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!