Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Healthier fast food chain growing

With new locations, Evos is on its way to becoming a nationally recognized name.

By Mark Albright, Times Staff Writer
Published June 7, 2007

TAMPA - After six years of fine tuning, Tampa-born-and-bred Evos is gaining traction with recent expansion plans in its quest to become a national restaurant chain.

The creation of a trio of 39-year-old immigrants - two from Greece and a third from Canada - Evos hopes to stake its claim as offering "healthier fast food."

"Nobody else is doing what we're doing, so we think we can become the dominant national player," said co-founder Michael Jeffers. "We think the timing is right because people are getting more health- and environmentally conscious."

Among the better-for-you signature items are a fully-dressed soyburger, a steakburger made from Montana free-range beef and air fries baked in hot air, rather than deep-fat fried. The company makes no health food claims, but for the most part, raw ingredients are certified organic or grown pesticide- and antibiotic-free without added growth hormones. Other specialties are salads and organic milk or fruit shakes.

Financed initially by juggling business debts on 15 personal credit cards, the original store on S Howard Avenue has grown to three locally with a fourth under construction on Fowler Avenue near the University of South Florida. Other stores opened recently in Sarasota and suburban Las Vegas.

"So far, all our franchisees discovered us as customers," said Jeffers, noting that the Nevada franchise went to a one-time multi-unit Pizza Hut franchisee.

A made-up word, Evos to the founders signifies how their concept "evolved" from gourmet deli sandwiches in 1994 to healthier fare in late 1999. They've been developing recipes, refining their marketing and nailing down standard operating procedures since then.

Jeffers and partner Alkis Crassas met as students at McGill University in Montreal, then teamed up in Tampa with Dino Lambridis, a Florida International University graduate who grew up in Greek family of restaurateurs. In 2002 the team hired as an adviser Darrough Diamond, a McDonald's and Wendy's veteran, who now is chairman.

Experts have been skeptical, given the short life of healthy food options offered by the big chains and the highly competitive and oversaturated nature of the fast food business.

In 2006 the average Evos generated respectable annual sales of $940, 000, based on the performance of the first two company stores and full year projections at a third in Henderson, Nev. The average check was $9.50.

That's almost twice as pricey as Subway and the big burger franchises, putting Evos in the competitive price range with Panera Bread.

Quick-serve restaurants get up to half their business at the drive-through window. Evos is testing its first one in Nevada.

Evos priced its store franchises in the middle of the market at a get-started investment of about $350, 000 to $450, 000, including working capital. Royalties are phased to begin at 3.5 percent the first year, then rise closer to the industry norm at 5.5 percent by the third year.

Fast Facts:

Evos
Founded: 1994
Headquarters: Tampa
Co-founders: Alkis Crassas, Michael Jeffers and Dino Lambridis
Chairman: Darrough Diamond
Number of current locations: Five - two in Tampa (S Howard Avenue and Westshore Plaza); one in St. Petersburg (Fourth Street North); one in Sarasota; and one in Henderson, Nev. Another is under construction near the University of South Florida in Tampa

On the menu:
American Champion burger: Evos' signature soy burger.
Airfries: Air-baked, not fried in oil, offering 50 to 70 percent less fat.
Crispy Thai Trout wrap: Lightly breaded, air-baked trout with spicy peanut and chili pepper dressings.
Organic chocolate milkshakes: With added multivitamin and mineral supplements.
Source: evos.com

Mark Albright can be reached at albright@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8252.

[Last modified June 6, 2007, 22:57:27]