Rockford-based Beef-a-Roo opened five new franchises across U.S. in last six months

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Beef-a-Roo has opened five new locations outside of Illinois in the past six months as the Rockford-based fast-food chain looks to accelerate its growth across the country.

The franchise rollout is led by Next Brands, a family-owned business founded in 2021 that focuses on franchising in the fast-service restaurant industry. The company also franchises Blenderz, an acai bowl and smoothie bar, and Fresh Healthy Cafe.

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The latest six additions to Beef-a-Roo’s portfolio bring the company up to 18 locations across the country, according to its website. There are an additional four listed on the site as coming soon, not including one planned for The Meadows Shopping Center in Freeport.

“We are incredibly proud to share the Beef-a-Roo experience with more communities across the country,” Austin Capoferi, president of Next Brands, said in a news release on Wednesday. “Each new location is a chance for us to serve up not only our signature dishes but also to contribute to local economies across the country by creating jobs and partnering with community organizations.”

Beef-a-Roo was founded in Rockford in 1967 by Dave DeBruler and Jean Vitale. Their children took over the business in 2007 and ran it until 2019 when it was turned over to a private equity firm. Next Brands got the franchising rights in 2021 and set out to bring the business to new locations across the country. Capoferi told an industry publication last year that the goal was to have 50 locations in three to five years.

The restaurant chain is still headquartered in Rockford, with its corporate offices inside the Edgebrook shopping center on Alpine Road.

• 3312 E. Chestnut Expressway, Springfield, Missouri
• 1315 S. Shackleford, Little Rock, Arkansas
• 1111 U.S. Route 62, Harrison, Arkansas
• 9500 W. 135th St., Overland Park, Kansas
• 1360 W. State Road 32, Lebanon, Indiana

“All of these cities are better places, because they all have more beef, and the folks who live here can create something new at Beef-a-Roo,” Matt Riddle, chief operating officer of Beef-a-Roo, said in a news release. “Every new Beef-a-Roo is an opportunity to connect our Midwest-style of hospitality with a can-do attitude. Our superpower, and what makes us so different, is our willingness to invite guests to ‘mashup’ the menu, and do it with a smile.”

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The next phase of Beef-a-Roo’s growth could come by using low-cost shipping containers to quickly open a fully operating restaurant. The restaurant chain has one such location in Rose City, Michigan.

The Rockford area has seen a similar concept with Lino’s Restaurant opening for carryout service in a remodeled shipping container at 8410 E. Riverside Blvd. in Loves Park.

Loves Park is also considering a shipping container village as part of its effort to build an entertainment district around Mercyhealth Sportscore Two.

Next Brands said the shipping container concept allows franchisees to purchase their location for the all-in price of $200,000 and reduce the labor needed to three to four employees. It says the design also helps reduce wait time for customers.

Next Brands is also using the shipping container concept for its Blenderz locations.