Braid & Berry
What is Braid & Berry: challah sandwiches and smoothies in San Diego
Braid & Berry is a fast-casual spot for challah sandwiches and smoothies in San Diego, California. I founded it in 2026 and I'm building it from scratch, in public. This is what it sells, the plan and where it is today.
- Braid & Berry sells sandwiches on warm challah and cold smoothies, grab-and-go, in San Diego.
- The plan has three steps: a 30-day test with small events, a cart with delivery, then a store with no full kitchen.
- We tested 4 sandwiches and 2 passed. The logo is done and the trademark application is filed.
- Right now it's on hold until I hire someone to bake the challah: 12 applications came in through Indeed.
Braid & Berry is a fast-casual spot for challah sandwiches and smoothies in San Diego, California. I founded it in 2026 and I'm building it from scratch, in public: every decision, test and number goes on its page.
It isn't selling yet. This page explains what it will sell, how it will get to the street and where it is today.
What it sells
Sandwiches on warm challah and cold smoothies. That's where the brand line comes from: Hot braid, cold berry.
Challah is a braided bread, hence the name: the braid is the bread and the berry is the smoothies. The format is grab-and-go and fast, in the style of Joe & the Juice.
The plan in three steps
- 30-day test. Recipes, packaging and catering at small events and parties. I want to see whether people like the sandwich and how they react to the packaging and the brand before putting a dollar into a point of sale.
- Pilot: cart and delivery. A premium cart in malls or parks, plus DoorDash and Uber Eats. The cart is the first store. That's where I'll measure interest in public places, what time of day people want this food, how much they'll pay and how fast we can make them.
- First store. No full kitchen, just ovens. The challah arrives braided and gets baked there.
Why I'm starting this way: Why I'm starting with a cart and not a store.
What's already done
Recipes. We tested 4 sandwiches at home. 2 passed.
Logo. In food, the logo tells you what you're selling before anyone tastes anything, so it came first. I tried it with AI and didn't like any of the options; a designer did it. Logo, packaging and design: about $1,000. The story: Why the logo comes first.
Trademark. On September 30 I filed the trademark application.
Colors. They were set, but when we put them on the website we didn't like how the brand looked. We're reworking them before moving on to packaging.
Why it's on hold
The product is the challah. Without someone who bakes it well and at volume, there's no sandwich.
I sat down with a possible partner who had run a bakery, produced at commercial volume and made a really good challah. She said no: she didn't want long hours. On October 6 I posted the challah baker opening on LinkedIn and then on Indeed. 12 applications came in through Indeed, and the week of October 19 I have calls with candidates.
Until I hire that person, the sandwiches are on hold. It's the first thing that has to happen.
FAQ
What is Braid & Berry? A fast-casual spot for challah sandwiches and smoothies in San Diego, California, founded in 2026 by Carlos Gotlib.
Where is Braid & Berry? In San Diego. There's no cart or store yet: the first step is small events and parties.
Can I buy it yet? Not yet. The 30-day test starts once I hire someone to bake the challah.
What is challah? A braided bread. It's the base of every Braid & Berry sandwich.
Who's behind it? Me, Carlos Gotlib. I founded SpeakOn, WeHelp/Donna and Kimik, and I've been investing in startups since 2016. Braid & Berry is one of the two companies I'm building today, along with Remi.
Learn how to build a company by watching me build mine.
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