Good News! - August 2017

The good news: Despite ongoing external threats to the business model, franchising is experiencing a remarkable growth phase - not only in unit count and system-wide revenue, but also in the number of new and emerging brands. The bad news: It's harder to keep up with all the good news! That's a nice problem to have - and why we've brought back our "Good News!" roundup of selected news items on unit growth, investment and financial developments, international expansion news, refranchising, and milestones attained by franchisors large, medium, and emerging. Here's your chance to follow the leaders, every third Tuesday of the month.

So if you're not doing it already, send us your good news here.

New Units/Growth/Expansion

Captain D’s Signs Deals for 10 Units in 4 States

The Lost Cajun Inks 5-Unit Houston Deal

Bubbakoo’s Burritos Opens 6 Restaurants in the First 7 Months of 2017

Potbelly Sandwich Shop Inks 5-Unit Deal for Virginia

Dunkin’ Donuts To Open 3 Units in Kansas Price Chopper Stores

Financial/M&A

Ninety-Nine Restaurant & Pub To Merge with J. Alexander Holdings

97-Unit Garden Fresh Restaurant Group Acquired by Two PE Groups

First Watch Lands PE Investment from Advent International

Landry’s Buys Ignite Restaurant Group for $55 Million in Bankruptcy Auction

Wyndham Hotel Group Acquires AmericInn for $170 Million

Big Plans, Big Dreams

Anytime Fitness Sets Sights on 150 Locations in New York in 5 Years

Wing Zone CEO Discusses “Pivot” to Smaller Units, Simpler Menu

Salsarita’s Unveils New Prototype; Growth To Include More Corporate Units

Famous Toastery’s CDO Dishes on Growth Plans for the 20-Unit Brand

International

Tim Hortons Signs JV Deal for Spain Amid Flagging Domestic Sales

Hooters Signs 3-Unit Lithuania Deal with Local Basketball Stars

The Melting Pot Inks 17-Unit Deal in Mexico with GINgroup

The Carving Board Signs 12-Unit Deal in Dubai

Wyndham Worldwide Acquires London-Based Love Home Swap

New And Emerging Brands

Artichoke Basille’s Pizza Signs with Fransmart for National Expansion

Meatballs, Etc. Begins Franchising Its Fast-Casual Create-Your-Own-Meal Concept

theCoderSchool Opens Its First School in Massachusetts

Veterans/Incentives

Nestlé Toll House Café Offers 50% Franchise Fee to Military Veterans

People & Awards

Mici Handcrafted Italian Names Elliot Schiffer CEO; Franchising in the Works

The Chickery Names Kert Gennings Its New President

J.D. Byrider Hires Craig Peters as CEO; Former COO and CTO at Barclaycard US

MOD Pizza Hires Paul Twohig (Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Panera exec) as COO