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Twin Peaks franchisee in Florida files for bankruptcy; faces $12 million litigation claimTwin Peaks franchisee in Florida files for bankruptcy; faces $12 million litigation claim

DMD Ventures filed for Chapter 11 protection, while facing a lawsuit from franchise operator, Florida Restaurant Franchise Group

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

January 8, 2025

1 Min Read
Twin Peaks restaurant exterior
Twin Peaks is expected to go public this year.Twin Peaks

Joanna Fantozzi

DMD Ventures — a Davie, Fla.-based franchisee of Twin Peaks, Papa Johns, Candlewood Suites, and other non-hospitality ventures — has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company  has filed simultaneous bankruptcy petitions for its two affiliated businesses, DMD Florida Development 2, LLC and DMD Florida Restaurant Groups C and D LLC, which own and operate separate Twin Peaks restaurants.  

The company is facing a $12 million lawsuit from one of its largest creditors, Florida Restaurant Franchise Group, a commercial real estate development and holding company and affiliate of Jafrejo Holdings. Jafrejo Holdings has previously owned and developed VooDoo BBQ & Grill and Twin Peaks Restaurants, but is permanently closed, according to a Google business listing.  

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing indicates that DMD Ventures has under $1 million in assets and between $10-$50 million in debts, with the largest creditor being Florida Restaurant Franchise Group. The bankruptcy appears to be motivated by this pending litigation.

DMD Ventures filed for bankruptcy the same year that Twin Peaks is expected to go public. Last November, parent company FAT Brands filed a Form 10 Registration Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the newly named Twin Hospitality Group.

Related:Trending this week: A bevy of restaurant bankruptcies filled the courts in the past few weeks

FAT Brands plans to officially spin off Twin Peaks and its affiliate Smokey Bones in 2025, with an IPO expected to follow shortly thereafter.

Contact Joanna at [email protected]

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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