Ray Allen, the all time 3 point leader in NBA history, and three time NBA champion is trying his hand at fast food. Allen and his wife/business partner, Shannon, are opening an all organic fast-food restaurant named Grown.
Grown will be opening in Miami in March, and is the only organic fast food restaurant with a drive-thru on the entire East Coast. Although, the West Coast has several organic fast-food chains with a drive-thru.
Interestingly, the inspiration behind this idea was their son, who has Type 1 diabetes and has special dietary needs. Like most Americans, they loved the convenience of grabbing a meal at a fast food restaurant, but hated the lack of healthy options that actually tasted good. So the Allen's began doing some research and found that this was a common frustration among American families. Of course, when you're a retired NBA star, money is not a huge concern. Needless to say, funding the restaurant was quite easy.
Grown will offer healthy snacks such as the Sante Fe salad which is comprised of organic greens, avocado, corn, tomato salsa, grilled shrimp, and plantain strips. The prices will range from as low as $4 to as high as $18.
This article was particularly interesting to me because I had the exact same idea last summer. I was working at an internship in Columbus and went out to eat every single day for lunch. Usually I just grabbed fast food because it was cheap and convenient. However, I hated that I was eating horribly for at least one meal a day, 5-6 times a week. Unfortunately, since I was 19 years old and not a retired NBA star, I had no way of turning this idea into a legitimate business. Also, I have no experience in the restaurant industry, and probably could not handle running my own business at this age... but the idea was there. Therefore, I think that I should be expecting to receive some sort of compensation by the Allen family.
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-first-organic-fast-food-chain-on-the-east-coast-2016-2
Ray Allen is about to become an even wealthier man. Not only is this a great restaurant idea but his company, which has not even opened yet has drawn a large amount of publicity. One of the reasons why people go to fast food restaurants is for the convenience and cheap prices. And the fact that Grown will offer healthy options that are relatively cheap just makes it that much more appealing. I would not be surprised to see Grown in more places than just the east coast in years to come.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great business idea as well as a great alternative for people with busy lifestyles who do not have time to make home cooked meals for their families everyday. With the growing amount of time work takes away from being with family, it is harder and harder for families to eat together as well as to cook healthy meals. With that being said, I think this is a great idea for these families especially since it is also a healthy option for them that would take little invested time. With more of these types of restaurants, I think it could decrease the amount of unhealthy eating that is done due to everyone's busy schedules.
ReplyDeleteHaha yeah he should gift you some of the profits. I agree this is a good idea, but I don't think it's really all that unique or innovative. A big movement is already happening regarding eating healthier and healthier foods on the go. The success of the business will be in the details, margin of profit, prices etc. A lot of successful athletes/movie stars have a lot of money and invest in ideas, doesn't mean they're good entrepreneurs. I don't mean to play devil's advocate here, because I agree its a good idea, but it will be hard to tell at this point whether its a good idea or a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI think what will push this business idea to be successful beyond the healthy fast food options that are hard to come by today, is the story behind it all with both Ray Allen's name and his son's story. I think if possible they should continue to build upon this message, possibly by donating a percentage of the profit to diabetes research or a similar organization.
ReplyDeleteRay Allen has a image as being a very disciplined individual from the days when he played and now in retirement. I think the location of the restaurant is smart because Miami has many celebrities that love eating well to maintain healthy bodies so with this restaurant being the only one of its kind is very attractive and with Ray's reputation it's well positioned to achieve success.
ReplyDeleteBeing from New England, I have never been to an organic fast food restaurant, but it sounds like a really good idea. If there was one near where I lived or around owu, I would definitely go there often. I hope Ray Allen does well with this and brings it up to Boston.
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