OWNER, KALE ME CRAZY
At the height of the fro-yo craze, there was Roi Shlomo. The Buckhead resident founded Yogli Mogli not long after moving to Atlanta from Las Vegas in 2009 and is now at the forefront of another culinary trend—juicing. But this time it’s different for Shlomo. This time he says it’s all about health.
“I honestly thought I was eating healthy,” the 37-year-old Shlomo admits. “Until I watched a documentary about GMOs and organic foods and learned about how badly we are really eating.” After months of intense research, he says he was disgusted with what he learned about our food system and went to a strict all-organic diet of smoothies, juicing and salads. Immediately he found it hard to find places to eat that offered foods that fit his new regimen.
“First I did it for myself, but then I realized it was going to be my next venture,” says the Buckhead resident. That’s how Kale Me Crazy was born. The first location opened in Inman Park in 2013 and in 2014, he sold Yogli Mogli to focus on Kale Me Crazy full-time. “While juices and smoothies are our specialties, we are more than just a juice bar,” he says. Each location (a second store opened in Decatur last year) features a full menu of organic sandwiches and wraps, salads and soups in the winter.
“At first I was worried that people wouldn’t get it because the concept is so advanced,” Shlomo says. “But it’s been amazing and all word-of-mouth.” He hopes to have six more locations open by the end of the year, and in May opened the concept to franchising. “I’m looking for health-conscious entrepreneurs who want to expand the concept with me—in the Southeast at first, and all over the country after that.”
When Shlomo isn’t busy working at his own restaurants, he loves dining out in Buckhead. “My favorite is definitely Kyma—it reminds me of home,” he says. “I’m from Israel, so I grew up on Mediterranean seafood. When I have family in town we always go to Kyma.” He also loves traveling—especially outside the country. But when he’s in Atlanta he spends a lot of time at Chastain Park. “I run Chastain, play tennis there, and of course see shows there.”
But for now his focus is establishing Kale Me Crazy franchises, and he plans to own no more than four locations himself. His goal is to provide healthy food to more people. “Everyone should have access to fresh and real food. I’m hoping to give that access.”
STORY: Sarah Gleim
PHOTOS: Sara Hanna
