Los Angeles — The Dolly Llama, the popular waffle and ice cream concept that currently dominates the Los Angeles dessert-scene with its own unique take on Hong Kong’s iconic Bubble Waffle, has inked two franchise deals for Tyler, Texas, and Jacksonville, Fla. The two deals are the first for the newly franchised concept, which was founded in 2017 by French restaurateur and entrepreneur Samuel Baroux and real estate leader Eric Shomof, since partnering with DCV Franchise Group in late 2019.
The Tyler, Texas, deal includes one brick-and-mortar location with locals Trenton and Joy Judson, a husband-and-wife team. The Jacksonville, Fla., deal was inked with husband-and-wife team Josh and Wendy Popkin. Their brick-and-mortar location in Ponte Vedra Beach is expected to open in early 2022.
The Dolly Llama has established itself as the hottest dessert destination in Los Angeles. The brand has established three different franchising models to accommodate a range of store footprints including brick-and-mortar, kiosk and mobile trailer. This versatility has proven an especially attractive detail to operators looking to franchise multiple units in formats which cater to different audiences.
“Announcing franchising right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit was disappointing. Much like everyone else in the industry, we weren’t sure what the future would hold for our business,” says co-founder Shomof. “We were pleasantly surprised by the incredible support of customers during that time, and more recently by the franchise interest in the concept as the industry has begun to bounce back. We have observed the popularity of the brand first-hand in Los Angeles, one of the most competitive markets in the country, and are thrilled to have officially signed on such skilled and experienced teams to help take The Dolly Llama to new heights.”
The Dolly Llama currently operates three locations in greater Los Angeles (downtown, Koreatown and Sherman Oaks). For more information, visit www.thedollyllamala.com/franchise.
SOURCE: The Dolly Llama