Retail and restaurant news: Coconut’s Fish Cafe eyes franchise opportunity in O.C.
The Orange County Register
Maui-based Coconut’s Fish Cafe is bringing its island-inspired eatery to Orange County.
The fast-casual restaurant uses wild-caught fish in Hawaiian-style cuisine.
CEO and founder Michael Phillips, who founded the restaurant in 2009, is taking applications for franchises and wants to debut in Orange County late this year. “When this opened in 2009 I had no idea what this was going to turn out to be and it’s really amazing,” said Phillips, who runs the four-unit chain with his daughter and son-in-law.
The restaurant, which is named after Phillips’ cat, includes a menu of items priced from $8 to $17.
Phillips said the chain wants to expand into California because of its beach vibe and emphasis on healthy eating, both of which are consistent with the Coconut’s brand. “It’s about Hawaiian food and fish, and an explosion of flavors while still eating healthy,” he said.
Phillips said the success of his restaurant is largely due to positive online reviews and social media, which he thinks will help him in California as well.
“We are really excited about getting to California because we have so many people who come from that area to Maui,” he said.
Phillips said the biggest challenges right now are finding locations in a competitive real estate market and picking the right people to run the franchises.
The fast-casual market segment, a rapidly growing part of the restaurant industry, has been experimenting in California with fish options. Carlsbad-based Rubio’s recently revamped its menu to include sustainable seafood options such as grilled mahi mahi, salmon and tilapia.
Other chains, such as Wahoo’s, have also found success with fish tacos. Coconut’s is scheduled to open later this year.