Business: Avocado Theory
Address: 22 E. Chicago Ave, Naperville
Phone/website: 331-226-2105, www.avotheory.com
Owner: Krunel “Kru” Patel, 38, of Orland Park
Time in business: 5 months
What does your business do? “This is a place where we explore healthy ways to enjoy avocado. We want people to know that it’s more than just guacamole,” Patel said.
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Why did you start this business? “I always wanted to do something different. I came from India when I was 21. I always wanted to start my own business. When I was the produce manager at Mariano’s in Oak Lawn, it was Super Bowl Sunday. The guacamole line was crazy. Everyone loves guacamole, so I did some research.
“I started selling guacamole in 2019 at farmer’s markets. That’s how I started this business. … While I was doing it, Amazon reached out to me to make deliveries in Chicago. I own Kru’s Delivery Service. I still have that business.”
What’s coming up? “We’re doing a Taste of Avocado Theory at North Central College from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 11. I think it’s going to be more than 2,000 people. We’ll give away free samples. The reason we’re doing this is to create awareness. People don’t know about avocado smoothies. It’s a great way to do some marketing.”
Do you have another location? “Yes, we started in Tinley Park on Oct. 21, 2021. … And I have two food trucks.”
Why did you open in Naperville? “Because we feel our concept — it’s more healthy, clean, gluten-free, vegan — we felt this community would be more receptive because there are more health-conscious people.”
Is downtown a good location? “Yes, it’s an amazing location. … Business has been good, very good.”
Is avocado good for us? “There are so many health benefits.”
How did you determine the menu? “We started with sandwich wraps, entrees. What we did over the four years, as we understand the customers, we constantly change the menu.”
How many avocados do you use a day? “We go through 800 a day at the two locations.”
What are your future plans? “We plan to have a location in Chicago.”
What do you like about your job? “What I love most about this job is I’m doing what people love. What I like the most is the avocado industry. There is avocado oil, avocado lotion. It’s more than just food. We want to change people’s minds about how they perceive avocado. … They will know they can use avocado everywhere.”
What are your hours? “9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day.”
When are you busy? “Lunch is typically busy here. It’s more dining orders here versus Tinley Park.”
What do you suggest they order? “We introduced our new menu on Aug. 25. It’s exciting. We have something like 70 dishes. … Something unique. Something innovative. (People may say) ‘I never thought of putting avocado in hummus or serving it with sweet potato.'”
Is avocado big in India? “Actually, it’s funny. I never saw an avocado until I came to America because India does not grow avocados. … That’s probably the reason I’m able to see this. When you see it every day, it’s not going to click. But something new? It gives you a fresh perspective.”
What did you study in college? “In India, I studied chemistry. Here, I studied business administration and accounting at Southern Illinois University.”
What challenges do you face? “The biggest is a lot of people don’t like avocado. But if you try a cheesecake or a smoothie, you don’t even know there’s avocado in those. Healthy food can still be delicious. You can incorporate avocado in so many things. … We have a great marketing team. It goes a long way.”
Where do you find your avocados? “We have a supplier. Our avocados come from Mexico and California.”
What makes you happy here? “When I sit here and see a customer enjoying the food. We bring them healthy food with the taste. It makes me so proud.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “Start small. … You don’t know the obstacles you’re going to face. You don’t want to get the big loan and then fail. I would highly recommend starting at a farmer’s market. You have nothing to lose. Chase your market. Start part time. Build a clientele. Once you feel confident, ‘OK, this is what I’m enjoying, I feel I can do it,’ now you are ready.”
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. If you know of a business you’d like to see profiled in Down to Business, contact him at [email protected].