Customizable Burger Franchise Chain Expands in Southern California with Monrovia Opening
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, the fast-casual “better burger” franchise, is continuing its West Coast expansion and opening what will be its third Southern California restaurant in Simi Valley. The restaurant, currently targeted for a late 2016 debut, will mark the third for the international brand in the Greater Los Angeles area and will open at the corner of Erringer and Los Angeles Ave., near Smart & Final in the Foothill Park Plaza.
The new MOOYAH location will be owned and operated by experienced entrepreneur Ara Avagyan. Avagyan is an Armenian immigrant who first came to the States to enroll in the University of LaVerne’s MBA program in management and supply chain leadership. He formerly owned a business in the home healthcare industry, but was looking for a career change when he was first introduced to the MOOYAH brand at the West Coast Franchise Expo in 2014.
“I was looking for a new and exciting business opportunity that had the stability and name recognition of a franchise brand, but the room for growth of a young brand,” Avagyan said. “Once I tried MOOYAH’s food, the deal was sealed. MOOYAH’s fresh take on the better burger category and high quality products will be the perfect fit for Simi Valley.”
Before moving to California, Avagyan attended medical school in Armenia before switching career paths and moving to Moscow. MOOYAH’s high growth potential helped attract Avagyan to the restaurant industry, and he has bigger plans to utilize his unique and transferrable skill set to expand the brand’s reach. After signing a three- territory deal with the brand, he opened a location in Monrovia and began planning for Simi Valley. He is also on track to follow up with a third location in Glendora in early 2017.
“MOOYAH is a fantastic fit for the Southern California area and we’re excited that Ara will be expanding the brand into a new territory,” said Michael Mabry, Chief Operating Officer at MOOYAH. “We know Simi Valley will love our customizable menu and our mouthwatering food. We expect this location to be among the few that will have the chance to test an expanded menu that includes grilled and hand-battered crispy chicken sandwiches.”
At MOOYAH, Guests can choose from a variety of bun options, such as baked in-house artisan white or multigrain wheat buns and handcrafted lettuce buns to accompany a never-frozen, 100 percent American beef patty, all-natural Jennie-O turkey patty or delicious black bean veggie patty. Each gourmet burger can be customized with five different cheese options, Applewood smoked bacon and sliced avocado, along with nine free veggie toppings and 11 free sauces.
MOOYAH French fries also help set the brand apart through a six-step process that takes a total of 24-hours to complete. A combination of high quality ingredients and attention to detail help transform U.S. #1 Idaho potatoes into perfect, crisp-on-the-outside and fluffy-on-the-inside fries. Guests can also choose to substitute MOOYAH’s savory sweet potato fries. MOOYAH also offers real ice cream shakes, allowing guests to choose from 10 flavors ranging from vanilla and Hershey’s chocolate to Reese’s, strawberry banana and more.
In 2016, MOOYAH is on pace to open 30 new locations and surpass the milestone of more than 100 total locations by the end of August. The booming “better burger” brand is set to enter several new states in 2016, including Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada, and expand its presence in California, Texas, Florida and New York as well.
