Pokemoto, Hawaiian Poke Bowls Dives into Texas

New Dallas Area Franchise Agreement Signed for Highland Village/Flower Mound Market. Pokemoto Now Has 38 Franchise Agreements Signed

League City, Texas, June 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pokemoto, Muscle Maker, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: GRIL) growing Hawaiian Poke Bowl restaurant concept, today announced the signing of a new Pokemoto franchise agreement for the Highland Village/Flower Mound, Texas market. Highland Village and Flower Mound are affluent suburbs of the growing Dallas area. This new franchise agreement marks the first entry for Pokemoto into the Texas market and the first agreement to take advantage of the company's veterans appreciation program announced last month. The local franchisee served in the US Marines.

Pokemoto has now signed 38 new franchise agreements since November 2021 and continues to focus its growth strategy on franchising while also opening company owned locations in select markets. The Hawaiian poke chain currently has eight locations in the development and construction stages along with multiple LOIs submitted for lease negotiations. The company believes the first locations will open in June/July.

The Pokemoto franchise model allows for an initial franchise fee of $25,000, per unit, when the agreement is signed while also providing 6% of net sales as an ongoing monthly royalty rate once each location is opened. The company does allow, in certain instances, for discounted fees for multi-unit or special agreements including the newly announced veterans program. The veteran appreciation program offers a $15k discount on the initial $25k franchise fee bringing the total cost per agreement to $10k and is in place as a thank you to the men and women who have served in the United States military.

Pokemoto recently announced it has partnered with FranFund, a one-stop funding solution that has pioneered offering multiple funding options under one roof in the franchise space for those interested in a financial lending service. FranFund works directly with VetFran, a strategic initiative of the international franchise association, and offers a discounted pricing structure for veterans.

Michael Roper, CEO of Pokemoto commented "We love bringing new franchisees into our Pokemoto Ohana (family)! This is our first veterans program agreement to come aboard taking advantage of our veteran appreciation program which we just announced last month. We're glad that we're able to support our veterans by assisting them on their entrepreneurship journey. The ability to follow a process and leadership qualities introduced by the military make veterans great candidates of the franchising system. Pokemoto is in growth mode and our franchise sales team continues to expand the brand via digital targeted marketing efforts, tradeshows, virtual discovery days and more. Once these locations open Pokemoto will have locations operating across 11 states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Mississippi, Florida and now Texas."

Roper continued "Flower Mound was named the #4 best place to live in America by Money in 2021 and is known for it's small town family oriented environment. Residents of Flower Mound and Highland Village enjoy close proximity to Dallas and Fort Worth attractions, jobs, excellent schools and coming soon – Pokemoto, Hawaiian Poke! Pokemoto prides itself on its fresh and "healthier for you" combinations the whole family can enjoy. We literally have something for everyone on our menu. Our modern dining rooms and bright color scheme provide a Hawaiian vibe where guests can go to enjoy a customized bowl or sip on a refreshing boba tea! We look forward to sharing more details about the opening and becoming a part of the Flower Mound and Highland Village communities."

About Muscle Maker, Inc.

Muscle Maker, Inc. is the parent company of "healthier for you" brands delivering high-quality healthy food options to consumers through traditional and non-traditional locations such as military bases, universities, ghost kitchens, delivery and direct to consumer ready-made meal prep options. Brands include Muscle Maker Grill restaurants, Pokemoto Hawaiian Poke and SuperFit Foods meal prep. Our menus highlight healthier versions of traditional and non-traditional dishes and feature grass fed steak, lean turkey, chicken breast, Ahi tuna, salmon, shrimp, tofu and plant-based options. For more information on Muscle Maker, Inc., visit www.musclemakergrill.com, for more information on Pokemoto visit www.pokemoto.com.

About Pokemoto
 Pokemoto (www.pokemoto.com) a Hawaiian Poke bowl concept known for its modern culinary twist on a traditional Hawaiian classic has open locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Maryland and Virginia with future locations coming soon in Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Mississippi and Texas. Pokemoto offers contemporary flavors with fresh delectable ingredients that appeals to foodies, health enthusiasts, and sushi-lovers everywhere. Guests can choose from a list of signature bowls or be bold and build their own unique combination of a base, protein and various toppings and nine different sauces. Vegetarian options are available, and the bowl combinations are virtually limitless. The colorful dishes and modern chic dining rooms provide an uplifting dining experience for guests of all ages. Customers can dine in-store or order online via third party delivery apps for contactless delivery.

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