Moe’s Southwest Grill is operated by Focus Brands, an affiliate of private equity firm Roark Capital Group. Moe’s was acquired in 2007 from Raving Brands, which founded the company in 2000. At the end of 2015, there were around 600 restaurants in 38 states. Even though it has far fewer restaurants than its larger competitor, Chipotle Mexican Grill, The 2016 Harris Poll EquiTrend named Moe’s Southwest Grill the Restaurant Brand of the Year in the Fast Casual Mexican Restaurant category. According to The Harris Poll, Moe’s registered the highest equity* increase (13%) among all restaurants measured. According to Lisa Recoussine, vice president, Client Solutions at Nielsen, the owner of The Harris Poll, Moe’s success can be attributed to its strategy of aggressive expansion and growth. Moreover, Moe’s is an example of a restaurant that “[has] listened to their customers and responded to their needs,” according to Recoussine.
*The Harris Polls calculates a brand’s equity by taking into account Familiriaty, Quality, and Purchase Considerations and it is based on surveys across 97,120 U.S consumers.
