Upstarts: Down to Earth
Evos’ healthful fare and environmentally friendly values promise to be sustainable.
By Maya Norris, Managing Editor -- Chain Leader, 5/1/2007
 Evos Airfries are air-baked, not deep-fried, with 50 percent to 70 percent less fat than regular fries, the company claims.
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Burgers, french fries and shakes take a guilt-free turn at fast-casual Evos. Yet the Tampa, Fla.-based company contends Evos is more than just a healthful alternative to QSR fare—its good-for-you menu is a natural extension of its commitment to serving all-natural and organic food in eco-friendly surroundings.
"The word Evos comes from the word evolve," says co-founder Dino Lambridis. "And we feel we’re basically fast food evolved. We’ve taken it and evolved it to a place where it works for today’s consumer. That it’s healthier. It’s higher quality. And it’s done in a way that’s sustainable to the Earth."
Natural Selection
Lambridis and friends Alkis Crassas and Michael Jeffers came up with the idea for Evos while they were looking for lunch on a road trip in Florida in 1993. "All we were seeing was McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Taco Bell," Lambridis says. "We wanted a burger, fries and a shake. And we knew that if we had that, we’re just going to feel the aftereffects and it was not going to be worth it. And we were just shocked that there was no place to get a fast-food meal without sacrificing your life."
So the trio opened a test unit in 1994 in Tampa and spent five years developing the concept. It started out as an upscale sandwich shop, but the owners shifted their focus to burgers, fries and shakes as they tested and developed recipes.
Today Evos features burgers, wraps and tacos with hormone- and antibiotic-free beef and chicken. Salads use organic greens. And the shakes are made with fresh fruit and organic milk. The company says its burgers, fries and chicken strips have 50 percent to 70 percent less fat and calories than similar items in other restaurants because it air-bakes them instead of frying or grilling them. The Evos Freerange Steakburger, $4.69, with naturally raised, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef, is a top seller.
The modern decor features eco-friendly materials such as nontoxic paints and a natural linoleum floor made from renewable materials like linseed oil and jute fiber. Whenever possible, Evos buys renewable energy, in which electricity is produced from sources such as the sun, wind or water.
Value Proposition
Lambridis says Evos has seen goodwill from its sustainable business practices: It rang up $2.6 million in systemwide sales last year.
With three corporate stores in Tampa and a franchised unit in Henderson, Nev., the chain is preparing for expansion. Franchisees will open three more stores in Florida and Nevada by the end of the year. And the company has signed an area-development agreement in which 207 stores will open in 12 Western states over 10 years.
Evos prefers inline units in urban areas with a mix of residences and businesses. Its target demographic is Cultural Creatives, a term coined by sociologist Paul H. Ray and psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson to describe a new generation of Americans disenchanted with materialism and concerned with improving the world. However Lambridis says Evos attracts a wide range of customers, from senior citizens to teenagers. "It really is a matter of values and not age or income," Lambridis says. "So it really breaks down to values when it comes down to understanding our guests."
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