Muscle Maker, Inc.'s Latest Acquisition, Pokemoto®, Launches Bubble Tea Program

Popular Hawaiian poke chain expands beverage category, adds Bubble tea to drink lineup

League City, TX (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Muscle Maker, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: GRIL) newest subsidiary Pokemoto, a concept known for its healthier modern culinary twist on a traditional Hawaiian poke classic announced that it has launched a new Bubble tea program to expand its current beverage lineup. The introduction of Bubble tea fills a gap in the beverage menu while capitalizing on current consumer trends. According to Allied Market Research, the $2 billion-plus Bubble tea category is growing at a rapid pace and is estimated to hit over $4 billion in sales by 2027 with a CAGR over 8%.

Pokemoto’s new Bubble tea program, also known as Boba tea, will be available to consumers in participating locations. Bubble tea is a perfect beverage for any daypart. You can make healthier versions of Bubble tea or you can have decadent options, the choice is yours. The Bubble tea program is made up of fresh-brewed black or green teas which can be purchased individually or combined with other ingredients to produce various chill-served milk tea and fruit tea combinations. Pokemoto also offers three toppings – tapioca, pop Boba and fruit jelly in multiple flavors to add a unique texture and flavor to the Millennial and Gen-Z driven beverages. The beverages are prepared fresh, hand-shaken and then sealed with a commercial sealer for safety and ease of delivery.

Keeping up with the company’s non-traditional growth plans, Pokemoto’s Bubble tea program will launch in virtual kitchens as a stand-alone unique concept or as a supplement to existing locations via third-party apps and on college campuses in the near future. Pokemoto already has university locations near Yale University, Fairfield University, University of Connecticut Stamford, University of New Haven, Southern Connecticut State College, Quinnipiac University and Franklin Pierce University.

“We knew the Pokemoto beverage lineup had room for significant growth when we acquired the brand three months ago,” said Mike Roper, CEO of Muscle Maker, Inc. “Prior to launching the Bubble tea program, Pokemoto offered bottled water, Hawaiian flavored juices and carbonated beverages, but something was missing, a gap needed to be filled. After doing some research in the category, we decided to launch Bubble tea. Launching Bubble tea is like having a separate restaurant inside our existing locations. Entire stand-alone restaurants are built just serving Bubble tea today, so we are really bullish on the potential that Bubble tea adds to Pokemoto – it’s a natural fit. As a matter of fact, consumers in our test locations came into the restaurant just for Bubble tea. The fresh-brewed antioxidant-rich teas boast numerous health benefits and taste fantastic on their own; add in some trendy ingredients and Bubble pearls and you have a beverage experience unlike any other! Keeping on par with the “build your own” model, tea combinations are virtually limitless appealing to our target Millennial and Gen-Z demographic.” Roper went on to say “Poke bowls and Bubble teas are bright and visually appealing, primed for social media sharing within our key audience. The new lineup is a big hit with our customer base and makes the brand very attractive to prospective franchisees.”

For more information on franchising visit: www.pokemoto.com/franchise

About Pokemoto
Pokemoto has fourteen locations in four states – Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Georgia and offers up chef-driven contemporary flavors with fresh delectable and healthy ingredients such as Atlantic salmon, sushi-grade tuna, fresh mango, roasted cashews and black caviar tobiko that appeals to foodies, health enthusiasts, and sushi-lovers everywhere. Guests can choose from a list of signature bowls or be bold and build their own unique combination of a base, protein and various toppings and nine different sauces. Vegetarian options are available, and the bowl combinations are virtually limitless. The colorful dishes and modern chic dining rooms provide an uplifting dining experience for guests of all ages. Customers can dine in-store or order online via third party delivery apps for contactless delivery. For more information on Pokemoto, visit www.pokemoto.com.

About Muscle Maker
Muscle Maker Grill was Founded in 1995 in Colonia, New Jersey and features “healthier for you” high quality, great tasting food, freshly prepared with proprietary recipes. Muscle Maker, Inc. is the parent company of Superfit Foods (www.superfitfoods.com), a Jacksonville, Florida, based fresh-prepared meal prep company focused on delivering dietary specific meals direct to consumer homes or designated pick-up locations. In addition, Muscle Maker, Inc. is the parent company of Pokemoto, a “healthier for you” fresh ingredient poke bowl concept. Pokemoto (www.pokemoto.com) features fresh Atlantic salmon, sushi-grade tuna, fresh fruits and vegetables and propriety recipes. For more information on Muscle Maker Grill, visit www.musclemakergrill.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
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