Hatch a plan: Chicken chain aims high as it enters hot market

The company that developed Beef O’ Brady’s and the Brass Tap is taking on Chick-Fil-A and PDQ. The pandemic forced it to improvise — but its confidence remains high.

By Brian Hartz
| 6:00 a.m. September 18, 2020
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Courtesy. The Hatchery opened Aug. 31 in Tampa.

Strategies

Watch out, Chick-Fil-A. Be on your guard, PDQ. Prepare yourself, Popeye’s. The fast-casual chicken restaurant category has a new player: The Hatchery. It’s backed by FSC Franchise Co., the Tampa-based entity that owns the Beef O’ Brady’s and Brass Tap brands, which collectively have more than 20 locations across the Tampa Bay region.

The Hatchery debuted Aug. 31 with a grand opening at its first location, 201 N. Dale Mabry Highway in south Tampa. Although excited about the future, CEO Chris Elliott admits it’s a challenging time, to say the least, to unveil a brand-new restaurant concept.