Cinnaholic Gears Up For Sweet Expansion Plans Post "Shark Tank"

Build-Your-Own Cinnamon Roll Bakery to Expand Through a Strategic Franchise Growth Strategy

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May 19, 2014, 06:00 ET

BERKELEY, Calif., May 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cinnaholic (www.cinnaholic.com), including its owners Shannon and Florian Radke, appeared on the ABC reality show "Shark Tank" with the hopes of landing a deal that would allow the 100 percent vegan cinnamon roll bakery to expand globally. The couple found a recipe sweet enough for the Sharks to bite and are getting ready to take the Berkeley, California-based bakery across the United States and overseas.

"Our appearance on the show afforded us the ability to bring our passion to entrepreneurs across the world. With a chance to give a taste of why we love our brand to a large audience, we couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to get in front of the Sharks," says Florian Radke, co-owner of Cinnaholic. "When we opened our bakery in 2010, we never dreamed of the day we would be in front of billionaire entrepreneurs pitching our idea, but it happened. Although the Sharks chose to make a deal on the mail-order portion of our business, we understand the need to have additional Cinnaholic locations to meet the needs of our customers. With that in mind, we are ready to expand Cinnaholic through franchising."

What began as a passion for baking and the vegan lifestyle has landed the Radkes in sweet position to be the next growing niche food restaurant concept that expands into franchising since making a splash on "Shark Tank," joining the ranks of other food concepts. The Radke's are making headway bringing a sweet investment opportunity to the masses, with plans in place to expand the concept to 100 units in the next five years.

"We have proof of concept with our flagship store in Berkeley, and we are ready to replicate that success for those interested in becoming franchise partners," says Shannon Radke, a vegan and co-owner of Cinnaholic, along with her husband Florian. "We are seeking franchise partners who are passionate about owning their own Cinnaholic. As a part of our team, our partners will have access to a wide range of support tools that include public relations, marketing, customer service and sales training."

News of Cinnaholic's growth plans have vegans dreaming of the day they can go coast-to-coast and still enjoy vegan treats. With celebrities leading the charge, veganism is becoming more mainstream -- providing a tremendous business opportunity for entrepreneurs interested in catering to the 16 million vegetarians and 8 million vegans looking for sweet treats in the U.S. alone. This mass lifestyle shift bolsters Cinnaholic as an enticing business proposition. In addition to being 100 percent vegan, Cinnaholic cinnamon rolls are also dairy-free, lactose-free, egg-free and cholesterol-free.

Vice President of Development Spencer Reid, from Cinnaholic's franchise development partner Atlanta Franchise Group, adds, "Since the show aired, we have been inundated with leads from entrepreneurs around the world interested in opening their own Cinnaholic. We are excited that the initial appearance on Shark Tank garnered such a response and are looking forward to speaking to entrepreneurs looking to make Cinnaholic a household name in their community."

Cinnaholic appeared on the May 9 episode of "Shark Tank" on ABC Television. For more information, visit www.cinnaholic.com or www.atlantafranchisegroup.com.

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SOURCE Cinnaholic