restaurants

Dallas — BRIX Holdings, LLC, a multi-brand franchising portfolio group whose restaurant brands include Friendly’s, Red Mango and Orange Leaf, has completed its formal acquisition of all assets of Clean Juice, the original USDA-certified organic juice bar franchise. Clean Juice franchise and field support will now be provided from the BRIX headquarters in Addison, Texas. A core group of Clean Juice employees will join BRIX in roles spanning field operations, supply chain and technology. “The entire BRIX organization is thrilled that our acquisition of Clean Juice is complete,” says Sherif …

Albuquerque, N.M. — Wetzel’s Pretzels is now open in Coronado Center in Albuquerque. Wetzel’s joins more than 130 retail shops at the mall, which is the state’s largest shopping center. The new location also marks the first Wetzel’s Pretzels in the state of New Mexico.  The debut New Mexico location is owned and operated by Tamanna Sayed and Md Abul Kalam Azad. “As existing franchise owners in California, we were ready to start a journey with Wetzel’s into a region with tons of growth potential,” says Sayed. “We’re drawn to …

St. Louis, Mo. — Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles-based street food sensation turned breakthrough fast-casual brand, has signed a multi-unit agreement for seven locations across St. Louis — the brand’s first in Missouri — with established entrepreneur Raj Patel and his company, The Hari Group. The Hari Group now owns and operates over 100 franchise locations across major food brands like McAlister’s Deli, Dunkin’ and Dave’s Hot Chicken. “I’ve always believed in leading by example and ensuring that each location is effectively set up operationally to thrive,” says Patel, …