Uno Pizzeria & Grill Refranchising Maryland and Virginia Stores

A California-based multi-unit franchisee is purchasing 8 Uno Pizzeria locations in Maryland and Virginia as part of the brand's refranchising initiative.

MVPizza, LLC, is a multi-concept, multi-unit operation that will take over the 8 restaurants and retain all of the management, hourly and field employees. Amir Yazdi, president & chief executive officer of MVPizza said, "I am excited to be part of an iconic brand with such a rich and authentic history as Uno. I am also honored to have such a dedicated team of people who will ensure a smooth transition of the business and to be able to offer them additional opportunities to grow in their careers at Unos."

This is the first of two refranchising transactions by Uno. The second deal is with a franchise group operating more than 160 restaurants across two brands in 14 states. This transaction is slated to close in November for a group of restaurants in certain Northeast markets.

Upon the closing of the second refranchising transaction, Uno will have 38 company- owned restaurants, 54 domestic, and 8 international franchised restaurants. The company-owned restaurants are primarily in the New England, Florida, and Chicago markets.

Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation's Uno Pizzeria & Grill restaurants are located in 22 states, the District of Columbia, the United Arab Emirates, Honduras, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.