46: Justin Rosenberg: One Restauranteurs Story Through the Pandemic

AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Justin Rosenberg, founder and CEO of honeygrow, on lessons learned from managing a chain of restaurants during the pandemic.

Justin is the Founder and CEO of honeygrow, a fast-casual stir-fry and salad concept founded in Philadelphia in 2012. With a mission to create a unique, spirited brand focused on simple, wholesome foods, Rosenberg has led the company's creation and growth, which will consist of 26 units by year end.

Prior to launching honeygrow, Rosenberg worked as an Asset Manager and Manager of Energy Services for PREIT in Philadelphia, where he was responsible for purchasing and hedging strategies, energy costing, solar power development, capital budgeting, retail re-merchandising strategies, and forecasting for a portfolio of over 35 national shopping centers and malls throughout the US.

After seven years in the finance and real estate industry, Rosenberg decided it was time to pursue his true passions of entrepreneurialism, cooking, and creative brand-building. Influenced by his recent adoption of a plant-based diet and his love for design and music, he drew inspiration for a concept set to differentiate itself from the rest. To prepare himself for this new venture, Justin staged at various restaurants from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. to gain further experience in kitchen operations, cooking, and leadership.

In 2012, the first honeygrow location opened in the Rittenhouse neighborhood of Philadelphia, and Rosenberg’s vision catapulted to the next level. Since that day, honeygrow would continue to expand its unit count and team, with sights set for becoming an enduring, sustainable organization. The company has raised over $70 million in equity financing and has grown into the Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington DC, and the New York City metro areas. In 2020, Justin received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Greater Philadelphia region and in 2021, was distinguished as a member of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class.

Justin resides in the Philadelphia suburbs with his wife, three children, and Goldendoodle, Bowie. His passions outside of honeygrow include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, cooking, all-things guitar, hiking, and surfing. He is a member of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Corporate Council and a board member of the Common Market Mid-Atlantic.

Recorded 10/06/2021.