Jimmy John’s will be building outside U.S. borders for the first time under two new international franchises agreements signed for Canada and Latin America by parent Inspire Brands, the company said Wednesday.
The Atlanta-based portfolio company said it had signed agreements with Foodtastic, a franchisor in Canada with more than 1,100 restaurants and $1.1 billion in sales, and Franquicias Internacionales, an El Salvador-based company with a portfolio of several complementary businesses across food and beverage, digital media, and logistics.
"For 40 years, Jimmy John's has taken a straightforward approach to making ridiculously good, quality sandwiches, and it's now time to share them with the world," said Michael Haley, Inspire’s president and managing director international, in a statement. “In a global restaurant environment where simplicity is paramount, we're confident this brand is primed for extensive international growth."
Jimmy John's restaurants feature sandwiches with bread baked in house and premium meats, cheeses and vegetables. Units offer drive-thru, pick-up, and delivery.
Parent Inspire Brands, owner of casual-dining Buffalo Wild Wings as well as quick-service Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin’ and Sonic Drive-In, has more than 32,000 locations, with more than 9,900 international, the company said.
Jimmy John's global expansion will be supported by Inspire's shared-services platform and its international team, the company added.
Jimmy John’s, founded in 1983, has more than 2,600 restaurants in 48 states. Inspire Brands, which acquired Jimmy John’s in 2019, is majority owned by affiliates of Atlanta-based Roark Capital,
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