A gluten-free, fast-casual bowl chain is setting up shop in east Mesa for its first-ever Arizona location, and the address is no coincidence: the new restaurant is landing right next door to a gym owned by the same people opening it. Mahana Fresh plans to open at 943 S. Gilbert Road, Suite 101, inside the Santa Fe Square shopping center, with the spot already listed as coming soon.
Gym Owners Turned Restaurant Franchisees
The Mesa location is being developed by franchisees Jason Albrecht, Ryan Lloyd, and Scott Rogers, who together own The Shop Gym next door, according to WhatNow. The Shop Gym opened in 2017, and the trio's fitness background pairs with more direct restaurant experience: Albrecht spent several years working in the restaurant industry before moving into fitness, and he said that history made opening a restaurant feel like a natural next step for the ownership group, per the same report. Even so, the new Mahana Fresh is not being developed specifically as an extension of The Shop Gym, the outlet notes — it's described as its own commercial venture aimed at general Mesa foot traffic.
That framing lines up with what KTAR News has reported about the ownership group's varied resumes. Albrecht has also worked as a firefighter and personal trainer, while Rogers previously worked as an event producer and Lloyd has leadership and hands-on operating experience, the station reports. KTAR reports that the owners saw an opportunity to advance health and fitness.
What's on the Menu, and Where It's Headed
The Mesa restaurant will span more than 2,700 square feet with both indoor and outdoor seating, and it's expected to open by the end of 2026, though Mahana Fresh has not announced an exact opening date, per WhatNow. The location will initially follow the chain's established menu, built around customizable bowls that let customers pick a base, vegetables, protein, and sauce, alongside signature bowls, tacos, smoothies, and desserts, with vegan and gluten-free options built in.
Mahana Fresh offers gluten-free options, with menu items including bases such as basmati, coconut, and cauliflower rice alongside gluten-free wraps, cookies, and zucchini brownies, according to Verdict Food Service, a format the outlet notes caters to keto, vegan, and paleo diners. The kitchen itself skips microwaves, freezers, and fryers entirely, with bowl bases, proteins, and vegetables all prepared fresh in-house daily, as reported by Fast Casual.
A Brand With Bigger Ambitions Than One Mesa Storefront
Mahana Fresh was founded in 2019 in Sarasota, Florida, by restaurateur Dave Wood, a former Domino's Pizza franchisee who previously owned 20 locations in Northern Virginia and launched the concept after retiring to offer quick, clean-eating meals, Fast Casual reports. The brand name itself is drawn from a Hawaiian and Polynesian term meaning “like the sun” or warmth, an influence visible in the chain's tropical decor and teal-and-white color palette, according to the same outlet.
The chain has leaned hard into rapid multi-unit expansion nationally. NBA champion Kyle Kuzma signed a multi-unit franchise deal with Mahana Fresh in October 2023 to develop up to 50 locations nationwide, initially eyeing Scottsdale as an early Arizona target market, per Verdict Food Service. Mahana Fresh also lists GLP-1-friendly bowls.
The Mesa suite sits inside Santa Fe Square, next door to The Shop Gym.
