.svg?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=95&format=jpg&disable=upscale "Nation's Restaurant News")
Pie Five Pizza Co., the subsidiary of Pizza Inn Holdings Inc., on Monday announced that it had awarded its first two franchise development agreements for the fast-casual concept in North Carolina and Utah.
Pie Five had penned two multi-unit franchise development agreements with rights for up to eight locations in the greater Salt Lake City area of Utah and 10 in Charlotte, N.C. The Colony, Texas-based company said it would disclose the names and headquarters of the two new franchisees at a later time.
RELATED
• Pizza Inn names Randy Gier CEO
• Hot Concepts 2012: Pie Five Pizza Co.
• More restaurant industry franchising news
Madison Jobe, Pizza Inn’s chief development officer, said the company has eight Pie Five Pizza stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, all developed since the concept debuted in 2011. A ninth Pie Five is under construction in Denton, Texas, Jobe said, and several more leases are executed for 2013 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
“It’s important for us to continue to the grow the brand in the Metroplex,” Jobe said Monday, “and these franchise agreements will further build our base for the concept.”
The first franchised stores are scheduled to open in 2013, the company said.
The fast-casual pizza space, borrowing from the Subway-Chipotle customizing model, has been getting growing attention with brands such as 800 Degrees in Los Angeles; Fullerton, Calif.-based Pieology; Project Pie in Las Vegas; and Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza in Irvine, Calif. Chains in the space include Pie Five, MOD Pizza, Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint and Top That! Pizza.
Pie Five recently added the option of gluten-free crusts to its line up of crispy thin, classic pan and Italian-herb thin versions. The concept offers pies ready in five minutes with either customized toppings or combinations from the menu.
Parent company Pizza Inn Holdings Inc. last week appointed Randy Gier as its new chief executive. The company owns and operates 12 restaurants and has nearly 300 franchised Pizza Inn units.
Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless
