Newk's Eatery is an American chain of fast casual cafés which operates over 100 restaurants in 13 states.[2][7]
Newk's Eatery was founded in 2004 as Newk's Express Café by father and son chefs, Don and Chris Newcomb, with the first store opening in Oxford, Mississippi.[8][9] Before establishment of Newks, Don and Chris Newcomb had previously created and sold their restaurant chain McAlister's Deli to Focus Brand.[10][11]
In 2013, the company rebranded itself as Newk's Eatery. In addition to the updated name, the company introduced a fresh design to its logo.[12]
The business was bought by private equity firm Sentinel Capital Partners in 2014 for an undisclosed amount, identifying the chain's opportunity for growth as a driving factor in the decision to acquire the company.[12][13][14] Sentinel, which specializes in buying and building companies, implemented a plan for rapid growth.[15][16] Shortly after its acquisition by Sentinel, Newk's announced plans to grow to more than 300 units by 2018.[17][18]
Today, over 100 Newk's locations operate in 13 U.S. states.[2][19] The company is headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi.[20] Newk's announced $141 million in revenue in 2014.
Newk's sells gourmet made-from-scratch sandwiches, soups, salads, California-style pizzas, desserts, fresh fruit, coffee, specialty drinks, wine, beer, and a large variety of related items.[21][22] The restaurant chain, situated on the upscale spectrum of fast casual, maintains a strong culinary focus with all products made from scratch, with fresh ingredients in each store daily.[4][5][23][24] Defining features of the company's restaurants are open kitchens and large round tables with complementary gourmet condiments, toppings, and breadstick crackers.[4][25]
