---
title: "Good News! - April 2017"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/c958f992-df57-4a76-adef-3f367299ff71
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/articles/good_news__april_2017.html
author: "Eddy Goldberg"
category: "Franchise Industry"
industry: "Franchise Industry"
published: 2017-04-17T12:30:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T04:10:32.395Z
image: https://imgs.franchising.com/art/articles/3435_plate.jpg
---

# Good News! - April 2017

**TL;DR:** Franchising is experiencing a growth phase with an increase in unit count and system-wide revenue, and a rise in new and emerging brands. Brands such as Bruster's Real Ice Cream, Fazoli's, and Del Taco are expanding into new markets and signing development deals.

*By Eddy Goldberg, originally published in Franchising.com on 2017-04-17. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/articles/good_news__april_2017.html).*

## Story

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 Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Signs Deals for 7 New Markets Fazoli’s and TravelCenters of America Team Up To Open Restaurants Del Taco Inks 5-Unit Atlanta Deal with Ex-NFL-er Donnell Thompson My Pie Pizza Signs 6-Unit Development Deal for Utah Four Foods Group Acquires 48 Little Caesars in Alabama, Louisiana Bojangles’ Signs 4-Unit Development Deal for Virginia OXXO Care Cleaners Opens 4 New Stores in Florida and Houston Slapfish Goes to Albuquerque in 2-Unit Deal CoreLife Eatery Inks 10-Unit, 4-Year Deal for Indiana Financial The Hummus & Pita Co. Lands Investment from Kitchen Fund Why Panera Bread Went Private, Selling to Germany’s JAB for $7.5 Billion The Dog Wizard (18 Units) Scores Franchise Funding Group Investment Ignite (Joe’s Crab Shack, Brick House Tavern), Names CEO, Seeks Buyer Firenza Acquires 7-Unit Persona Wood Fired Pizzeria; Will Rebrand Big Plans, Big Dreams The Pizza Press Turns 5, Announces International Expansion Plans Growler USA CEO Outlines Ambitious Growth Plans Pets Warehouse Plans 150 New Franchised Locations in 5 Years Vital Restoration Seeks Contractors in Southern California for Franchising International The Cheesecake Factory Enters Canada with Toronto Location OsteoStrong Opens Its First International Unit, in Marbella, Spain Hooters Expands in Germany with New Hamburg Location Hooters Signs 3-Unit Deal for Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia The Chickery Lands Multi-Unit Deal for Alberta New and Emerging Brands Wing It On!

, Fast-Casual Chicken Brand, Launches First Major Expansion Hair Saloon (14 Units) Marks 20th Anniversary by Branching Out of St. Louis Milestones Church’s Chicken Turns 65, Plans Year-Long Series of Events Tide Dry Cleaners Celebrates Opening of 50th Location HuHot Mongolian Grill Opens 60th Restaurant People & Awards Black Bear Diner Names Anita Adams New CFO Kevin Hochman Promoted to President of KFC U.S.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- unit expansion (topic)
- Franchise Industry (sector)
- international expansion (topic)
- Eddy Goldberg (person)
- KFC (company)
- Little Caesar's (company)
- Del Taco (company)
- Panera Bread (company)
- Fazoli's (company)
- Bojangles (company)
- Hooters (company)

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Originally reported by Eddy Goldberg, Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/articles/good_news__april_2017.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/c958f992-df57-4a76-adef-3f367299ff71).