Founding Operators · 5 Spots

The world's first fully
AI-run franchise.

We didn't build a chocolate cart. We built a franchise where AI does everything but pour the chocolate. You run the shift. The agents run the business. Three hours of work a day, the rest stays automated.

Apply for Founding Operator → How it works
Atlanta · 2026 · 5 cities by 2027

A franchise that runs itself.

Traditional franchises ask you to be the operator, the marketer, the accountant, the supply chain manager, the social media person, the customer service desk, and the hiring manager. We took everything except the in-person shift and gave it to the AI.

You handle 3 hours/day

  • Pick up the cart in the morning
  • Run the live-pour shift at the event
  • Restock supplies on the way home
  • Tap "shift complete" in the operator app
  • That's it. Go live your life.

The agents handle Everything else

  • Booking inquiries triaged + drafts ready when you sit down
  • Social content scheduled — IG + TikTok every week
  • Vendor outreach + ingredient ordering
  • Compliance logs + temp tracking + permit reminders
  • Daily brief + weekly performance review on your dashboard
  • Financial reconciliation + payout tracking
  • Customer follow-ups + repeat-buyer flows

What's in the kit.

Everything you need to be open for business in your city within 30 days. No equipment runs. No vendor negotiation. No guessing on recipe. No first-event panic.

01

The cart

Custom-built push cart with off-road wheels, insulated cooler bay, branded canopy, signage panels, and Manna's signature live-pour station. Built for Atlanta heat — chocolate stays at 88°F all shift.

02

The recipe + sourcing playbook

Locked recipe v1, full SOP, vendor list with negotiated wholesale pricing, and the topping bar that built the brand. Reproducible cup quality on day one.

03

The operator app

Your phone is your back office. Shift card, supply checklist, end-of-shift report, one-tap compliance log, content upload, restock flag. Built specifically for the cart.

04

The AI agent stack

Inbox triage, content scheduling, weekly performance review, lead outreach, reorder watch, press monitoring. The same back office that runs Anderson's proof cart now runs yours.

05

The brand

Full Manna's brand kit — wordmark, color palette, fonts, photography style, uniform spec, signage templates, content templates for IG + TikTok.

06

Founding operator support

Weekly office hours with Anderson. Private Slack with all founding operators. First-event walkthrough. Direct line to brand HQ for the things AI can't handle yet.

The math (early read).

Real numbers from Anderson's proof cart, conservatively projected. Your mileage will vary by city, event mix, and how hard you push the cart. These are working estimates — not promises.

$2.75
COGS per cup
$10
Cup price (small)
~30
Events / month at full ramp

Founding operator kit + ongoing tech fee structure will be finalized with the first 5 applicants. Anderson is co-designing terms with the founding cohort — this is a partnership, not a top-down license sale.

Apply for founding operator.

5 spots. Atlanta priority for the first wave; other cities considered for wave 2. We're picking operators who'd already be running a small business if Manna's didn't exist. Send us a paragraph or two. We'll be in touch within 48 hours.

We read every application. If you'd be a fit, we'll send the operator deck + intro call link within 48 hours.

Common questions.

How much does the kit cost?

We're finalizing pricing with the founding cohort. Expect a structure where the cart + brand + playbook + agent stack access is a one-time kit fee, plus an ongoing tech & royalty share. Anyone we offer a founding spot to gets the lowest pricing the program will ever offer.

What does "AI-run" actually mean?

Every administrative function of a small food business — inbox, social, compliance, reordering, weekly review, lead follow-up — is handled by a stack of scheduled AI agents. They draft, they flag, they escalate. You approve or override. The point is removing the 30–40 hours a week most small food operators spend on non-customer-facing work.

Do I need food or restaurant experience?

No. The recipe, sourcing, sanitation SOPs, and compliance flow are all in the kit and the app. We picked chocolate-covered strawberries specifically because the technique is teachable in a day. Your real skill is being good in front of customers at events.

What if the AI gets something wrong?

Every agent decision that touches a customer is draft-only by default. The agent prepares, you approve. As the system matures, low-stakes actions (acknowledgments, scheduled posts) move to autonomous send. High-stakes actions (pricing, custom quotes, contracts) stay with you forever.

When does Wave 1 open?

Now. Anderson is taking applications for the first 5 founding operators through summer 2026. First city beyond Atlanta projected late 2026 / early 2027 depending on cart 1's performance and supply chain readiness.