Verts Mediterranean Grill
Private | |
Industry | Restaurant chain |
Founded | 2011 | in Austin, Texas
Founders | Michael Heyne, Dominik Stein |
Headquarters | Austin, Texas |
Number of locations | 19 |
Area served | Texas, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania |
Number of employees | 500[1] |
Website |
www |
VERTS Mediterranean Grill is an Austin-based fast casual restaurant chain.[2][3][4] The company created the world's smallest food truck out of a Smart Car in 2011.[5][6][7] In May 2016, it was rated ninth in Restaurant Business Online's list of Top 25 Fastest-Growing Fast Casuals.[8] As of April 2016, Verts has 28 locations in the United States.[9] Verts co-founder Dominik Stein was included on Forbes 30 Under 30 list under the Food & Drink category in 2017.[10]
History
Verts was founded in 2011 by two University of Texas and WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management alumni, Michael Heyne and Dominik Stein to recreate popular food from Europe which was not available in America.[11][12][13] In February 2014, the chain announced it would be expanding into Houston.[14] In October 2014, Verts entered an agreement to open three locations in Dallas-Fort Worth.[15][16] Verts opened its first San Antonio location in September 2015.[17] In December 2015, the company brought in $20 million in private equity, which would be used to expand the restaurant to the east coast.[18][19][20] The first Plano location opened in April 2016.[21] Poets & Quants named Verts one of the Top MBA Startups in January 2016.[22]
In September 2016, Verts announced a new location in Center City, Philadelphia, which opened in March 2017.[23][24][25] In November 2016, Verts opened a new location in Boston[8][26][27] and announced a New York City location.[28][29] Two more Boston locations were announced in February 2017,[30] and a location in Washington D.C. was announced that March.[31] Also in March 2017, Verts was featured on CNBC's list of 10 hot restaurant brands to watch.[9] In July 2017, Yelp showed that a total of 11 Texas locations were closed including 5 in and around Austin, all 3 in San Antonio, and 3 in cities surrounding Dallas/Ft.Worth.
References
- ↑ Jeremy Quittner (September 30, 2016). "What It Will Take for This Fast-Growing Chain to Become the Next Chipotle". Fortune. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Ron Ruggless (March 8, 2016). "VertsKebap shortens name to Verts". Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ "VertsKebap Changes Name to VERTS". QSR. March 8, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Virginia B. Wood (March 28, 2014). "Chain Gangs". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Kim Bhasin (October 31, 2011). "Behold, The World's Smallest Food Truck". Business Insider. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Cody Lyon (October 19, 2011). "Verts Kebap turns Smart Car into food trailer". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Craig Hlavaty (October 17, 2016). "Texas-based VERTS Mediterranean Grill eyes national expansion". mySA. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- 1 2 Cleopatra Dessalegn (November 11, 2016). "VERTS gives fresh face to Boston fast casual scene". Daily Free Press. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- 1 2 Katie Little (March 23, 2017). "10 hot restaurant brands to watch to spot the next big hit". CNBC. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ↑ "Dominik Stein". Forbes. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ "Verts on South Lamar offers St. Edward's students discounts". Hilltop Views. February 6, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Lauren Everitt (January 27, 2016). "VertsKebap: The $36 Million VC-Backed Mediterranean Street Food Startup". Poets & Quants. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Nicole Duncan (September 2016). "The Fast Casual Empire in the Making". QSR. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Josh Cain (February 25, 2014). "Another Austin restaurant coming to Houston". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Candace Carlisle (October 6, 2014). "Austin-based restaurant Verts lands at 3 DFW locations". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Michael Theis (October 6, 2014). "Verts Kebap expands in Dallas, eyes other Texas cities". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Katie Burke (September 1, 2015). "VertsKebap continues expansion with second San Antonio opening". San Antonio Business Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Jan Buchholz (December 14, 2015). "Hot restaurant chain plucks $20M from private equity; more expansion planned". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ "VertsKebap Sets Sights on East Coast for 2016". QSR. December 14, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Gary Dinges (December 15, 2015). "$20 million investment will let Verts Kebap head to East Coast". Austin American Statesman. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Kelley Crimmins (April 12, 2016). "Austin-based restaurant Verts Kebap opens in Plano". Community Impact. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Nathan Allen (January 29, 2016). "Here Are Poets&Quants Top MBA Startups". Fortune. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Michael Klein (September 8, 2016). "Verts, a 'Chipotle of Mediterranean food,' opening in Center City". Philly.com. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ "Free food at the new Verts, a fast-casual Mediterranean eatery". Philly.com. February 22, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ↑ Michael Tanenbaum (February 28, 2017). "Verts Mediterranean Grill coming to Center City via Austin". Philly Voice. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ↑ Doug Banks (October 3, 2016). "Fast-growing Mediterranean restaurant chain to open first Boston location". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ "Rapidly Expanding VERTS Set to Make East Coast Debut". QSR. October 11, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ "The New Kid On The Block, VERTS Is Coming to NYC". Total Food Service. November 23, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ Kate Taylor (December 21, 2016). "7 chains that will dominate the restaurant industry in 2017". Business Insider. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ↑ David L. Harris (February 22, 2017). "Fast-growing Mediterranean restaurant chain opening two more Boston locations". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ↑ Rebecca Cooper (March 13, 2017). "More Mediterranean coming to D.C., Shake Shack'a latest opening and more reataurant news". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved April 25, 2017.