Pokeworks Set to Continue Strong Momentum Through the Second Half of 2024

The leading premium poke franchise receives recognition for continued national growth with innovative new location layouts

IRVINE, Calif., June 20, 2024 – Pokeworks, the leading and quickest-growing fast casual poke brand in the world, continues its remarkable growth and success in the first half of 2024. One of few healthy fast casual options, the brand caters to a growing demographic of millennials, Gen Z’s, and Gen Alpha. With four new locations opened this year and plans for another nine in 2024, Pokeworks’ momentum continues to ramp up as it looks to introduce the concept to new markets across the United States and Canada as well as growing in their existing territories.

The Poke Foods Market is expected to increase by USD 781.91 million from 2021 to 2026, at an accelerated CAGR of 8.41%, and Pokeworks is set to be a part of this growth. In Q1 and Q2 of 2024, Pokeworks opened three new locations in Canada, bringing the brand to a total of four in the country, and has plans to open three more there this year. The brand also saw growth in the U.S., opening a new location in Midtown, Atlanta, and is set to open new restaurants in Fullerton, CA, Houston, TX, Astoria, NY, Rochester, MI, and Newark, NJ in the second half of 2024. Pokeworks’ growth has not gone unnoticed, with the brand being honored in Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list for 2024 and Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2024 Power List. The brand has no plans to slow down, and is actively targeting franchisees in their existing markets, including Southern California and Texas, as well as new markets across the U.S.

“Our growth in 2024 is a true testament to our incredible franchisees,” said Peter Yang, co-founder and Chief Development Officer of Pokeworks. “Pokeworks strives to operate as a franchisee-first company, and we prioritize the success of every single location. As we look to the future, we are primed to continue international expansion and maintain our status as the largest poke brand in the fast casual industry. We look forward to partnering with new franchisees who will share our company culture of MAHALO, and bring poke to new audiences across the country.”

As part of Pokeworks’ commitment to innovation, the brand is expanding into new and non-traditional locations this year. In May, Pokeworks opened a new location at The Well Toronto, becoming the brand’s first 300 sq foot location in a food court. While most restaurants require a larger storefront to accommodate operations, Pokeworks can fit into small and unique spaces. Not requiring an exhaust hood and range for cooking, or even gas, the brand has a flexible restaurant design, and is able to accommodate locations within airports, college campuses, malls, and food courts, allowing franchisees more options when seeking a lease. Seeing immediate initial success at The Well location, Pokeworks is now looking to expand into more non-traditional locations in 2024 and beyond.

“Bringing Pokeworks to a food hall has been an incredible and eye-opening experience,” said George Heos, Pokeworks’ Master Franchisee for Canada. “Initially, we never thought we could fit the restaurant into a space so small, but not being bound by the typical constraints of full cooking areas has allowed for tremendous flexibility and the ability to expose Pokeworks to a greater audience. The relationship offered by the Pokeworks support team is second to none, and has allowed us to grow new, out-of-the-box ideas knowing we have their trust and support behind us. We truly could not ask for a better partner to grow with in this journey, and we look forward to seeing future success with Pokeworks as we continue to expand in Canada.”

Founded in 2015, Pokeworks was born from a group of close friends and their love for Hawaiian poke, a unique, native Hawaiian dish made from freshly diced seafood marinated with soy sauce, sesame oil, and other sauces. The group experienced poke the way it was meant to be enjoyed on the island, and sought to bring it to the masses after seeing a gap in the market. Prioritizing fresh and sustainable seafood, Pokeworks offers customized, healthy, and delicious poke bowls, poke burritos, and salads. Pokeworks’ innovative Poke Your Way™ approach provides guests with limitless ways to customize their poke order to match their eating preferences including vegan, gluten-free, and other mindful diets. It is also convenient for grab-and-go food, matching modern dining habits.

“At the heart, Pokeworks is flavor first but offers food that our customers will feel good about,” said Mike Wu, co-founder and Head of Culinary. “We have prioritized sourcing sustainably farmed and high-quality seafood, ensuring each ingredient on our menu is fresh and delicious. While our food can be prepared quickly for grab-and-go dining options, our commitment to quality will never waver, offering modern day diners a healthy, easy option with dynamic and new flavors that cater to diverse tastes and various dietary preferences.”

Pokeworks is the leading and fastest-growing fast casual poke brand in the world, with the highest store count and AUVs in the industry. As the brand continues their franchise expansion, they are actively seeking franchisees who align with Pokeworks’ commitments to their guests, as well as their core values of Spreading Aloha, Positivity, Innovation, Attention to Detail, Sustainability, and Integrity. With stores achieving $2.2M in sales, Pokeworks offers a unique and attractive opportunity for franchisees looking to bring poke to new communities. Over the years, the brand has focused on streamlining internal systems and operations to provide a seamless franchisee experience for interested candidates, including multiple streams of revenue with their catering options, a modern technology stack with convenient app and online ordering, loyalty programs, advanced digital customer marketing and acquisition, and targeted local marketing capabilities, as well as proven social media and digital success. Including the franchise fee, Pokeworks offers a low total investment fee for a Pokeworks location starting at $308,000 (USD).

For more information on Pokeworks’ franchise opportunities, visit https://pokeworksfranchise.com/.

About Pokeworks

Pokeworks was founded in 2015 with the simple mission of spreading its love of poke –the crisp, fresh, healthy Hawaiian favorite – with the world. Pokeworks’ innovative Poke Your Way™ approach is groundbreaking, offering guests over 50,000 ways to customize their poke order to match their eating preferences including vegan, gluten-free, and other mindful diets. The Poke Burrito has developed a cult-like following, much like Pokeworks’ proprietary sauces, which range from sweet and spicy to savory. Pokeworks believes in supporting a healthy lifestyle and serving guests meals made from the freshest, highest quality ingredients from sustainable food sources. In 2022, the brand was honored to be named the “Top Poke Franchise” by Startups Magazine. Pokeworks has quickly expanded to become the leading fast-casual poke brand in the world with three consecutive years on Fast Casual’s “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” list. The brand has 67 locations across 20 states, Taiwan, and Canada. For more information, visit pokeworksfranchise.com, or follow Pokeworks on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.