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| Good Morning Wolf Pack, Today's newsletter covers Jack in the Box naming Taylor Montgomery as President ahead of a planned CEO transition, Retro Fitness signing a multi-unit deal with a 50-restaurant QSR franchisee, and the U.S., Canada, and Mexico franchise associations signing their first-ever trilateral cooperation agreement. Enjoy! Was this email forwarded to you? FROM THE WOLF DEN 1) Jack in the Box Inc. Appoints Taylor Montgomery as President Jack in the Box just put a name on its succession plan. The company's board appointed Taylor Montgomery, formerly Global Chief Brand Officer at Taco Bell, as President effective September 14, with Montgomery expected to step into the CEO role within the next 12 months and join the board at that time. "He is a proven leader with a track record of driving sustainable brand growth and results, and I have seen his ability to execute firsthand," said Mark King, Jack in the Box's Executive Chairman and Interim CEO. Montgomery spent more than five years at Procter & Gamble before joining Yum! Brands, where he oversaw brand strategy for a system generating upwards of $18 billion in sales. King will stay on as Chairman once the CEO handoff happens, and will work alongside Montgomery in the meantime to keep the roughly 2,100-restaurant system running smoothly through the transition. 2) Retro Fitness Signs Agreement with Award-Winning Multi-Brand Franchisee Retro Fitness just landed a franchisee with quite the range. The high-value, low-price fitness brand signed a multi-unit development agreement with Laddi Singh, who currently operates more than 50 Popeyes, Burger King, and Arby's restaurants across New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Singh, a two-time Popeyes Franchisee of the Year honoree, will open his first Retro Fitness club this year, marking his first venture outside QSR. "As someone who has spent years building and growing franchise businesses in QSR, I was looking to diversify with my next investment," Singh said. He brings more than 30 ground-up development projects to the table, giving Retro Fitness a proven operator for site selection and construction as it continues courting multi-brand QSR veterans looking to diversify into fitness. 3) Canadian Franchise Association Signs Historic Agreement to Strengthen Franchise Sector Across North America The franchise world just got a little more connected across borders. The Canadian Franchise Association, the U.S.'s International Franchise Association, and the Mexican Franchise Association signed their first-ever Trilateral Cooperation Agreement, establishing a permanent framework for collaboration on education, research, and best-practice sharing. Together, the three countries represent one of the largest franchise ecosystems in the world, with more than one million franchised establishments and nine million people employed by franchising. "There is tremendous value in learning from the scale and experience of our U.S. colleagues and from the creativity, adaptability, and growing strength of the Mexican franchise sector," said CFA representative McNeil. The deal doesn't create legal obligations for governments, but a permanent work agenda begins now, so expect this to shape how brands approach cross-border expansion in the coming years. EXTRA SAUCE 💥 Big Blue Swim School Builds on Steady Growth and Performance in 2026, Reigniting Franchise Expansion The swim school brand nearly tripled its footprint over the past three years and is reopening franchise sales after a deliberate two-year pause to strengthen its systems and support infrastructure. Bojangles Signs Four-Unit Agreement, Including Brand's First Military Base Location The Carolina-born chicken brand inked a non-traditional development deal in Norfolk, Virginia, that includes its first-ever restaurant on a military base plus a spot inside Norfolk International Airport. The Spice & Tea Exchange® Accelerates National Expansion with Five New Franchise Agreements The specialty spice and tea retailer signed five new agreements across North Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana, leaning into the Southeast as one of the country's hottest franchise growth regions. Jollibee Debuts Its First Franchise Restaurant in California, Advancing U.S. Growth Strategy The Filipino fried chicken giant opened its first California franchise location in Roseville, the initial store under a 24-unit development deal spanning Northern California, Nevada, and Texas. Bubbakoo's Burritos Accelerates Growth with New Leaders and Restaurant Openings The Mexican-fusion chain added a VP of Operations and a VP of Franchise Development this summer as it works toward opening at least 10 more restaurants by year's end. Mike's Red Tacos Announces Andrew Feghali as CEO The San Diego birria brand tapped the first-ever Dave's Hot Chicken franchisee as CEO, rounding out a leadership team stacked with veterans from Wetzel's Pretzels, Little Caesars, and Dunkin'. First Buffalo Wild Wings GO and Jimmy John's Co-Branded Location Opens in Palmetto, Florida Two Inspire Brands concepts joined forces for the first time ever, combining hand-sauced wings and made-to-order subs under one roof in a fast-growing Manatee County market. Kyuramen Brings the Cuisine of Zenless Zone Zero to Life Through Its First-Ever Gaming Partnership The ramen brand's first-ever gaming crossover pairs a limited-time combo meal with collectible merch and in-game rewards tied to HoYoverse's hit RPG. Ideal Siding Surpasses 100 Locations Across North America North America's largest siding renovation franchise hit the milestone with new territory awards in Knoxville and Portland, part of a pipeline spanning 23 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces. Birdcall Opens First Franchise Location in Starkville, Mississippi The Colorado-born chicken concept opened its first-ever franchise-operated restaurant next to Starkville's historic State Theatre, with its sights set on 200 locations nationwide by 2028. Partners Become Twisted Egg Shack Area Developers A Texas operating group signed on to develop more than 60 locations of the fast-rising breakfast concept, one of the largest area development deals in the young brand's history. WOLF BITES
That’s it for this edition of The Wolf Report. Feel free to reply with any questions or feedback. Thanks and see you Thursday! — The Wolf | |||||
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