MRM News: Zoupman–Franchising as a Second Career

Mark Barbour wanted a change after leaving a position as Director of Records for a New York City law firm. His wife researched the franchise restaurant environment and zeroed in on Zoup!, a brand with more than 100 restaurants in 20 states/provinces that is targeting New Jersey as part of an overall expansion strategy. In August, Barbour opened his first Zoup! at 100 Reaville Ave. in The Shoppes At Flemington.

Zoup! features hundreds of  soup recipes with 12 rotating daily varieties, including low-fat, low-cal, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options, all served with a hunk of freshly baked bread. Customer favorites include Chicken Potpie, Lobster Bisque and Vegetable Bounty. The menu also features made-to-order salads and sandwiches, and all menu items are available in convenient catering sizes for groups of 10 or more. To help customers select from the daily soups, sampling is encouraged. And, for those looking to save time, a daily soup menu and online ordering are available.

“We created Zoup! after discovering that really good soup is hard to find,” said Eric Ersher, Zoup!’s founder and CEO. “Also, there’s something special about soup and the way it elicits thoughts of family, well-being and comfort for many people. We strive to offer authentic, hand-crafted soups that are as good – and as ‘feel-good’ – as the homemade soups our mothers and grandmothers used to make.”

In this MRM News clip, find out why Barbour is embarking on this second career as well as how he is making a name for himself and his restaurant as “Zoupman.”