Popular fast-casual fresh soup restaurant set for Oct. 27 grand opening
Fresh soup lovers in Columbus got their first taste of the high-quality, healthy soup recipes made popular by Zoup! roughly five years ago. Since then, the fast-casual concept has steadily expanded across the area.
But demand for Zoup!’s award-winning soups and convenient dining options keeps growing. Fortunately, husband and wife franchisees Denis and Poonam Barboza are happy to meet that demand!
The Barbozas’ second area restaurant – the fifth Zoup! in Columbus – will celebrate its grand opening on Thursday, Oct. 27. The restaurant is located in the Arena District at 155 W. Nationwide Blvd.
“We’re excited to open our second location in downtown Columbus’ most popular neighborhood,” said Denis Barboza. “Zoup! has a very loyal following, and we are proud to start serving our award-winning recipes to residents and workers in yet another part of our hometown.”
Following its official grand opening, Columbus’ newest Zoup! will host a fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 30, during regular business hours, to benefit BuddyUp – a tennis program for children with Down Syndrome. For a $5 donation, guests will enjoy a bowl of their favorite soup, a big hunk of fresh-baked bread and a small fountain drink, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting the organization.
“We’re very pleased to dedicate our post-opening fundraiser to support the wonderful work being done by BuddyUp,” said Denis. “I hope lots of folks turn out to enjoy some delicious soup and help us make a meaningful difference in the lives of the very special kids they serve.”
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. Customers also can sign up online to receive a daily email menu.
“We created Zoup! after discovering that really good soup is hard to find,” said Eric Ersher, Zoup!’s founder and CEO. “Also, in talking to people, it became clear that 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.”
As an established brand throughout the United States and Canada – with 97 restaurants in 19 states/provinces – Zoup! is targeting Ohio as part of an overall expansion strategy.
The Arena District restaurant will employ 17 team members and will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, please call 614-607-5600 or visit zoup.com.
Founded in 1998, Zoup! is the leading fast-casual soup concept restaurant that is defining the category with its premium and proprietary soups and other recipes. A dining experience that features 12 always-rotating soup varieties each day in an environment that focuses on comfort, satisfaction and convenience, Zoup! has grown its network of franchises to nearly 100 restaurants. For more information, visit zoup.com or zoupfranchise.com.
