City gets the North's first Freshii franchise

After 30 years away, Mike King has come home.

The West Ferris Secondary School graduate studied at the University of Guelph before spending more than 20 years working for a large food service company in southern Ontario.

“Until about a year ago when I was offered an early retirement package. I accepted it. Originally, I was looking for jobs and then I thought 'Why don’t I just be my own boss?'”

An online search led King, 56, to his new opportunity. He’s opened a Freshii franchise in North Bay.

Freshii is a Toronto-based casual restaurant geared toward health-conscious customers. King says there are franchises across Canada and around the world. His is the first in Northern Ontario.

“I know that fresh, healthy food is trending right now. People are getting more and more focused on healthy eating and it’s the way of the world these days.”

King says the company wants to make healthy food convenient and affordable.

“We offer salads and wraps and bowls which is our primary focus ‑ heartier more wholesome meals — and burritos, as well. We do have menu selections but we’re 100 per cent flexible with regard to the ingredients. They can be added, subtracted, substituted.”

King says customers can design their own meal completely from scratch, as well. And they can also order online through a Freshii app.

King says the company has a social conscience that’s important to him.

“We’re a very green company. All of our packaging, cutlery, bowls etc. are 100 per cent biodegradable in 90 days. We have a number of different menu items that if a customer purchases we’ll donate a meal to the We Foundation. So, we’ll give a meal to a child in need.”

Freshii is in the Algonquin Square, at 975 McKeown Ave., an area that’s seen three restaurants close in the past six months. The Miner’s Son closed in June. St. Louis Bar and Grill shut its doors in September, although a new restaurant is being opened in that location. And Shoeless Joe's announced a temporary closure earlier this week.

King believes his restaurant will fare better.

“We’re doing something, particularly in this area of North Bay, that’s completely different, and I think there’s a real need for it. We’re in the busiest plaza on the busiest street in North Bay, which is important.”

He says students from nearby Nipissing University and Canadore College are a key clientele, as are the employees of the North Bay Regional Health Centre.

But the restaurant will appeal to everyone looking for healthy meal options.

“We’re very popular with people with special diets or special preferences. Vegetarians, of course, enjoy us, but we’re not a vegetarian restaurant. We do have steak and chicken. We can cater to people who want to lose weight or people who are body builders who want to gain weight. People with celiac who want a gluten-free diet.

“Our challenge in North Bay, because we’re the first ones in the market, is creating awareness about Freshii. We’ve had a lot of people who are already regular customers and, of course, they’re telling their friends. North Bay is a small enough city that word of mouth is probably going to be what makes or breaks us.”

Although it’s already been welcoming customers for a month, King will celebrate Freshii’s official opening Jan. 10.

Freshii is open from 10 am-7 pm, seven days a week.

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