Fazoli's Hires James Franks as Vice President of Franchising

By: Fazoli's Restaurants | 2 Shares 86 Reads

New franchising program is next step in chain's growth strategy

LEXINGTON, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With a new menu, new prototype and a new service style driving a sales turnaround, Fazoli's CEO and President Carl Howard announces the addition of James Franks as vice president of Franchising.

Franks is a 22-year veteran of franchising with a strong reputation for launching and re-launching brands and their franchise development programs. Most recently, he served as Red Mango's vice president of Franchising.

"James Franks has a strong track record of helping to expand established brands," Howard said. "With his hiring, all the pieces for Fazoli's growth are now in place."

Prior to Red Mango, Franks served as the national director of Franchise Sales at Dunkin Brands. "I'd been following the positive changes Carl and his team were making to the Fazoli's brand," he said. "Fazoli's is one of the best franchising opportunities that I've seen in a very long time. Consumers love its uniqueness, the model works and there are virtually endless opportunities in both traditional and non-traditional markets."

Franks' initial priorities are to create a strategic franchising program that appeals to current franchisees, as well as, to operators of other brands. He intends to announce soon a list of focus markets for growth and to launch a new franchising web site. He will be working closely with Fazoli's owners, Sun Capital Partners, which has developed a program to jointly market its restaurant brands to operators of non-traditional locations.

An American family favorite for more than 20 years, Fazoli's is a leading, next generation QSR franchise opportunity. With an all-new premium menu featuring freshly prepared Italian entrees, Submarinos® sandwiches and salads, along with a contemporary new restaurant design and fresh leadership, Fazoli's is well positioned for growth. Already America's largest Italian quick service chain with more than 220 restaurants, Fazoli's is expanding in select markets throughout the country. Founded in Lexington, Ky., in 1989, Sun Capital Partners acquired Fazoli's in 2006.

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