Savory Fund announced a strategic investment in Zao Asian Grill, a Mountain West-based pan-Asian fast-casual chain with 23 locations. Zao serves chef-driven bowls, salads, wraps, tacos and soups featuring proteins, noodles, rice, vegetables and scratch-made sauces, while reporting 18.2% same-store sales growth.
The partnership combines Savory Fund’s restaurant scaling experience with Zao’s leadership team, including founder Dave Duffin, CEO Tom Hartman and CFO Paul Killpack. Zao also secured a $12.5 million debt facility from Columbia Bank to support new restaurant development, with more than 10 additional locations projected through 2027. Catering growth, clean ingredients and limited-time offers have helped drive recent momentum.
For consumers, the investment could bring Zao’s approachable Asian-inspired menu to more markets. The deal reflects continued private equity interest in emerging fast-casual concepts with proven regional traction and national growth potential.
Image Credit: Savory Fund
What's Driving This Trend
- Regional Fast-casual Scaling
- Private equity backing for proven local restaurant concepts creates openings for disciplined expansion models that preserve menu identity while accelerating national footprint growth.
- Chef-driven Bowl Menus
- Customizable bowls, wraps and salads centered on fresh proteins, sauces and vegetables signal demand for flexible formats that blend convenience with elevated flavor profiles.
- Catering-led Restaurant Growth
- Off-premise catering momentum provides fast-casual brands with diversified revenue potential beyond walk-in traffic and app-based ordering.
Who This Affects Most
- Fast-casual Restaurants
- Investment in emerging chains highlights how differentiated menus and strong unit economics can reshape competition in limited-service dining.
- Private Equity
- Growth capital focused on regional restaurant brands reflects a broader appetite for scalable consumer concepts with measurable sales traction.
- Restaurant Real Estate
- New store development pipelines create demand for site selection, buildout and market-entry strategies tailored to fast-growing dining operators.
