Kansas coffee company eyes big expansion starting in Olathe
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Mokas Coffee & Eatery leaders at the groundbreaking with Olathe Mayor John Bacon. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
A small-town Kansas coffee shop is set for big-time expansion, with its first franchise location planned to open in Olathe this year.
Why it matters: The move marks a broader growth push backed by a Wichita restaurant industry magnate and a franchise group planning six regional locations.
Driving the news: Mokas Coffee & Eatery celebrated the beginning of construction at its new location at 11814 South Fellow St. with a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday.
- Mokas was founded in Salina in 2005. Since then, it's opened corporate locations in Wichita and Colby, Kansas, and in Arizona, where it has an in-house roasting facility.
The intrigue: Scott Redler, co-founder of Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, joined Mokas in 2024 to build out its franchise capabilities.
- Freddy's had more than 400 restaurants in 36 states when Redler sold the company in 2021.
- Christian Coleman, the franchisee and owner of Midwest Restaurant Group, comes from the family behind the Coleman outdoor gear company, which started in Wichita in 1900.
What they're saying: "When we started Mokas, it was all about connection, bringing people together over food," company founder and president Jason Ingermanson said at the ceremony, adding he wanted it to feel like grandma's house.
- He said the company's logo is two upside-down coffee mugs, and also two heads coming together in conversation.
Between the lines: Ingermanson's company JRI Hospitality owns Mokas as well as 130 Freddy's locations across 18 states after an acquisition this year.
Dig in: Mokas has a full array of breakfast and lunch items, plus a wide variety of coffee and alternative drinks.
💭 Abbey's thought bubble: When I lived in Wichita, Mokas was part of my routine — fiesta breakfast burrito (swap bacon for turkey sausage, add an extra egg) and a cold brew with sweet cream. I was nothing if not consistent.
What's next: Mokas plans to open in Olathe this fall.
- The rest of the franchise locations in Johnson County, Lawrence and Topeka are anticipated by 2032.