolitan areas across the U.S.

Individual franchisees who choose to run their locations out of a kiosk, truck or small storefront should expect to spend $115,000 to $190,000 on initial investments including the franchise fee.

“We know if we wanted to be as big as we could, franchising is the way to go. We came up with our business plan to make sure the concept had everything necessary to be successful in franchising – easy to operate, low investment, broad appeal and not too market-specific,” he said.

The idea is to open 25 locations a year and to have about 125 stores open by 2015. Nontraditional locations – such as airports and turnpikes – will be heavily scouted, as will major metropolitan hubs, including New York, Chicago, Miami and cities in California.

“Because we don’t have kitchens, we have griddles and ingredients,  we’re very flexible moving forward. We want to focus on bigger cities – areas where there are a lot of different people from a lot of different countries who are willing to try new things,” Acevedo said.

And while some Americans may not readily embrace traditional European faire, Acevedo is optimistic most will, eventually.

“We want to Americanize the crepe. Customers can fill it with anything they want, or they can have the classic version. It can be as hearty or as healthy as they want it,” he said. “The exciting part is trying something new. We’re just packaging everything people love in a different basket.”

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