Board and Brew

Board And Brew was founded in 1979 by Tom Powers in Del Mar, California, around made from scratch sandwiches prepared daily with no preservatives, substitutes, or frozen meats, served with local craft beer in a relaxed beach setting. The company's principal business address and headquarters are 1212 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, California 92014. JJ&N Enterprises, Inc., at the same address, owns the Board And Brew trademarks and authorizes their licensing to franchisees. Craig Applegate, Co Founder and CEO, and business partner Clayton Wheeler personally hold 11 franchise units. The brand began franchising in 2012 and grew from zero franchise units to over 30 locations across California and Arizona as of December 2024. PeerSense produced this analysis independently from public franchise disclosure documents, industry databases, and market research, with no promotional relationship with the franchisor.

Board And Brew competes in the Subs, Sandwiches, Soups, and Salads category within the Quick Service Restaurant sector and the $350 billion plus U.S. restaurant industry. Its positioning connects preservative free and organic or locally sourced food with craft beer and an experience oriented dining setting. The brand rotates vendors, uses certified grass fed Angus roast beef, and serves organic never frozen chicken, addressing a purchasing trend tracked among the top five drivers in limited service restaurants since 2018. California and Arizona have the highest per capita spending on premium food and craft beverages in the continental United States. The craft sandwich and beer casual segment remains fragmented, with no single national franchisor holding dominant market share. This gives Board And Brew room to seek territory before greater consolidation, particularly among multi unit operators with prior QSR experience.

The franchise fee has appeared at $30,000 to $35,000 across multiple FDD versions. The current total initial investment is $362,500 to $830,200, while historical FDDs reported $238,623 to $802,000. Differences reflect geography, lease rates in Southern California and Arizona, tenant improvement costs, and equipment selections. Working capital is estimated at $45,000 to $60,000, and the minimum cash requirement is $125,000. Advertising fees appear in franchise documents, although public sources do not consistently state a fund percentage. Area Development Agreements allow multiple additional locations for an incremental payment of $17,500 to $70,000 to the franchisor, without a separate master franchise arrangement. The model requires substantial capitalization but remains below the $1 million plus investment associated with premium full service or drive thru dominant QSR formats.

Freshness drives daily operations. Ingredients arrive up to four days per week, and perishables are used within two days of receipt. Meats and sauces are prepared in house, including the vegan, gluten free, and nut free secret sauce, while bread arrives fresh each day. Locations generally offer curated craft beer on tap and in bottles, including proprietary brews, so staffing must cover both food preparation and bar service. Franchisees work with local farmers and purveyors for hormone free and organic when possible meats, dairy, and produce. Initial training totals 110 hours, including 46 classroom hours and 64 hours of hands on training over two weeks at the corporate headquarters in San Diego, California. Continuing support includes computer and technology platforms and field resources. Territory language requires clarification because Board And Brew states that it does not offer territory protection, while other franchise materials refer to defined territories. The franchisor may retain the right to compete within a franchisee's area.

FTC rules permit, but do not require, such representations, and many systems with fewer than 50 units do not provide them because of data variation or legal conservatism. Results will vary with commercial lease rates in coastal California and suburban Arizona, labor costs, and the operator's ability to manage fresh food preparation and bar service. Buyers should request any informal financial information available, speak with franchisees listed in the FDD, and complete independent market analysis before estimating returns.

Board And Brew began franchising in 2012. Its 2018 FDD listed 7 franchised locations, all in California. By 2022, the system had 24 locations, annual unit growth of 20.0%, and a net addition of four units. By December 2024, it had expanded beyond California into Arizona and surpassed 30 locations. The eighth location opened in Laguna Niguel, California, in May 2015. Openings in Westlake Village, California, in early 2023 and a Torrance, California location targeted for late 2023 extended activity in Southern California. The brand's differentiation rests on proprietary recipes such as the secret sauce, supply relationships for certified grass fed Angus beef and organic never frozen chicken, and a beach culture identity rooted in Del Mar, California. Employee headcount grew 23% annually, while Craig Applegate personally holds 11 units alongside his CEO role.

A suitable franchisee may be an owner operator or experienced multi unit manager with food and beverage management experience, given the combined demands of fresh food preparation and craft beer service. The minimum cash requirement is $125,000 and the investment can reach $830,200, so buyers may need liquidity beyond the minimum, especially in high cost Southern California markets. An Area Development Agreement costs an additional $17,500 to $70,000 and may suit investors seeking three to five locations in one market. Current development centers on California and Arizona, with Southern California and the greater Phoenix and Scottsdale markets identified as active corridors based on announced openings. Customers include families, businesspeople, and students, supporting sites in suburban strip centers, near colleges, and in coastal lifestyle destinations. A franchise attorney familiar with California franchise law should review agreement terms, renewals, transfers, and the unresolved territory provisions before any binding commitment.

Its model combines clean label food, craft beverages, and experiential dining, while its growth from 7 franchised units in 2018 to over 30 locations by late 2024 remains measured rather than rapid. The Loan Activity Score is 55, rated Moderate by PeerSense. PeerSense provides independent due diligence data covering SBA lending history, Loan Activity Score analysis, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data compared across disclosure years, and comparison tools for Board And Brew costs, franchise fees, and revenue against similar limited service restaurant concepts. Buyers should review the current FDD, contact existing franchisees, analyze the target market independently, and test the assumptions behind the $362,500 to $830,200 investment range.