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Operator-Led
We operate the business ourselves, staying close to the details so decisions are made with real context, not outsourced judgment.
Founded in 2024
WE ARE
SCALING ICONIC BRANDS
from coast to coast.
0Stores committed
0Team members
№ 01 — OUR APPROACH
Good operations are just the start.
Taste is our edge.
We're thought partners for the brands we run.
● THE SWEETZER METHOD
- 01Focus on partnerships with brands with category-defining products and unique experiences.
- 02Build and operate stores in-house.
- 03Improve customer experience while maintaining strong local community engagement.
We employ a patient approach to delivering consistent, long-term growth across partnerships, leveraging our operational know-how and best-in-class systems management to optimize performance.
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Tech-Enabled
We embed technology into every layer of the business, using systems and data to make better decisions, operate more efficiently, and improve continuously.
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Culturally Fluent
With a presence on both coasts, we see what’s next before it scales and build around it early.
OPERATING PRINCIPLES
Operators first,
partners always.
Every partnership is a long-term commitment, not a transaction. We stay boots on the ground, hands on the systems, and close enough to the details to make improvements in real-time.
→ PATIENT CAPITAL.
LONG TERM PARTNERSHIPS.
Launch Week · LA
→ Patient capital. Long term partnerships.
№ 02 — Portfolio
brands.
Owned & Operated
№ 03 — Press
in the press.
- 01Franchise Times“PopUp Bagels Inks Two Deals For West Coast Growth in California”
- 02QSR Magazine“Go Greek Yogurt Plans Expansion in Laguna Beach and Palm Springs”
- 03Eater Los Angeles“PopUp Bagels Makes Its Long-Awaited Debut in Brentwood”
- 04Westside Today“PopUp Bagels Brings Hot, Whole Bagels to Brentwood With Matcha Schmear Collaboration”
- 05The Infatuation“LA Now Has a PopUp Bagels Location in Brentwood”
- 06What Now Los Angeles“PopUp Bagels Taking Over Southern California”
- 07Restaurant Business“New Franchise Group Signs With Another Brand”
№ 04 — OUR TEAM
who we
are.
01
AMEEN HAKIMIANPOUR
Co-Founder
Ameen serves as a founding member of Sweetzer Capital. In his prior experience as President of KFMS Inc., he oversaw over 20 Burger King locations, with a focus on driving operational efficiency and leading portfolio growth — the underpinning for Sweetzer's approach to operational improvements with partner brands. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
02
James Marzouk
Co-Founder
James serves as a founding member of Sweetzer Capital. In his prior experience on the Investments team at CIM Group, he sourced, evaluated, and executed over $1 billion in real estate transactions — including the $255 million acquisition of a 1,012-unit community in Phoenix, the largest market-rate multifamily deal in the city's history. He is a member of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate and the US Green Building Council, and graduated with a degree in Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California.
03
Aaron Barzi
Co-Founder
Aaron serves as a founding member of Sweetzer Capital. In his prior experience as a hospitality-focused investor at Ascendant Capital Partners, he worked with leading hospitality brands to oversee business-plan execution, operational initiatives, and value creation across a diverse portfolio of hotels in North American gateway markets. His experience in luxury hospitality and consumer operations brings a unique perspective to Sweetzer's focus on scaling high-demand brands effectively. He graduated with a degree in Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California.
04
Shawn Ahdout
Strategic Advisor
Shawn serves as a Strategic Advisor to Sweetzer Capital. He has experience as a Private Equity Investor at Blackstone and Ares Management, where he has spent time evaluating consumer brands, including leading restaurant chains, fitness concepts, and wellness brands. He graduated with a degree in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University.