# Fast-Casual Concepts Savory Fund Has Invested in Zao Asian Grill to Scale National Growth By Adam Harrie | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-08-20 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Savory-Fund References: [restaurantmagazine](https://www.restaurantmagazine.com/savory-fund-new-portfolio-brand-zao-asian-grill/)  Savory Fund announced a strategic investment in Zao Asian Grill, a Mountain West-based [pan-Asian fast-casual chain](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blitz-franchise) with 23 locations. Zao serves [chef-driven bowls, salads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2026-summer-menu), wraps, tacos and soups featuring proteins, noodles, rice, vegetables and [scratch-made sauces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asian-inspired-condiments), 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 ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.3/10 - Popularity: 48% | Activity: 50% | Freshness: 92% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [New Ventures](https://www.trendhunter.com/newventures) ## Key Themes ### 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. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Personalized Fast-Casual Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Personalized-fast-casual-branding.md) - [Limited-Time Asian BBQ Pizzas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asian-bbq-menu.md) - [Community-Centric Fast Casual](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Community-centric-fast-casual.md) - [Regional Hawaiian Fast-Casual Openings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ll-hawaiian-barbecue-opens.md) - [Interactive Fast-Casual Dining](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/interactive-fast-casual-dining.md) - [Savory-Sweet Asian Cuisine Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zaxbys-asian-zensation.md) - [Strategic Fast-Casual Dining Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pei-wei-asian-kitchen.md) - [Regional Noodle Restaurant Rollouts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/noodlebox-expansion.md) - [Regional Salad Chain Openings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/west-omaha-restaurant.md)