franchise development

Los Angeles — The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, the leading global specialty coffee and tea house, will be launching its first permanent food truck location at the Los Angeles Zoo. Local entrepreneur Benjamin Dreicer and operating partner Genadi Orlov signed the franchise agreement. With more than two decades of experience in the retail real estate sector, Dreicer has developed a comprehensive understanding of the restaurant space and honed his skills in strategic site selection. As he grows with The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Dreicer is interested in looking …

Albuquerque, N.M. — Marco’s Pizza, one of the nation’s fastest-growing pizza brands, announces a 9-unit area development agreement in New Mexico. This marks a milestone for the brand as it breaks into a new state, with its nationwide footprint now spanning 35 states. Site selection is currently underway, with the first two locations slated to open in the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho areas before the end of first quarter 2025. Seasoned franchisees Chris and Kristian Ornelas are the principal owners of the company developing the units. “When looking to invest …

Ann Arbor, Mich. — MilkShake Factory, a Franworth portfolio brand and beloved dessert destination, has reached a milestone by awarding its 100th franchise unit on the first anniversary of its franchising journey. MilkShake Factory, a fourth-generation family business, was built on a legacy of quality. The journey began in 1914 when Charlie and Orania opened their first chocolate shop and soda fountain in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. More than a century from its early soda fountain days, the company was renamed “MilkShake Factory” and by 2016, had established itself as the …

Columbia, S.C. — Surcheros® is expanding into South Carolina. The fast-casual favorite plans to open 4 new locations in the Columbia area over the next 4 years, with the first restaurant in Forest Acres set to open in November 2024. Surcheros also recently announced plans to enter Tennessee. Surcheros currently operates 30 restaurants across Georgia and Florida. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to open 100 restaurants within the next 5 years, with 15 to 20 locations expected to open in the next 10 to 18 months. “This is …

Pittsburgh — Dave’s Hot Chicken, the Los Angeles-based street food sensation turned break-through fast-casual brand, has signed a multi-unit agreement to open 10 locations over the next 5 years across Pittsburgh. The 10-unit deal is with established entrepreneurs and business partners Danny Costa, Michael Costa and Jonathan Wise along with Raj Patel, who already owns seven Dave’s Hot Chickens across Chicago and Indiana. The Costas and Wise, who own and operate 75 Dunkin’ locations in Pennsylvania and Maine, along with Patel, who owns and operates over 100 franchise locations with …

San Diego — QDOBA has inked a series of franchise development agreements that will significantly expand the brand’s presence with 39 new locations across key markets in the United States. Led by franchise operators Cafua Management Company and Mountain View Management among other experienced franchisees, this announcement underscores QDOBA’s aggressive growth strategy aimed at doubling its footprint to 1,500 units over the next 7 years. Leveraging their success with Dunkin’ franchises, Rick Albert and Mark Cafua are expanding into QDOBA with five new restaurants some of which are planned for …