U.S. Military Veteran Opens Second Store Under Little Caesars Veterans Program
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U.S. Military Veteran Opens Second Store Under Little Caesars Veterans Program

Entrepreneur Grows His Business through Innovative Franchise Opportunity

EASTON, Pa., March 12 // PRNewswire // -- Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. today celebrates U.S. veteran Rick Loz's second store with a grand opening in Easton at 2439 Butler St. One year ago, Loz opened his first Little Caesars franchise in Allentown. "My Little Caesars store has been very well received in Allentown, and I'm excited to grow my business and bring the Little Caesars brand to customers in Easton," said Loz. "The Little Caesars Veterans Program has given me the opportunity to become my own boss and build for my family's future."

As a Little Caesars franchisee, Loz is able to apply the military skills he gained while he served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force to run his business. Before becoming a Little Caesars franchisee, he also was a project manager for a large telecommunications company. Loz was looking to transition into a new phase in his career and opted to become an entrepreneur to gain more independence.

"I've enjoyed building my Little Caesars business, and I encourage other veterans to explore transitioning into a second career with Little Caesars," added Loz. "Franchisees receive the benefit of a proven system, ongoing training and a globally recognized brand. Little Caesars offers a great value to its customers, and I look forward to providing the Easton community with a high quality pizza for a great price."

For the second year in a row, Little Caesars was named the "Best Value in America" of all quick serve restaurant chains.* Sandelman & Associates' Quick-Track(R) research study tracks key consumer behavioral and attitudinal measures for all major fast-food chains. Surveys were conducted among more than 94,000 quick service restaurant customers in 75 major markets across the U.S. Little Caesars was also named the highest rated pizza chain for "Convenience of Locations" and "Speed of Service."

Some of the menu items Loz will feature in his store include HOT-N-READY(R) Pizza, Crazy Bread(R), Caesar Wings(R) and Caesar Dips(R).

"With talented veterans such as Rick joining the Little Caesars team and opening more stores, the Little Caesars Veterans Program continues to grow and provide veterans with business ownership opportunities," said David Scrivano, president, Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. "Providing benefits to veterans is a critical first step toward their becoming entrepreneurs, but the fact that they are building their second stores really demonstrates the strength of the program."

Since the program launched two years ago, interest has remained high in the Little Caesars Veterans Program. Currently, more than 50 veterans are applying more than $1.5 million in credits and benefits to help them grow their Little Caesars businesses. To date, 2,500 inquires have been made about the program. Several veterans have opened second stores and more are expected to open their first stores under the program in the coming months.

The Little Caesars Veterans Program was created in 2006 to thank veterans for their service and provide them with career opportunities when they transition to civilian life or seek a career change. It offers honorably discharged, service-disabled veterans who qualify as Little Caesars franchisees, a benefit of up to approximately $68,000 on their first store. Honorably discharged, non-service-disabled veterans who qualify as Little Caesars franchisees, such as Loz, are eligible for a benefit of up to approximately $20,000 on their first store.

Little Caesars was recently listed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as one of the best loan performers among franchises with more than 60 SBA-guaranteed loans.** Little Caesars also works with preferred lenders who understand the business, which becomes increasingly important as it gets more difficult for entrepreneurs to secure financing in today's economy.

The Center for Veterans Enterprise (part of the Department of Veterans Affairs), Marine For Life (an organization that helps Marines and Sailors transition to civilian life), and the International Franchise Association (through its VetFran program) are points of contact for the Little Caesars Veterans Program. They can provide information about the requirements and qualifications of becoming a Little Caesars franchisee.

About Little Caesars

Little Caesars Pizza founders Michael and Marian Ilitch opened their first restaurant in Garden City, Michigan in 1959. Little Caesars built more stores in the U.S. in 2008 than any other pizza chain and today is the largest carry-out chain internationally with restaurants on five continents. Little Caesars is growing in prime markets across the country, and is offering strong franchisee candidates an opportunity for independence with a proven system. In addition, Little Caesars offers strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized and appealing characters in the country, Little Caesar.

In addition to Little Caesars Pizza, Ilitch companies in the food, sports and entertainment industries include: the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, Champion Foods, Ilitch Holdings, Inc., Uptown Entertainment, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, and a variety of venues within these entities. Michael Ilitch owns the Detroit Tigers. Marian Ilitch owns MotorCity Casino Hotel.

* "Highest Rated Chain - Value for the Money" based on a nationwide survey of quick service restaurant consumers conducted by Sandelman & Associates, 2008.

**Source: Coleman Report, an annual compilation of performance data on thousands of SBA-guaranteed franchise loans.

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