Good News! - January 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

Church’s Chicken Signs 10-Unit, 10-Year Deal in Florida with Franchising Veteran

Dental Fix RX Adds 40 New Franchises in 2016, Predicts 40 More in 2017

Dunkin’ Donuts Deal for 69 Units in New Orleans Includes Drew Brees

Papa John’s Signs 25-Unit, 5-Year Deal for Boston with Two Longtime Operators

Blue Moon Estate Sales Opens 10th NC Territory

Denny’s Reports Best Unit Growth in 5 Years, 2016 SSS Up 0.9%

OXXO Care Cleaners Reports Record 2016 Growth

Financial

Cerberus Buys Garden Fresh Out of Bankruptcy (Souplantation, Sweet Tomatoes)

Big Whiskey Announces Franchise Lending Partnership with OakStar Bank

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Buys Its Largest Franchisee, Greer Companies (44 Units)

Rita’s Italian Ice Acquired by Argosy Private Equity and MTN Capital

Grabagreen Opens First of 5-Unit Denver Deal with CorePower Yoga Co-Founder

Big Plans, Big Dreams

Lapel Dry Cleaning Debuts Development Agent Program To Accelerate Growth

Papa Murphy’s Turnaround Plans Includes Delivery Tests and Refranchising

Enviro-Master Plans To Add 18 New Franchisees in 2017

Marco’s Pizza Plans To Open 15 New Locations in Iowa

International

Hilton Signs 9 Hotels in Mexico, Adding to 45 Now Open

McDonald’s China Deal Gets Thumbs-Up from Wall Street; Retains 20% Stake

Freshii, at 244 Units, Files for IPO in Canada

PizzaRev Opens 2nd Restaurant in Mexico, Part of 20-Unit Deal with Grupo Galería

New and Emerging Brands

Toronto-Based Hopscotch (Fast Casual) To Franchise in the U.S. and Canada

Motto Mortgage, RE/MAX Brand Launched Oct. 25th, Now Selling in 5 More States

Brightstar Senior Living Brand’s Second Unit Set To Open in 2018

Cauldron Ice Cream Partners with FranSmart To Begin Franchising

Morano Gelato Now Franchising Its Sicilian Gelato Concept

Milestones

Anytime Fitness Opens Its 100th U.K. Gym

Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shops Celebrates 100th Store with Discount Offer

People & Awards

Del Taco Promotes John Cappasola to President and Chief Brand Officer

O’Charley’s Names Former President/EVP William (Eddie) Hall New President

Rave Restaurant Group Names Ex-Smashburger CEO Scott Crane New CEO

Papa Murphy’s Appoints Board Chair Jean Birch Interim CEO

Glory Days Grill Promotes Gary Cohen to EVP

Dickey’s Barbecue Forms New Capital Group, Names Roland Dickey Jr. CEO

Zoup! Celebrates 100th Restaurant Opening