In 2020, Andrew and Brandon Nguyen both graduated from college and were longing for a project that would light them up during the dark days of the pandemic. Inspired by their family’s Japanese restaurant, they joined forces with their cousins to create a brand new recipe, and thus, the sushi pizza was born. They wanted to take their passion project to the next level and dreamed of opening an Asian fusion delivery-only restaurant.
The Challenge: Searching for a Cost-Efficient Kitchen
With very little start-up capital, Andrew and Brandon initially planned to operate their business out of the back of their family’s restaurant. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, they lost their family restaurant and they no longer had a place to launch and operate their business. However, this setback didn’t deter them.
Andrew & Brandon were ready and eager to start their family business, but needed to find the perfect space to operate their virtual restaurant.
The Solution: Coho's Commissary Kitchen
Andrew and Brandon were determined to find a professional kitchen and quickly found Coho Commissary. After touring Coho’s facilities they knew immediately that the commissary’s space, equipment, cost, and flexibility fit their needs.
Cost Efficiency
With an upfront investment of $5,000, KOZU Sushi Pizza was able to secure a dedicated workstation, storage, and access to Coho’s commercial-grade equipment. Without the pressure of staffing a front-of-house team, and the unpredictable costs of utilities, cleaning, and maintenance, they were able to keep their operational costs to a minimum.
Speed to Market
KOZU Sushi Pizza was able to move into Coho Commissary and take their first order, all within a month’s time. The Commissary was the perfect turn-key solution they needed to get their business up and running quickly.
Supportive Community
Being part of Coho's vibrant community helped these young entrepreneurs to find their feet. In the early days of their business, the Coho community shared business resources, accounting spreadsheets, and best practices for third-party delivery platforms. Fellow entrepreneurs continue to offer inspiration and support.
“Coho has this love and care for the entrepreneurs that they are hosting, whether operationally with soap and water, or marketing ideas, or even promoting collaborations with Coho members too. We saw the heart, we saw the love and care, and that's what makes Coho a great place to be working in.”
- Andrew Nguyen, Co-Founder of Kozu Sushi Pizza
The Results
KOZU cut their time to market by 75% by launching out of Coho Commissary.
The brothers' business became profitable within their first 3 months of opening.
Their operating costs are cut by $3,000/month by working out of our shared kitchen space.
KOZU has expanded to 14 sales channels within 3 years of operating.
KOZU Sushi Pizza’s story is an example of the many entrepreneurs launching their culinary dreams out of Coho Commissary. From their early days, the young brothers of KOZU Sushi Pizza have built a reputable family business beloved by the Vancouver community. They have not only expanded their menu, team, and business, but have also multiplied their online storefronts exponentially with the support of Coho’s facility management, competitive pricing, and love from the Coho Community.
Launch your culinary dreams at Coho Commissary. Check out our 6 locations across B.C. and submit an application online today.