COVER STORY
COCOA GRINDER
Abdul Elenani
ABDUL ELENANI HAS HAD AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT SINCE HE WAS A kid. Selling candy to his friends in grammar school and buying and selling cars in high school, Elenani always had hustle. “I hate lazy people,” he says. The oldest son in a family of eight kids, Elenani’s father always called him, “the man of the house.” “I think that’s what gave me my work ethic. My dad was an immigrant and worked so hard, and I wanted to be like him,” he says. Elenani’s father owned several Dunkin’ Donuts and Chock full o’Nuts locations, so Elenani got a taste for business ownership—and for coffee. No surprise that when Elenani went into business for himself, coffee was part of the plan. He describes his cafe, Cocoa Grinder, as “Starbucks on Steroids.” “Cocoa is for sweetness and grinder is for the grind of life,” Elenani says. “We roast our own coffee on-site. It’s top-notch,” he says. People told Elenani he was crazy for opening his first location in the ethnic neighborhood of Bay Ridge Brooklyn. “People advised me against it, but I knew it would work. Everyone likes a good cup of coffee and healthful foods. We were an immediate success and attracted a diverse customer base—moms with toddlers, business people, students, you name it,” he adds. Cocoa Grinder offers the ultimate in “grab and go.” Beside the high-quality coffee, there’s a full juice bar and an extensive menu of wholesome foods. “Our first location was only 300 square feet, but we quickly grew out of it and changed the model to more like 1,200. Build-outs are fairly simple, and there is an added bonus for franchisees,” he says. Elenani also happens to be a trained architect and civil engineer, and he also owns a construction company (did we mention that he’s not lazy?), so franchisees get construction work for a fraction of the usual price. With nine successful corporate locations in place, Elenani started offering franchise opportunities in 2017. “This is a great business in a growing segment,” he says enthusiastically. “The coffee and health-food industries are huge, and we have both. It’s a win-win.” For more information, visit www.cocoagrindernyc.com
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