restaurants

Toronto — The Popeyes® brand and Restaurant Brands Iberia (RB Iberia), the parent of the master franchisees for Burger King® Spain, Burger King Portugal, Popeyes® Spain and Tim Hortons® Spain, have entered into a master franchise and development agreement to develop and grow the Popeyes brand in Italy. The first Popeyes restaurant in Italy is scheduled to open later this year. “We’re very excited about growing the brand in Italy with RB Iberia, a long term partner and strong operator,” says David Shear, president of international, Restaurant Brands International, parent …

Newport Beach, Calif. — Juice It Up!, a leading handcrafted smoothie, açaí bowl and raw juice chain, has concluded a successful year marked by strong sales and a robust development pipeline. In 2023, systemwide sales eclipsed $43 million — up 38% over 5 years. The brand also is on track to mark its 100-store milestone this year. “Consistent sales and franchise growth, segment-leading menu innovation and remarkably effective marketing initiatives made 2023 another extremely successful year for Juice It Up!, fueling significant brand momentum and increasing national recognition,” says Chris …

Denver — Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is gearing up for a momentous 2024, following a year that saw 25 new franchise agreements and the opening of seven new stores, three of which were in new markets. The brand now has more than 100 stores in the development pipeline and aims to secure agreements for an additional 36 locations while opening more than 20 additional stores in 2024. During 2023, the company emphasized greater focus on implementing refined systems and processes with franchisees which resulted in improved store-by-store financial performance. …

Los Angeles — The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a Southern California global roaster and retailer of premium coffee and tea, is marking 60 years in business by unveiling a strategic franchising initiative aimed to accelerate growth in North America. Expansion goals for 2024 include venturing into new and untapped markets, notably Illinois, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Canada and Mexico. The company is projected to sign more than 225 new store commitments through multi-unit development agreements and single café franchise agreements, emphasizing both traditional and non-traditional growth avenues such as …