This is a new one on Foodie – a Physical Fitness Restaurant – from New York of course

What a clever idea……

How long until we see something like this in the UK?

For more than a decade, the bright orange vests have been a constant presence across midtown Manhattan; young guys on bikes in navy sweatshirts with bold orange type proclaiming “EAT PROTEIN & VEGETABLES. EAT LEAN”. All throughout peak lunch hours, they dart about, delivering healthy food to a fiercely loyal customer base, made up of celebrities, fashion designers, ad agencies, investment bankers and law firms; people who lead very busy lives but care about what they eat.

Calling itself “A Physical Fitness Restaurant”, The Pump Energy Food was created in 1997 when Steve and Elena Kapelonis, healthy eaters with a family legacy in the restaurant business, felt there was a market for something different. The menu was founded on the flavor, simplicity and healthfulness of a Mediterranean diet (Steve grew up in Greece), but they added a New York twist: none of the food was fried. They never cooked using mayo or butter and used whole wheat breads instead of processed white flours. They had an absolute faith in adding protein powders to items that gave people sustainable energy throughout the day. Even muffins, pancakes and healthy shakes had added protein. This was a radical idea in 1997, when New York was saturated with fast food restaurants.

It caught on and soon grew to five locations. That’s when Adam Eskin, an investment banker and avid fitness enthusiast, became a fan. Working for private equity firm Wexford Capital, he had been researching investment opportunities in the restaurant industry, looking for new concepts that had the potential to redefine the restaurant category. After looking at dozens of concepts, he kept coming back to The Pump. “All the other restaurants I looked at around the country were basically reinterpretations of what already existed. Nobody was doing what The Pump was doing. I saw that as a great opportunity.”

He put together a business case for how Wexford could buy the business and soon the deal was cinched. It was decided that Adam would run the company himself. “The next thing you know, I went from the boardroom to baking muffins.”

“In talking to our customers, the one thing you hear again and again is that this was ‘Food you don’t have to worry about.’ That’s a very powerful thing. Our mission is very simple: make it easy for people to eat well.” says Eskin. However, the restaurants and logo had grown tired, the menu had swollen to over 150 items and there were no recipes, systems or procedures from one store to the next. The stores were losing customers faster than they were gaining them.

Eskin and his team have spent the last year rebuilding the company from scratch, all the while trying to pump out the food everyday. Eskin hired new operations people, created new systems and procedures, developed new training programs and has invested heavily in infrastructure and new equipment. To reinvigorate the brand, he hired Dan Fogarty, a long-time Chipotle Mexican Grill branding executive, who has created a new logo and brand identity, a soon-to-debut website, and has helped Eskin create a new store design that is currently under construction at 40th & Madison.

“We’re just now starting to see all the improvements pay off and get to a steady-state. The restaurant business is built on making pennies, while we’ve been spending dollars. So it has been a real challenge, but that’s what makes building a business fun.”

How long until we see something like this in the UK?

40 West 55th St.
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212.246.6844
Fax: 212.421.0164
Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:00am to 9:30pm
Saturday
10:00am to 8:00pm
Sunday
11:00am to 9:00pm

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112 West 38th St.
New York, NY 10018
Phone: 212.764.2100
Fax: 212.764.1107
Hours:
Monday – Friday
7:30am to 9:00pm
Weekends
Closed

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31 East 21st St.
New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212.253.7676
Fax: 212.253.1050
Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:00am to 10:00pm
Saturday
10:00am to 9:00pm
Sunday
11:00am to 9:00pm

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113 East 31st St.
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212.213.5733
Fax: 212.213.5001
Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:00am to 10:30pm
Saturday
10:00am to 9:00pm
Sunday
11:00am to 9:00pm

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805 3rd Ave.
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212.421.3055
Fax: 212.421.0164
Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:00am to 9:00pm
Closed Weekends

http://www.thepumpenergyfood.com