The Future 50

Zoup! Fresh Soup Company is a fast-casual chain that offers more than 200 proprietary soup selections as well as deli-style sandwiches and salads served in a comfortable and casual setting. Each location offers 12 rotating soup varieties on a daily basis, often including lowfat, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options. Zoup! Systems LLC, a private company, operates and franchises the chain. Eric Ersher and David Elias, two former owners of a spice company, opened the first Zoup! Fresh Soup Company in Southfield, MI, in 1998.

Franchising began in 2002.