Top Healthy Rice Bowl Chain Debuts at #186 in Prestigious Industry Ranking
Anaheim Hills, CA (-) WaBa Grill, one of the nation’s leading healthy rice bowl chains, is proud to announce that it has debuted within the top 200 in the prestigious Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN) 2022 Top 500 Report. Partnered with Datassential, the annual report ranks the nation’s restaurant brands by domestic systemwide sales. Ranked #186 overall, WaBa Grill jumped 20 spots from its previous ranking, underscoring the brand’s impressive, record-breaking sales growth over the past year.
“We’re honored to debut as a top-200 brand in NRN’s Top 500 report, and we’re especially proud to see our growth recognized as we continue to establish new sales benchmarks and climb higher on this prestigious list,” said Andrew Kim, President & CEO of WaBa Grill. “Last year was the best sales year in WaBa Grill’s 15-year history, and thanks to the hard work of so many individuals, including our dedicated franchisees, we have no intention of slowing down as we aim for a third consecutive annual sales record this year.”
2021 was a year full of brand milestones for WaBa Grill, which continues to make record-breaking gains across the sales spectrum. Last year, the healthy rice bowl chain registered a year-end same store sales (SSS) increase of 23.1% while total system sales (TSS) rose 24.1% over the previous year. Maintaining the impressive sales momentum and franchise growth into 2022, SSS increased 9.5% over the same period last year, while TSS jumped 11.0% as Q1 2022 ended. Among a variety of success factors, robust digital sales and the launch of the WaBa Text Club fueled the brand’s impressive Q1 performance.
“This is an exciting time to be part of WaBa Grill as our organization continues to break records and grow at unprecedented rates,” said Vivian Mendoza, Director of Marketing at WaBa Grill. “On behalf of our many franchisees and their hardworking employees, and our corporate support center team that promotes our growing restaurant network in the West, we’d like to express our sincere gratitude to Nation’s Restaurant News for recognizing WaBa Grill as a top 200 chain, further validating the effort and commitment demonstrated by everyone associated with our brand.”
With nearly 200 locations throughout California and Arizona – and soon including Nevada – WaBa Grill is continuing to expand its flame-grilled footprint to new geographies and new guests seeking healthier dining options. WaBa Grill is primed to continue expansion having identified key markets throughout the western U.S. and is seeking franchise partners interested in expanding their portfolios with an established healthy fast casual brand on the rise. For more details about partnering with WaBa Grill, visit www.wabagrill.com/franchise.
About WaBa Grill
WaBa Grill was founded in 2006 on the principle that healthy food made with quality ingredients should be accessible to all. With a goal of serving the best possible food on the go, WaBa’s famous rice bowls, plates and salads are made with fresh vegetables, healthy grains and high-quality proteins including fresh, never frozen chicken, marinated ribeye steak, wild-caught salmon, jumbo shrimp, plant-based steak, and organic tofu, all prepared to order on an open-fire grill and customized with a variety of flavorful sauces including the fan favorite WaBa Sauce. No microwaves, no frying, no artificial additives… ever. Learn more at www.WaBaGrill.com.
WaBa Grill Social Media Pages
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wabagrillofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wabagrill/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/wabagrill
Media Contact:
Kristyna Otto
Powerhouse Communications
kristyna@powerhousecomm.com
949-261-2216