franchise development

Irvine, Calif. — Juice It Up!, a leading açaí bowl, handcrafted smoothie and raw juice chain, has reached a major growth milestone with the Gardnerville, Nev., opening of its 100th location. The new location marks the brand’s official entry into Nevada and sixth state in operation. The new unit is owned and operated by local franchisee Sukh Toor, who expects to expand the Juice It Up! footprint throughout Douglas County and into the Carson City and Reno areas. With additional development planned, the brand is poised to establish a strong …

Pasadena, Calif. — Dave’s Hot Chicken, a fast-growing Nashville-style hot chicken sensation from Los Angeles, has named Joshua Liggins as vice president of franchise development. He joins the company from Inspire Brands. Liggins joins Dave’s Hot Chicken with extensive experience leading franchise development for some of the most recognized restaurant brands in the industry. Most recently, he served as director of franchising at Inspire Brands, where he oversaw franchise development efforts for Dunkin’, Baskin-Robbins and Sonic. He brings deep experience scaling high-growth franchise systems across multiple brands, markets and development …

Manasquan, N.J. — Jersey Mike’s Subs, a leading franchisor of over 3,200 fast-casual sandwich shops, has signed a franchise agreement with JM Submarines UK LTD, led by Jersey Mike’s founder and chairman of the board, Peter Cancro, to open 400 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Cancro founded Jersey Mike’s more than 50 years ago and remains a significant shareholder following the company’s sale to Blackstone last year. This agreement marks the first European expansion for the company, with plans to open the first location in 2026. “This marks …

Philadelphia — Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is entering 2026 with strong momentum following a record-setting year; the brand closed 2025 having surpassed 600 locations worldwide, reinforcing its position as the largest Italian Ice concept in the world and setting the stage for continued expansion in the year ahead. In 2025, Rita’s opened 35 new shops systemwide. U.S. openings increased 10% year-over-year, and new unit signings grew by nearly 10% year-over-year. This year, Rita’s expects to open approximately 45 additional shops. “Our focus in 2025 was building smarter, not …

Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger and 17 other restaurant concepts, has opened its newest Fatburger location in Okinawa in partnership with Green Micro Factory Inc., marking the brand’s highly anticipated return to Japan. The new location is the first of four Fatburger restaurants slated to open across Okinawa. “Fatburger’s strong legacy of serving quality, made-to-order burgers and other signature menu offerings has made the brand an international favorite,” says Jake Berchtold, COO of FAT Brands’ fast casual division. “We look forward to …