Franchise: Suppers Made Easy

GREENSBORO (Sunday, December 17, 2006) - A new Greensboro business says it has a delicious, more healthful alternative to the drive-through window on those chaotic nights.

Super Suppers, a growing national franchise aimed at bringing families back to the dinner table, has opened a new store on Battleground Avenue next to Longhorn Steakhouse.

Owner Becky Parmer of Summerfield said she and her husband, Curt, decided to open the franchise when she was looking for a new challenge after leaving her former job as vice president of marketing for a tool company.

"I love food, and I love people," Parmer said. "I thought the concept was really interesting, and my husband and I started researching it, and because I am a foodie, I liked the fact that it was founded by a chef (Judie Byrd), who owns a culinary school."

Parmer, who had no previous professional culinary training, said as she worked to set up her store, she attended sessions led by professional chefs at the Culinary School of Fort Worth, Texas, where franchise meals are tested before recipes are passed on to the company's 274 stores.

That's where customers come in. They are led through a two-hour session by store chefs. They pick from 12 entrées each month that can easily be stored in the fridge or freezer and then warmed at any time to serve.

All ingredients are on site — chopped, prepped, and ready for assembly in a studio-style kitchen at the store.

"The whole idea of this business is to save time — which is 30 to 40 hours a week for the mom; to have the family eating around the dinner table; and to have the food to be good," Parmer said. "If you don't have good food, it's never going to work, and I think Super Suppers has taken care of all of that."

Parmer said most of the meals average between $3 and $3.50 per serving, contain no trans fat and are designed to fit into a healthy lifestyle. Each entrée is six servings.

Customers can sign up for a session that's convenient for them, participate in a walk-in day where they can come in and prepare meals on the spot, or reserve a session for a private party.

For those still too busy for a session, the store offers a grab-and-go service, where frozen prepared meals can be purchased at any time, and there are plans to add a fresh meal curb side service in January.

"It's very easy to prepare the meals; everything is ready for you... It's very easy to measure the ingredients," said customer Leigh Marlow, a media buyer and mother of twin 10-year-old boys. "With work being very hectic right now, it's very convenient not to have to get out a recipe to cook for dinner."

The business is the second in-store meal-assembly franchise in Greensboro, joining Dream Dinners on Lawndale Drive.

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