Atlanta — Church’s Chicken® is about to undergo a large-scale, $40 million domestic expansion. The new franchisee, Volunteer Chicken LLC, will open 10 new restaurants with financial backing provided by American Development Partners (ADP). New markets slated for development include Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn., with another 10-restaurant deal expected to follow in 2021.
“Church’s Chicken® is a power brand,” says Larry Lavigne, one of the principal partners of Volunteer Chicken LLC. “We’re looking very forward to matching our experience with Church’s® market leadership.”
Lavigne is currently a franchise owner of Jett’s Pizza with 25 total restaurants, 18 of which are located in Tennessee. He is also involved with Tropical Smoothie Café restaurants in Tennessee. His partner, Nirav Patel, owns and operates several high-volume establishments in New Jersey and New York and has previously owned restaurants with The Melting Pot, Tilted Kilt and World of Beer. Together with their financing partner, ADP, the new franchisees will open the first of their new Church’s® restaurants in fall of 2017 — with the rest to follow over the next 5 years. At that time, in 2021, the group plans to pursue development of 10 additional Church’s® restaurants over the following 5 years.
“This is a substantial deal for American Development Partners, and for our business partners, Volunteer Chicken,” says Caleb McMillen, chief operating officer for ADP. “We’ve estimated the real estate, construction and design value will be worth more than $40 million after the initial rollout of units is complete.”
The ADP group is a full-service development and private equity firm with a unique 100% turnkey model for funding that is ideal for multi-unit operators.
Founded in San Antonio, Texas, in 1952 by George W. Church, Church’s Chicken® is one of the largest quick-service restaurant chicken chains in the world. Church’s® (along with its sister brand Texas Chicken® outside the Americas) has more than 1,650 locations in 25 countries and international territories. For more information, visit www.churchs.com.
American Development Partners is a full-service development, general contractor, architectural and private equity firm with the ability to build in all 50 states. For more information visit www.americandevelopmentpartners.com.
SOURCE: Church’s Chicken®