Island Fin Poke

What Island Fin Poke does

Island Fin Poké Co. is a Florida-based fast-casual restaurant franchise founded in 2017 by Mark Setterington and Paul, specializing in customizable Hawaiian-style poke bowls. The company operates 15 franchise locations across Florida, California, Nevada, Connecticut, Colorado, and Massachusetts, with franchise agreements or locations in 19 states and an active international franchise sales program. Its core product is the IncrediBOWL, an 8-step build-your-own bowl system spanning base, protein, mix-in, marinating sauce, topping, premium topping, finishing sauce, and dry topping categories, with 9 protein options (Ahi Tuna, Salmon, Spicy Tuna, Shrimp, Chicken, KBBQ Chicken, Octopus, Tofu, Spam) and over 25 toppings. Signature pre-designed bowls and a Dole Soft Serve dessert line round out the menu.

The business is structured as an asset-light franchise system. The franchisor earns revenue from initial franchise fees (single-unit and area development) and ongoing royalties, while retail revenue is captured at franchisee-owned locations. Unit economics are designed around a 900–1,500 sq ft footprint with small kitchens and a higher ratio of guest seating, requiring $50,000–$150,000 (single-unit) or $150,000–$250,000+ (area development) in liquid capital. Digital channels include a mobile loyalty and ordering app built on the Lunchbox platform, online ordering at loyalty.islandfinpoke.com, and catering fulfillment through ezCater and direct channels at $15.95–$20.95 per person. The customer base is primarily individual health-conscious consumers seeking customizable, gluten-free, fast-casual meals, supplemented by event/corporate catering clients and franchisee operators as a distinct business-to-business segment.

The company is privately held and founder-owned with no disclosed institutional capital, has 11–50 corporate employees, and has been recognized on Entrepreneur's Top New & Emerging Franchises (2023), Franchise Times Top 100 (2023), and QSR Magazine's Brand to Watch (2023), among other industry awards. Its growth strategy centers on franchised unit expansion (domestic and international), brand-building through the 'Ohana' community culture, and incremental revenue from catering and digital ordering.

Name

Island Fin Poke

Legal name

Island Fin Poké Co.®

Website

https://islandfinpoke.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Island Fin Poké Co. is a Florida-based fast-casual franchise founded in 2017 that operates 15 Hawaiian-style customizable poke bowl restaurants across seven U.S. states, selling single-unit and area development franchises and serving health-conscious individual diners plus catering clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast-casual restaurants

NAICS

Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets (722514)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Sushi/Sashimi-Grade & Raw Ready-to-Serve Seafood (Including Poke) (AFANALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Soft-Serve Ice Cream Mix Manufacturing (AFAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Fast casual poke
• Build your own bowl
• Hawaiian poke restaurants
• Poke franchise opportunities
• Customizable poke catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Food & Beverage Sales (Franchise Locations): Revenue is generated through the sale of poke bowls, Dole Soft Serve, and beverages at franchise locations across the United States. Customers order in-store, online, or via the mobile app. Individual franchisees pay royalties and fees to the franchisor.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalties: The company earns revenue by selling franchise licenses (single-unit and area development franchises). Franchisees invest $50,000-$250,000+ in liquid capital to open locations. The company also provides ongoing support and training services to franchisees.
3. Catering Services: Catering orders are fulfilled through ezCater and directly. Menu options include Poké Mo'olelo platters ($15.95/person, 10-person minimum), Poké Nui Loa platters ($20.95/person), Flying Fish individually packaged bowls ($20 each), and premium topping upgrades. Revenue is generated per-person and per-item.
4. Loyalty Program & App Commerce: The company's mobile app (built on Lunchbox platform) drives direct digital ordering and collects customer data. Users earn 1 point per $1 spent, with rewards including a free regular poke bowl on their birthday.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Island Fin Poke Co. operates a fast-casual Hawaiian poke restaurant franchise built around the IncrediBOWL customization concept, which lets guests build their own poke bowl across 8 selection steps (base, protein, mix-ins, marinades, toppings, premium toppings, finishing sauces, dry toppings). The chain also sells signature pre-designed bowls, Dole Soft Serve desserts, catering platters, and a mobile loyalty app. The company is primarily a franchisor, licensing its brand, recipes, and operating model to franchisees who open and operate brick-and-mortar poke restaurants.

