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 models.
In his new role, Liggins will focus on supporting existing franchisees as they continue to meet their development milestones, while helping to expand Dave’s footprint through a more strategic, data-driven growth approach. His efforts will center on identifying high-potential markets, evaluating trade areas and mapping future development opportunities that align with the brand’s long term vision. While most domestic territories are already committed, the focus remains on ensuring existing agreements are executed to Dave’s standards and uncovering additional real estate opportunities in high-performing, in-demand locations.
International development will also remain a major focus, building on recent signed agreements, including the brand’s European partnership with Azzurri Group, which continues to expand Dave’s global footprint.
“We continue to build a best-in-class leadership team to support Dave’s rapid growth,” says Jim Bitticks, who was named CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken this year. “With his deep franchising experience and disciplined approach to development, Joshua will play a critical role as we expand across traditional, non-traditional and international channels.”
Founded by Arman Oganesyan and classically trained chef Dave Kopushyan, along with brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan in early 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken initially opened as a parking lot pop-up, with lines quickly wrapping around the block. Dave’s Hot Chicken quickly took off, opening an East Hollywood brick-and-mortar restaurant shortly after. In 2019, the team struck a deal with Wetzel’s Pretzels co-founder and former CEO, Bill Phelps, and movie producer John Davis to begin franchising the concept throughout the U.S. and beyond. The company has sold the rights to more than 1,020 franchise locations in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Canada and will open 70-plus locations this year. For more information, visit www.daveshotchicken.com/franchising.
SOURCE: Dave’s Hot Chicken