Tasti D-lite Franchise Inks Three Area Development Agreements For More Than 60 Locations Across The Country

Planet Smoothie
Published: August 17th, 2010

August 17, 2010 // Franchising.com // (Franklin, TN) - Tasti D-Lite, the great-tasting, lower-calorie frozen dessert chain with a cult following among health-conscious consumers as well as celebrities, is continuing its rapid expansion plans with the announcement of three Area Development Agreements with commitments for 65 locations in Dallas, Las Vegas and East Coast beach towns in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Delaware. Following are additional details on Tasti's entrance into these untapped markets.

• Area Developer Francisco Gomez-Palacio has plans to open at least 25 units in Dallas and Tarrant Counties in Texas over the next 10 years. He will personally operate at least one of the units. After emigrating to the U.S. from Mexico in 1998, Gomez-Palacio founded the telephone company Latino Communications. He will use his cultural experience to recruit qualified businessmen living in Mexico as well as U.S. residents to become Tasti D-Lite franchisees. He will also offer these franchisees guidance in financing, insurance and education for their children through his relocation company, Vente, LLC.
• Area Developer Aliza Elazar-Higuchi has signed on to open at least 15 units throughout Clark and Nye Counties in Nevada with plans to personally operate three of those units. After serving as an officer in the Israeli Army and studying in Israel and Japan, Elazar-Higuchi became an interpreter and ambassador of Goodwill for Rotary International. Over the past 12 years, however, she has teamed up with family members to own and operate 20 retail stores throughout Nevada, including three City Life USA stores -- an accessory concept developed and designed by Elazar-Higuchi, her husband, Tetsuo, her brother, Eli, and her brother-in-law, Pini. While all family members will bring superior customer service and business acumen to the Tasti D-Lite brand, Pini will also lend his expertise as an interior designer.
• Area Developer Ben Pascal will open at least 25 units in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Delaware over the coming years. Pascal plans to personally operate four of the units, two of which are slated to open in Annapolis and Baltimore, Md. by the end of 2010. At just 26-years-old, Pascal is part owner of Realty Executives International, as well as a project manager for his grandfather's real estate company Pascal Development. In addition to owning several residential rental properties in the Baltimore area, he continues to buy, rehab and sell additional homes every year.

"We're excited to bring these new Area Developers on board. Each comes to the Tasti D-Lite team with an extensive background in business, a thorough understanding of his or her market and a passion for the Tasti D-Lite brand," said Jim Amos, Tasti D-Lite's chairman and CEO. "This is a tremendous opportunity for Tasti D-Lite to expand its Northeast presence to new and untapped markets, and introduce its wide variety of healthier treats and snacks to brand new demographics."

Since its inception in 1987, Tasti D-Lite's popularity has grown largely by word of mouth and has resulted in a huge base of raving fans who line up day and night to get their favorite guilt-free treat, available in more than 100 flavors. With Tasti D-Lite, health-conscious individuals can enjoy a dessert that is significantly lower in fat, calories and carbs than ice cream. Thanks to unsolicited international exposure on TV shows such as "30 Rock," "Sex and the City" and "The Apprentice" along with new store openings, demand for the brand has grown worldwide. Tasti D-Lite is now poised for growth throughout the U.S. and around the world with plans to build a global 500-center franchise network through a combination of single- and multi-unit franchises, area developers and international master franchises.

Tasti D-Lite first launched its franchise program in 2008. Since then, the company has grown to 50 locations and has secured commitments to open over 300 locations in the coming years. During the past year, Tasti D-Lite has opened new stores in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Arizona, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey and expects additional expansion into Missouri, Illinois and California by the end of 2010. Internationally, the company already has a presence in South Korea and, as part of a Mexico master franchisee agreement signed in 2009, recently opened its first location in Mexico City with more locations planned this year. The brand's international expansion will continue in 2010 with plans to open multiple locations in the United Arab Emirates, the first slated to open this summer. Led by a world-class operating team, the company is undertaking a program of accelerated store growth, product innovation, customer engagement and service excellence.