00:00Two of the four owners of Take 5 Health Bar Cafe, Giselle Donovan Purcell and Richard Purcell,
00:07told Express Business that the idea for the restaurant grew out of a promise
00:11made to a school friend who struggled to find suitable meal options because of dietary restrictions.
00:19Donovan Purcell said, quote,
00:21It really started with a group of girlfriends.
00:24We all went to school together and one of our friends actually had restrictions in what she could eat.
00:31She was gluten intolerant and usually when we went out,
00:34we always had to find a space where she could have something to eat that was not a salad or
00:40a soup, end quote.
00:43The menu includes vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free meals, as well as burgers, flatbreads and pasta.
00:51Richard Purcell said the restaurant prepares meals without frying and uses natural seasonings, ovens and grills instead.
01:01The owners say local sourcing remains central to the business,
01:05with ingredients supplied by a network of farmers and other local producers.
01:10And when asked about the food costs, including higher prices for vegetables,
01:15Purcell said the restaurant has worked to maintain affordable prices for customers,
01:21although profit margins have been reduced.
01:24Purcell said, quote,
01:26When we started last December, everything just went up in price.
01:31Vegetables, broccoli, it's like the price doubled.
01:35Those are a lot of the things that we offer here.
01:38But one of the things that we are proud of is our price point.
01:42People talk about that.
01:44They say, wow, that is a great price point.
01:47Nowhere you can get a salmon meal for below $200.
01:51So we have held our price, but we are still looking to see how we can survive
01:56because the model was built on a certain price point and now the margin has been reduced, end quote.
02:03Although he acknowledged that the profit margins have been reduced considerably,
02:09Purcell said the team is in it, quote,
02:12for the long haul, end quote.
02:14Take 5 officially opened last December after licensing delays pushed back its launch by nearly a year,
02:22increasing operating costs before the business began serving customers.
02:26The owners say repeat customers and word-of-mouth recommendations have helped the restaurant grow,
02:32while delivery orders through a food drop have also contributed to sales.
02:37In addition to its food offerings, the restaurant prepares fresh juices and smoothies in-house
02:44using fruits and vegetables with no additives or preservatives.
02:49Donovan Purcell said, quote,
03:05Quircell said the restaurant's signature 777 juice delivers the same experience as eating the fruit itself.
03:13The owners say the goal is to provide a healthy dining option that remains accessible and enjoyable for all customers.
03:22Vishana Pagu, TV6 News.
