What Happened To Avocaderia After Shark Tank?

While often characterized as a favorite food of millennials, the fact remains that lots of people are obsessed with avocado toast. In addition to being paired with toasted bread, the humble green fruit (avocados are one of many "vegetables" that are actually fruit) has enjoyed wild popularity as both an Instagram-worthy food and a filling kitchen staple. As Francesco Brachetti, co-founder and CEO of Avocaderia (which has since been rebranded Avo), states in a Bloomberg Quicktake video, the global emergence of "avocado-based restaurants" gave him and fellow co-founder Alessandro Biggi the confidence to pursue their own entrepreneurial dreams.

Brachetti also explains that Avo was "born on Instagram," which eventually gave way to brick-and-mortar locations, the first of which opened its doors in a Brooklyn-based food hall in 2017. While the restaurant experienced some success early on, Biggi appeared on "Shark Tank" Season 9, Episode 22 in a bid to secure an investment that would enable the restaurant to expand even further.

Avo co-founder Alessandro Biggi appeared on "Shark Tank" to request a $300,000 investment for 10% equity in the group's avocado-themed restaurant. Biggi pitched the company with finesse, emphasizing its $3 million valuation and nearly 50 franchise requests. Biggi told the Sharks he invested $70,000 of his own money in the restaurant, explaining how just eight months in, the business was already doing over $2,000 a day in sales. Of course, Biggi also presented the Sharks with sample avocado dishes, and they all raved about how delicious they tasted.

The combination of an impressive pitch and tasty recipes seemed to have done the trick. After a bit of back and forth, Biggi secured a deal with Sharks Barbara Corcoran and Mark Cuban. Each pledged an investment of $200,000 for 10% equity each in the restaurant, bringing him one step closer to his goal of owning 20 locations in five years. 

In the wake of Alessandro Biggi's "Shark Tank" appearance, the Avo team continued its quest for success but faced some obstacles along the way. For instance, co-founder Francesco Brachetti told Bloomberg about the complicated process of ensuring the restaurant always has ripe avocados but claimed to have mastered it. Brachetti also stated they hoped to open a California location by 2019, but this has not yet happened. 

Unfortunately, Avo faced a bit of trouble in June of 2019 when health inspectors found food areas contaminated with sewage (among other violations) and temporarily closed the Chelsea location. The restaurant reopened days after repairs were made to remedy a leak in the basement, which was linked to the health code violations. Then came New York's COVID-19 shutdown of bars and restaurants, which took place in March 2020. While many restaurants went out of business due to the pandemic (including eateries such as Villa Blanca in Los Angeles and K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans), Avo was able to hang on. By 2024, the restaurant had expanded to five locations in New York City.

Today, Avo operates locations in Brooklyn, Chelsea, Midtown East, Midtown West, and Nomad. The restaurant serves a variety of avocado-based dishes, including salads and bowls topped with sliced avocados, fresh homemade guacamole, smoothies, sandwiches, sides, vegan and gluten-free options, and, of course, classic avocado toast. Delivery is now available at all five locations, and the restaurant has developed the Avo mobile app, which offers perks like order ahead, online payments, and more. Diners can also access Avo's loyalty program via the app, which allows customers to earn points to use on future purchases. 

On Instagram, Avo has over 64K followers, and some aren't shy about commenting on the many dishes the restaurant features on the social media platform. For example, a recent post showcasing Avo's Bowery Bowl (a summertime menu item that includes salmon, edamame, corn, and other goodies) garnered a glowing comment from a fan who stated, "Love all of your salads!" Avo even has its own cookbook, complete with recipes for dishes such as baked avocado with egg and crunchy parm and avo-lime cheesecake. Based on these developments, it appears the avocado trend is still plenty popular and Avo is taking full advantage of it. 

A name change isn't the only update Avo has made since its appearance on "Shark Tank." The establishment's rebranding efforts also involve a renewed emphasis on customer satisfaction in all areas. To ensure that there's something good to eat for everyone, Avo revamped its menu to better accommodate a diverse range of diets, and diners can find vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and meat-based dishes. By the same token, Avo customers are encouraged to provide feedback, which will be used to inform future decisions regarding the restaurant, its menu, and how it operates. 

Beyond the wholesome items served up at Avo, the team also aims to create a welcoming environment for all diners. According to the website, Avo wants to develop an atmosphere of "everyday comfort" at all its locations, inviting customers to "feel at home" when visiting the establishment. As for Avo's name change, the inspiration has much to do with matching the simplicity of the dishes and atmosphere. Overall, Avo hopes the rebranding will help enhance the experience it offers while helping customers achieve an elevated version of themselves. 

We expect that Avo will continue to operate based on the company values listed on its website: honesty and integrity, comfort, quality, looking out for the next generation, and encouraging customers to "avo good time." The restaurant is also committed to ethically sourcing the ingredients it uses. This includes working with a local wholesale distributor that uses sustainable practices when it comes to produce. Avo also procures its avocados from Michoacan, Mexico. which has implemented a certification program to combat deforestation.

Gven Avo's great track record, the company will likely continue to operate its existing restaurants and probably spread its wings to open even more. When the group opened its Nomad location in early 2023, Alessandro Biggi told Flatiron Nomad, "This location to us is a love letter to New York ... as an Italian expat it's a very special feeling." Avo may very well continue to welcome customers to several "new home[s]" in the future, and who knows? Maybe Biggi will actually franchise Avo, given the many requests the company had before he even appeared on "Shark Tank."