Oded Yefet is the President & CEO of Crepe Delicious & Froshberg Gelato. Prior to founding Crepe Delicious in 2004, Oded had graduated from culinary school and worked in numerous capacities in restaurant and hotel management. Currently, Oded is focused on expanding his concepts nationally and internationally and introducing new food concepts to the Crepe Delicious & Froshberg Gelato family.
BeTheBoss.ca: Tell us about the Crepe Delicious & Froshberg Gelato concepts.
Oded Yefet: Crepe Delicious was established in 2004 and is Canada’s largest and fastest growing mall-based creperie. We have over 20 mall locations in Canada and we specialize in the creation of world-class sweet and savoury crepes.
Froshberg Gelato was established in 2010 and is the perfect complement to the specialty crepe business. Froshberg Gelato is a contemporary mall-based gelato and sorbet bar. All gelato creations are handcrafted on-site daily. A lactose-free and sugar-free flavor option is always available.
BTB: How and when did you become involved with Crepe Delicious & Froshberg Gelato?
OY: My passion is the food business and I knew that there was a good opportunity in Canada to enter the industry with a new concept. In 2006, I decided to go on an international trip to get inspiration for the perfect new concept for the North American quick service restaurant industry. I went to Western Europe, to Far East Asia, and to North Africa. On the streets of Paris, I saw street vendors serving crepes from a cart, just like we serve hotdogs in Toronto! What a simple concept – everyone loves crepes. I knew that I could bring this concept to North America and get people excited about crepes.
BTB: What was your background prior to founding Crepe Delicious & Froshberg Gelato?
OY: I have always been in the food & service industry. I started when I was a teenager – I opened a small kiosk at a local community centre and sold snacks and drinks. This evolved into lots of jobs in the restaurant and hotel industries over the years, as well as my own successful catering company. I worked on the business end as well as the culinary side and that is what prepared me to own and operate Crepe Delicious & Froshberg Gelato.
BTB: What are some of the advantages in being a Crepe Delicious and Froshberg Gelato franchisee?
OY: Crepe Delicious & Froshberg Gelato are turn-key operations. We provide all of the initial groundwork – finding the location, negotiating the lease, designing and building the store. We deliver a finished store to our franchisee with a simple formula that works – a superb product that is simple to make at a low cost + exceptional customer service.
BTB: Who is your ideal franchisee?
OY: My ideal franchisee is someone who loves what they do. They represent my brands and they are the face of my company. If they love the business and they are proud of what they do, that shows and that is what helps drive our growth and success.
BTB: Tell us a little about the Quick Service Restaurant Market?
OY: The QSR industry is vibrant. There are always new players, and customers are always looking for something new. These days, customers are looking for ‘upscale’ options in fast-food rather than the traditional fast food of years ago. You can see this by going to any mall-food court and see what the options are. In today’s environment, to be successful, you have to keep up by updating your menu, your features, your promotions, even your store design and construction.
BTB: What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned in growing this franchise?
OY: I have learned a great deal over the past decade. I have learned how important it is to find the right people to help grow the business – from franchisees, to office staff, from store staff to lawyers and accountants and from real estate agents to suppliers – we are all part of the same team.
I have learned to train myself in so many areas of the business that go beyond culinary skills. I read and I speak to people about franchise law, franchise accounting, real estate, construction, equipment and this serves me well as I run my business day-to-day. This is knowledge that helps me make decisions and negotiations every day.
BTB: What advice do you have for someone looking to acquire a Franchise?
OY: First you need to decide what you are passionate about. There are so many franchises in so many industries – but what do YOU want and can you see yourself doing this in the future? Do your research and see what your options are. Visit existing locations to see how the business is run and make sure to speak to current franchisees.
BTB: In your opinion, why do you think that Crepe Delicious & Froshberg Gelato would be a great opportunity for someone?
OY: We are a young company with lots of potential and lots of momentum. It’s a great time to be a part of the excitement. We have a successful track record that we are proud of. I am a hands-on CEO - I am involved in the day-to-day running of the company and I am accessible to all our franchisees and work with them directly.
