Vegan butcher shop going mainstream
Toronto’s YamChops owners see franchise opportunities coming from as far as Texas
Toni and Michael Abramson had been open for business for less than a year in May 2015, when they got the call.
Dragons’ Den, CBC’s hit business-pitch show, wanted the pair to present Yam Chops, their vegan butcher shop. Business owners typically audition for a coveted spot on the show, so the husband-and-wife team was flattered. But nervous.
“We immediately thought, ‘Oh my God, what do we do? That’s such an amazing opportunity but are we ready?’ ” Toni recalls. “‘What are we really looking for in terms of a growth scenario?’ ”
Having found almost immediate success with their College St. and Montrose Ave. shop — selling Michael’s inventive recipes for meatless dishes, along with vegan and vegetarian groceries from other suppliers — the Abramsons were already considering how they could expand, with franchising at top of mind.
“Running a kitchen, running a team of people on the floor, trying to have a life outside of this is nearly impossible. We were limited in our people resources, as well as our financial resources,” Toni explains. “We knew from the get-go if we wanted to grow this concept in a timely manner, it was going to have to involve outside investment. It was a question of finding the right outside partners to work with.”
They accepted the Dragons’ Den invitation and struck an on-camera deal with Boston Pizza co-owner Jim Treliving — “the franchise dude,” Toni says — after feeding him and the other investors Yam-Chops favourites: soy-based Schezuan “beef,” crab-less crab cakes and coldpressed juice made by daughter Jess.
“They went gaga.” But off-camera, both sides decided to hold off. “We weren’t ready to franchise at that point,” Toni explains.
“We both came to the conclusion that we needed to get more time under our belts.”
By the time the episode aired, in February 2016, the Abramsons had ironed out any kinks and amassed a loyal following of vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians, many of whom were already inquiring about whether new locations would be opened. But the couple did not expect the onslaught of interest they received after their television debut.
“As soon as the show aired, we had a huge influx of inquiries around franchising. They came from Quebec to Vancouver, every province and territory. It was totally humbling that we created that kind of stir,” Toni recalls.
“Out of the 200 immediate inquiries we got, about 30 or 40 were from the U.S. — New York, L.A., Florida, Texas. People were coming out of the woodwork.”
Around that same time, Toni and Michael had a conversation with Box Concepts, a Surrey, B.C.-based food service and restaurant development company experienced in restaurant operations and franchise development. Ultimately, the Abramsons decided to partner with the company to help create YamChops the franchise — a business decision Toni says makes the most sense.
“Michael and I aren’t 25 anymore. We’re both approaching 61 and 60,” she says.
“At this point in your life, you come to terms with the fact that you don’t know everything and that it’s OK. It’s important to get the guidance and support of people who know more than you do.”
The partnership will see Toni and Michael remain very involved with new store locations, from meeting and vetting potential franchisees to training to providing ongoing support. Box Concepts brings existing relationships with distributors and producers, real estate and demographic knowledge and franchise documentation, processes and systems — things that take time and significant expertise to develop.
The partnership has proven suc- cessful, as the first franchise locations of YamChops, planned for the GTA and Vancouver, are imminent. A Los Angeles location may also be on the horizon, thanks to a connection made through Box Concepts. Toni says being able to bring their plant-based concept to more people is the family’s “legacy piece.”
“We were the first North American vegetarian shop and no one will be able to change that. We started something,” she says.
“People see there’s a success opportunity here and that’s heartwarming, that we’ve opened the door.”