Good News Is Back! December 2015

The good news: 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 small. 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

Former NFL Players To Open 14 Dunkin' Donuts in St. Louis Area

Hurricane Grill & Wings Signs Deal for 8 Units in Kansas

Pie Five Pizza Signs New Florida Deal for Up to 20 Units

PizzaRev Inks Multi-Unit Deal for Arizona

Billy Sims BBQ Signs 9 New Units; Predicts Record Growth in 2016

Rubio's Restaurant To Convert 8 Lime Fresh Restaurants in Florida

Newk's Eatery Opens 3 in Alabama

Penn Station East Coast Subs Signs MU Deal for 3 to 5 in Chicago Area

Financial/Acquisitions

Kahala Brands Buys Pinkberry; 4th New Concept in 2015

Carrols Restaurant Group Buys 46 More Burger Kings, Now at 705

Annual Same-Store Sales Rise 6.5 Percent at JIB, 9.3 Percent for Qdoba

100 Montaditos Out of Bankruptcy, Plans To Restart U.S. Growth

Roark Capital's Driven Brands Acquires Carstar Canada's 230+ Locations

Valvoline Parent Ashland Buys Oil Can Henry's 89 Quick-Lube Stores

177-Unit Taco Bueno Restaurants Acquired by TPG Growth

TSG Consumer Partners: $2.5 Billion Fund Targets Include Restaurants

Thompson Hospitality Makes Strategic Investment in Pizza Fusion

International

KFC To Open First Unit in Tibet

Coyote Ugly Targets 15 New Bars in Mexico

Johnny Rockets Targets 5 New Countries in 2016

Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in Africa in South Africa

Denny's Opens Two Restaurants in Dubai; Plans Call for 30

BurgerFi Opens First International Unit in Mexico, First of 40 Planned

The Halal Guys Sign Deal for 5 Units in Quebec

Così Opens 6th Restaurant in Costa Rica

HipPOPs Opens First of 10 to 20 Locations in Dubai

Burger King To Open 1st Unit in Ivory Coast in Abidjan

Milestones

Baskin-Robbins Turns 70, Celebrates with "Throwback" Prices

Snip-its Child Hair Care Salon Marks 20 Years in Business

The Flame Broiler Marks 20th Anniversary with Free Rice Bowls

CREAM, Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwich Brand, Turns 5

The Joint Chiropractic Opens 300th Clinic

New Brands

CruiseOne Introduces Dream Vacations Brand

Quiznos Debuts New Quiznos Grill Concept

Fuchsia Spa's 1st Franchised Unit Is in Phoenix

iHandyMan Launches New Home Maintenance Concept

Firenza Fires Up Its New Fast Casual Pizza Brand

Delaware-Based go brit! fish + chips Begins Franchising

People

Twin Peaks Names Starlette Johnson as New CEO

Ignite Restaurant Group Appoints Robert Merritt CEO

Bob Evans Names Saed Mohseni New CEO, President

Bravo Brio Names Brian O'Malley CEO, Connie Collins COO