Dr. Fredrick Jacobs, also known as “Dr. J,” dreamed about expanding his soul food business to the deepest corners of the U.S.
It was nothing more than a vision in his head until several years ago when he shared a poignant conversation with Rushion McDonald, two-time Emmy winner and former manager of Steve Harvey. In that moment, McDonald encouraged Jacobs to stop chasing the Joneses and become the Joneses.
The words filled Jacobs with energy, and the mission was clear—thrust soul food into the mainstream. From that point, he continued to extend his brand and executive catering service for TV, film, and music celebrities. He also traveled to core places to understand the authenticity of soul food.
“I spent time with grandmothers and great grandmothers in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Carolinas from different, diverse backgrounds and ethnicities,” Jacobs says. “I wanted to understand the core dynamic of what soul food is—what it meant not only to myself but to others, and the authenticity of the dish before we start to lift those dishes. I wanted to understand the core dynamic of the dish.”
Jacobs then wanted to ensure marketplaces could handle it. So with the help of a friend, he and his wife, Taja Jacobs, placed a deposit on a building to open a pop-up shop. The store—located in a section of Southern California where soul food had never been—proceeded to earn well over $2 million in its first year. Jacobs then took the concept to downtown Gainesville, Florida, which saw around $3 million.
After two large markets, Jacobs brought his version of soul food to a town of roughly 5,000 and a couple of traffic lights. The restaurant—the size of about two bedrooms put together—made more than $1.7 million.
“It showed that people will buy,” Jacobs says. “They are looking for it. They love it. It’s just no one has ever brought it to the forefront of mainstream and put it in prime location. And that has been my significant journey and concept of the brand—to present the brick and mortars and show that it does and it can happen.”
It was in these experiences that Celebrity’s Soul Food was formally brought into reality. The brand recently signed with United Franchise Group, with plans to open 200 stores in the next few years.
More than two dozen franchisees have joined the journey, and more than 30 stores are currently in development. Many are expected to make their debut in the second quarter across markets like Utah, New Mexico, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida, Arizona, and California. Depending on marketplace demand, franchisees will either open a quick-service bistro or a full-service establishment.
February 23, 2021 at 10:19PM
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Celebrity's Wants to Magnify the Soul Food Category - QSR magazine
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