Product overview

Island Fin Poké Co. is a Florida-based fast-casual Hawaiian poké restaurant franchise founded in 2017, operating under the 'IncrediBOWL' concept that allows customers to build their own customizable poké bowls through an 8-step selection process. The core product offering includes Signature Bowls (pre-designed combinations of Ahi Tuna, Chicken, Korean BBQ Chicken, Salmon, and Spicy Tuna) alongside build-your-own options with various proteins, bases, sauces, and toppings. The company also offers Dole Soft Serve frozen desserts, catering services through the Poké Mo'olelo and Poké Nui Loa platter programs, and a loyalty mobile app for point accumulation and reordering. The brand operates 15 franchise locations across the United States and continues expanding through domestic and international franchise opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IncrediBOWL (Build-Your-Own Poke) Customizable Hawaiian poke bowl offering where customers build their own bowl across 8 steps: base, protein, mix-ins, marinating sauce, toppings, premium toppings, finishing sauces, and dry toppings. Served at all Island Fin Poke locations for dine-in, takeout, and delivery.
• Signature Poke Bowls Pre-designed poke bowl combinations including Ahi Tuna Bowl (355-635 cal), Chicken Bowl (305-585 cal), Korean BBQ Chicken Bowl (270-550 cal), Salmon Bowl (295-575 cal), and Spicy Tuna Bowl (340-620 cal) for customers who prefer a chef-curated meal.
• Dole Soft Serve Branded Dole Soft Serve frozen dessert served in original and seasonal flavors (pumpkin spice, coconut) as a distinctive add-on to the poke bowl experience.
• Poké Mo'olelo Catering Platter Group catering platter for events of 10 or more, priced at $15.95 per person, with choice of 2 bases, 2 proteins, 4 toppings, and 4 sauces. Premium topping upgrades available at small/medium/large sizes.
• Poké Nui Loa Catering Platter Premium catering platter at $20.95 per person, with choice of 3 bases, 3 proteins, 6 toppings, and 4 sauces. Premium topping upgrades available at small/medium/large sizes.
• Flying Fish Individually Packaged Catering Bowls Individually packaged poke bowls for events, at $20 each. Each includes a prepared signature house bowl, specialty chips, a cookie, and bottled water, making it easy to serve diverse guests without on-site assembly.
• Island Fin Poke Loyalty Mobile App Mobile application (iOS and Android, built on Lunchbox) that lets customers order ahead for pickup, earn 1 loyalty point per $1 spent, redeem a free regular poke bowl on their birthday, and access Double Points Days promotions.
• Single-Unit Franchise License Franchise license allowing an entrepreneur to open a single Island Fin Poke restaurant in a protected territory. Requires $50,000-$150,000 in liquid capital and offers a 900-1,500 sq ft low-investment restaurant model with full training and operational support.
• Area Development Franchise License Multi-unit franchise development agreement for franchisees to lock down a larger territory and build a series of Island Fin Poke locations. Requires $150,000-$250,000+ in liquid capital.
• International Master Franchise License International franchise opportunity for prospective master franchisees outside the United States. Requires proof of business ownership, restaurant operating experience, net worth disclosure, and non-borrowed funds available to invest.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Freshii: Customizable healthy fast-casual franchise with bowls, salads, wraps, and juices. Comparable on build-your-own menu mechanics and franchise-driven unit growth targeting health-conscious consumers.
• MAD Greens: Regional customizable salad/bowl chain with similar build-your-own mechanics and fresh-ingredient positioning. Comparable on product format and health-conscious customer base, though primarily regional.

Direct peers

• Pokeworks: Largest US poke franchise chain with build-your-own bowl model and multi-state footprint. Directly comparable on product (customizable poke), customer (health-conscious fast-casual diner), and franchise-driven growth model.
• Yogurtland: Self-serve customizable frozen dessert franchise with strong loyalty program and small-footprint stores. Comparable on build-your-own customization mechanic, franchise-driven growth, and small-footprint (900–1,500 sq ft class) real estate model.
• Sweetfin: Poké and sushi burrito franchise operating multiple US locations with build-your-own bowls. Closely comparable on raw-seafood customization, fast-casual pricing, and franchise expansion strategy.
• Aloha Poke Co. Hawaiian-themed poke chain serving customizable bowls with similar protein and topping menus. Comparable on product format, Hawaiian brand positioning, and franchise/company-store hybrid expansion.

Broad incumbents

• Nekter Juice Bar: Multi-unit juice and acai-bowl franchise emphasizing fresh, customizable healthy meals. Comparable on build-your-own menu, small-footprint franchise model, and health-conscious consumer positioning.
• CAVA: Public customizable Mediterranean bowl/salad chain with rapid US expansion. Comparable on customizable build-your-own format, fast-casual pricing, and tech-enabled ordering, though at much larger scale.
• Tropical Smoothie Cafe: Large US fast-casual franchise system in the healthy/smoothie-bowl category. Comparable franchise-driven unit economics, low-investment footprint, and health-positioned consumer targeting.
• Sweetgreen: Public customizable salad/bowl chain with tech-forward loyalty and digital ordering. Comparable on build-your-own healthy meal positioning and loyalty/digital ordering stack, though at materially larger scale and unit economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/islandfinpokeco
• Xx.com/islandfinpokeco
• Facebookfacebook.com/IslandFinPokeCo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Island Fin Poke