Founded in 2009 in Chicago, Protein Bar & Kitchen was born out of a whole new idea for food on the go.
That idea was that, “instead of fast food, we’d serve fast fuel,” says the Protein Bar website’s About page. “Shakes that were delicious, nutritious, and protein-packed. It was a success from the start but quickly became something even bigger… a game changer.”
Since then, Protein Bar has grown to comprise fifteen locations, and now it’s preparing to change the game in Northeast Florida, where franchisees Patrick Prendergast and Bobby Knapp of PBK Group LLC will debut the concept and expand it to a total of 5 locations in the area.
“Protein Bar has started seeing some explosive growth expanding in franchising,” Prendergast told What Now on Friday. “It’s a perfect fit for the Jacksonville market, offering something that is a healthy alternative for active people looking for food. The most important thing to note about Protein Bar & Kitchen is that there are ZERO bad choices. It’s delicious, nutritious and protein-packed. Our menu has a huge assortment of options to choose from and they are all made fresh daily using clean ingredients.”
A native Chicagoan, Prendergast has been a frequent Protein Bar & Kitchen customer, especially, he says, during “the Iron Man phase of my life, when I was doing triathlons and marathons and was always looking for a good, healthy meal full of protein.”
The menu ranges from Bowls & Burritos with flavor profiles like Miso Salmon, “Steak & Seoul,” and, Prendergast’s personal favorite, Mexicali (Organic Quinoa Blend, Roasted Chicken, Roasted Corn, Braised Black Beans, Cheddar, Braised Kale, Salsa Roja, PBK Guac, Chipotle Greek Yogurt, Spicy Tomatillo Sauce, Cilantro). On the protein shake side, you’ll find varieties like Fit Mint (Vanilla Whey Protein, Almond Milk, Malted Milk, Fresh Mint, Organic Baby Spinach, Grass-Fed Ghee), PB&J, and—also recommended by Prendergast—the Wrigley Peeled (Chocolate Whey Protein, Almond Milk, Banana, Organic Peanut Butter).
With a total of five locations planned for the area, Prendergast and Knapp are currently scouting for the site of Protein Bar’s Jacksonville debut.
You can keep up with all things Protein Bar & Kitchen by following @theproteinbar on Instagram.
