Good News! - June 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

Great Clips Plans 40 New Salons in Memphis in Next 2–3 Years

New Franchisee PCF Restaurant Group Buys 16 Pizza Huts in New Jersey

Dunkin’ Donuts Signs 4-Unit Louisiana Deal with SWLA Delights

A&W Restaurants Turns Around, Returns to Growth

Sylvan Learning Signs 15 Agreements in Q1, Details Expansion Plans

Financial/Acquisitions

Irish Beef Acquires 8 Tucson Arby’s, Plans To Open 4 More in Next 3 Years

Teriyaki Madness To Include All Income Statements in Item 19

Restaurant Stocks Have Risen 25 Percent Since November

Technology

RNR Tire Express & Custom Wheels Unveils 3 New Digital Platforms

Naranga’s Franchise Management Software Lands 19 New Clients in Q1

Big Plans, Big Dreams

Buffalo Wild Wings To Test Fast Casual with B-Dubs Express Model

Russo’s Restaurants Opens Its First Italian Fast Casual Location

Pets Warehouse Announces Growth Plan Target Areas

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Outlines Plans for “Controlled Expansion”

International

Pollo Campero Outlines Plans for U.S. Expansion

Hooters Opens New Restaurant in Koh Samui, Thailand

Goldfish Swim School Set To Break Ground on First Canada Franchise

Marriott International’s Asia-Pacific Operation To Double in Next 4 Years

Technomic Reports Growth in Canadian Cafes and Bakeries

New And Emerging Brands

Guidepost 13 “Quick Craft Casual” Concept Begins Franchising

Centertec Launches First Virtual Reality Entertainment Franchise

Creamistry: 70 To Open by Year-End; Plans in Place for Hundreds More

Urban Bricks Pizza To Add 3 Restaurants in the Carolinas

Incentives

Del Taco Announces Development Incentives Targeting Multi-Unit Operators

Veterans

Accessible Home Health Care Awards Franchise To 2 Vets — and Their Mother

Milestones

Tropical Smoothie Cafe To Open #600 on June 23 in Joplin, Mo.

Pet Supplies Plus Opens 400th Store in May in Coconut Creek, Fla.

People & Awards

Papa Murphy’s Names Weldon Spangler CEO

Noodles & Co. Chooses Dave Boennighausen as CEO

Jon Smith Subs (UFG Brands) Hires Scott Stuck as CEO

Women in the Trades (Dwyer Group) Announces Fall Scholarship Recipients