Firehouse Subs, the 441-unit fast-casual chain, is partnering with the Caribbean Restaurant Group to build 26 new units in Puerto Rico over the next few years.
The company’s ultimate goal is to build 50 to 60 Firehouse Subs locations in Puerto Rico, Don Fox, chief executive of the Jacksonville, Fla.-based chain, said. The first restaurant could be built as early as mid-October.
“In Caribbean Restaurant Group, we have found the perfect franchise partner,” Fox said. “They have decades of experience in the restaurant business in Puerto Rico and a superb reputation for operational excellence. The citizens of Puerto Rico have an appetite for bold, rich flavors, and we are confident they will find Firehouse Subs to be a great addition to the island’s culinary scene.”
Caribbean Restaurants LLC currently runs 178 Burger King restaurants in Puerto Rico.
"Firehouse Subs offers exceptional product, dynamic culture and dedication to community service that fits the Puerto Rican way of life," Aniceto Solares, chief executive of Caribbean Restaurant Group, said. "We are excited to bring the concept to its first market outside the continental United States."
Cecily Sorensen, Firehouse’s director of corporate communications, said the chain has been in talks with Caribbean Restaurant Group for more than a year.
“They have a built-in infrastructure to make the transition easy for us to Puerto Rico,” Sorensen said.
Former firefighter brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen founded Firehouse Subs in 1994.
Contact Alan Snel at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @AlanSnelNRN