The 2018 class of Restaurant Hospitality's annual RH 25 looks at bold moves made by multiconcept operators — the companies that are crossing segments, shifting operations, building big or pivoting in some way. There is no ranking. These are companies to watch. See all concepts >>

HQ: San Diego

Leadership: Johan Engman, founder and owner

Systemwide sales FY2017: $14.5 million. The group’s projected total gross revenue for 2018 is $24.6 million

Concepts: Breakfast Republic (7, with another 4 coming soon), Fig Tree Café (3), El Jardín, Casa Rústica, and the forthcoming Eggies and North Park Breakfast Co.

When Johan Engman saw the lines outside of his popular San Diego restaurant concept Breakfast Republic, he saw an opportunity. A “staggering” number of customers would leave when they heard there was an hour wait. But what if he could offer them a place to grab a coffee and muffin while they waited, or skip the line entirely for a quick breakfast next door?

Soon, he’ll be doing just that. Engman’s latest venture is Eggies, a fast-casual breakfast concept, set to open at three Breakfast Republic locations. Eggies will be built on site in 8-by-20-foot freestanding locations, many of them shipping containers. They’ll be serving up an array of breakfast foods served in mason jars.

Engman has long been a fan of a focused brand — and of breakfast. Although he started his restaurant group with the opening of Fig Free Café, which serves California fare all day, he quickly saw the appeal of narrowing down the menu. So he opened Breakfast Republic, filling what he saw was an underserved breakfast market.

Today, the restaurants serve up menu items like Oreo pancakes, lemon and coconut French toast, and boozy concoctions in irreverently designed spaces throughout San Diego, with growth planned for Los Angeles and Orange County.

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