Hungry Howie's Makes Arkansas Debut Primed for More Expansion

Fan favorite Hungry Howie's Pizza continues to rapidly make its nationwide presence known as a top pizza player—hungry for more growth.

The June debut of the first Hungry Howie's in Arkansas marks the 21st state to embrace the iconic pizza chain, known as the originator of Flavored Crust pizza, Howie Bread, and oven-baked calzone-style subs.  The Little Rock restaurant is the first of five Hungry Howie's planned for The Natural State as part of a multi-unit development agreement with franchisee Zac Deem.

Hungry Howie's is the perfect addition to the Arkansas food landscape, notes Jennifer Jackson, vice president of development at Hungry Howie's.

"Arkansas has been on Hungry Howie's road map for quite some time, and we are pleased to welcome Zac into the Hungry Howie's family. His passion for our brand and the pizza industry as a whole make him the ideal partner," says Jackson. "We look forward to seeing his success and growing our fan base throughout this wonderful state."

Deem brings business know-how to his new brand, serving previously as director of financial planning at a Fortune 500 telecommunications company. He developed a passion for the industry in 2006 when he was an assistant manager for a local pizzeria while in college at the University of Central Arkansas. When Deem was ready to pursue his dream of being a business owner, Hungry Howie's was the natural choice with an unmatched, mouthwatering, high-quality perfected product, proven franchise model, and strong brand leadership.

Currently, Deem has plans to open two additional locations within Little Rock city limits, one in North Little Rock, and a new restaurant in Conway.     

"It is an honor to introduce the Little Rock community to Hungry Howie's and its delicious Flavored Crust Pizza," says Deem. "I first tried the product in 2012, when I was visiting a friend in Florida, and as someone who has a passion for pizza, being exposed to this new brand that didn't exist in Arkansas was exciting. Needless to say, I was hooked and knew I'd find a way to bring Hungry Howie's to the Little Rock community."    

With more than 550 locations, Madison Heights, Michigan-based Hungry Howie's Pizza is looking to further expand its national footprint as a leading quick-service brand in new and existing cities. Along with Arkansas, store openings are planned across a multitude of markets in 2019, including Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and Tennessee.

Franchisees love being part of the Hungry Howie's family because of their belief in the complete vision of the brand.     

"At the core of Hungry Howie's lie our values, emphasizing treating everyone like family, having integrity behind our work, sticking to your word, having a strong desire for growth and overall putting forward positive energy," notes Steve Jackson, Hungry Howie's CEO. "Not only is it important that our franchisees believe in the product — but they believe in the head office to support them. We have developed a strong reputation for giving back and developing strong community relationships - something our franchisees also appreciate."

Hungry Howie's newest Little Rock location is off to a fast community-first start. The restaurant donated a portion of the first two days of sales to the Easter Seals of Arkansas and a local elementary school.

Are you hungry to start a rewarding business? Discover more about joining a top food franchise at franchising.hungryhowies.com.

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