Quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain Bojangles, which operates locations in 17 states, announced the signing of a multi-unit development agreement to bring five travel center locations to Texas.
The travel centers will be located in Lorena (Waco), Seguin (San Antonio) and Tyler.
Franchisee Expertise
The growth will be led by Foodster Fusion, a Houston, Texas-based franchisee with more than 15 years of experience in the QSR industry. The deal builds upon Bojangles’ goal of opening more than 200 restaurants over the next several years.
As the brand continues to accelerate its nationwide growth, it is placing an emphasis on non-traditional development in venues such as airports, travel centers, sports stadiums and college campuses.
“By incorporating non-traditional growth to our expansion strategy, we can introduce Bojangles to much larger audiences and take advantage of the high volume of foot traffic. These new locations will be no different, and we couldn’t be more excited to make our beloved chicken, biscuits and tea available to those making a stop at the travel centers,” said Jim Cannon, chief development officer of Bojangles. “Texas remains a priority for our team, so it was important to partner with an experienced franchisee that has a deep understanding of the region. Foodster Fusion has proven to be a strong operator and clearly shares our commitment to bringing Bojangles to the great people of this state.”
Led by Arsh Momin, Foodster Fusion joins the Bojangles franchisee network to help grow the group’s portfolio of Bojangles restaurants.
Before establishing the Foodster Fusion entity to begin franchising with Bojangles, Momin worked alongside his family, assisting with the day-to-day operations of franchisee group Greenville Fortune, LLC. The group has spent over 15 years as franchisees in the QSR segment and currently own and operate locations with major brands including Subway and SONIC Drive-In.
“With my family’s involvement in the QSR space for over 15 years, I grew up around the industry and developed my own genuine passion for the opportunities it provides over time. I’m proud to be taking on a larger role and super excited to get these Bojangles locations up and running,” said Momin. “As we looked for a concept to further diversify our portfolio, we wanted to partner with a brand that has loyal customer base and fully believes in what they offer guests. With such a large stake in their corporate stores, it was clear to us from day one that Bojangles was the perfect fit.”
A QSR Powerhouse
Bojangles is an established QSR brand that operates around 800 restaurants and employs more than 9,000 people.
“Bojangles’ compounding success and record accumulation unit value (AUV) of more than $2.2 million has continued to position itself for further successful growth throughout 2024 and beyond,” the company noted in a press release.
On top of its goal of opening 200 new restaurants, Bojangles has already proven to be a well-respected brand, coming in at No. 32 on QSR Magazine’s Top 50 Fast Food Chains of 2021.
The company has noted that it is continuing to seek qualified franchisees to add to its growing brand portfolio amid its “aggressive U.S. expansion.”
Franchise opportunities remain in regions across the U.S., including the Southwest, Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Southeast.
Candidates should have restaurant and business experience, along with a minimum net worth of $1 million and liquid capital of $500,000. For both traditional and non-traditional units, operators that meet preliminary qualifications can expect an investment ranging from $590,100 to $2,828,500. More information can be found here.
Bojangles and the Convenience Industry
In December 2019, Bojangles entered into a franchise development program with Love’s Travel Stops to bring the QSR to 40 Love’s locations throughout Illinois, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi.
“We are excited to offer our customers another delicious and fresh food option while they’re on the road,” said Joe Cotton at the time of the agreement, director of restaurant services for Love’s. “Bringing Bojangles’ to our home state of Oklahoma along with Arkansas, Mississippi and Illinois is something we’re happy to be a part of.”
In 2020, Love’s introduced the first two Bojangles restaurants of the 40 that were planned. The locations were opened in Marion, Ill., and Blytheville, Ark, according to a press release from the company.
“Bojangles provides us with a unique food option that has a lot of our customers chomping at the bit to try,” said Cotton. “If you’ve ever tasted the made-from-scratch biscuit breakfast sandwiches or their delicious hand-breaded bone-in chicken, you’ll know why.”
Through the agreement with Love’s, Bojangles was able to expand its operations into four new states — Oklahoma, Mississippi, Illinois and Arkansas.
Love’s Travel Stops is the nation’s leading travel stop network with 641 Love’s locations in 42 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 40,000 people.