A New York-based concept that aims to change the way people enjoy bagels is launching franchising on Friday, with a new CEO and a new round of funding.
PopUp Bagels has become somewhat of a viral sensation for its “grip-rip-and-dip” style of bagels and schmears.
Last year, PopUp raised $8 million in a fundraising round led by growth-equity firm Stripes, along with Darren Rovell’s Tastemaker Capital, Habitat Partners and Hollywood producer John Davis, along with celebrities like actor Paul Rudd, and athletes J.J. Watt, T.J. Watt, Michael Phelps and Michael Strahan.
That same group has injected a Series B round of funding, though the amount was not disclosed, said Tory Barlett, the newly named CEO of PopUp Bagels.
Barlett served previously as chief brand officer for Moe’s Southwest Grill, and also held leadership roles at Schlotzsky’s and Southern Prosper Hospitality.
Meanwhile, PopUp’s founder and former CEO Adam Goldberg has moved to the chief brand officer role for the bagel chain.
Barlett’s “strategic vision aligns perfectly with our plans to scale while maintaining the quality and culture that set us apart,” Goldberg said in a statement.
Goldberg founded PopUp Bagels in 2020, after he started experimenting with bagels in his Westport, Connecticut kitchen and sharing them with neighbors.
Now there are nine shops, with another six under development, said Bartlett.
The shops focus solely on bagels and schmears—no sandwiches or sides, though Bartlett said a coffee program is in the works. The schmears, which change flavors weekly, are prepared in a commissary.
It’s not a traditional bagel, and guests can’t walk in and buy just one. They are sold in batches of three, six or 12. Three bagels and a schmear is about $12.
PopUp bagels are designed to be softer on the inside, and have a crisp outer crust, which makes them perfect for ripping apart and dipping into the ever-rotating selection of schmears.
The shops only sell bagels and a rotating array of schmears. | Photo courtesy of Jen Goldberg.
Bartlett said the company plans to grow units around New York and Miami, but they will look for established franchise partners to fill in major markets up and down the East Coast.
As a franchise concept, PopUp is fairly simple. There’s a walk-in cooler, boiler station and oven. That’s it. Units are small and typically have only a table or two.
“There are disco balls and music bouncing,” said Bartlett. “They’re small and have a cool, party atmosphere. It’s an interactive experience.”
The shops are open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., which makes them easier to staff.
Bartlett said he has long been a believer in streamlining businesses to do one or two things, and do them really well.
“Adam is a great marketer and has an unbelievable eye,” he said of Goldberg. “I really believe that his concept will be disruptive to the industry.”
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