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| Good Morning Wolf Pack, Today's newsletter covers VIO Med Spa's first franchise agreement in New York City, QDOBA's 17-restaurant development deal in its own hometown of San Diego, and Krispy Kreme's shift toward a capital-light, franchise-first international expansion strategy. Enjoy! Was this email forwarded to you? FROM THE WOLF DEN 1) Krispy Kreme Is Taking a Capital-Light Approach to International Franchise Expansion Krispy Kreme isn't signing new US franchisees right now, but overseas, it's leaning hard into franchising. The donut chain has opened new markets in Spain and Uzbekistan, is set to debut in the Netherlands via a 30-unit deal with Jafa Holding, and is pushing into Estonia and Mauritius. "Nearly every country we have one master franchise for the country, and they are building out the brand with their expertise and local consumer knowledge, but following our model," said CEO Josh Charlesworth. The brand is simultaneously refranchising existing company-owned markets. For example, it sold its Japan business to Unison Capital for $69.3 million in March and is evaluating similar moves elsewhere, even as its joint venture partner in Brazil, convenience-store operator Ipiranga, opens a third hot light theater in São Paulo this month. The strategy is part of a broader turnaround: franchise units now generate 42% of Krispy Kreme's systemwide sales, up from 25% a year ago, with a goal of 50% by 2027. 2) QDOBA Signs 17-Unit Development Agreement Across San Diego County QDOBA is going deep in its own backyard. The fast-casual Mexican chain signed a development agreement with Hyperion Brands, a San Diego-based multi-unit operator, to open 17 new restaurants across San Diego County. "California is a priority growth market for QDOBA," said Jeremy Vitaro, the brand's chief development officer. Hyperion Brands is led by Cesar Shih, who is also a multi-unit Habit Burger & Grill franchisee, giving QDOBA an operator with local real estate know-how and existing QSR chops. QDOBA and its franchise partners currently run roughly 875 restaurants and are working toward doubling that footprint to about 2,000 locations, with a longer-term goal of opening 100 restaurants a year. The San Diego deal follows an earlier 2026 agreement covering Ventura and Santa Barbara, and the brand has flagged Bakersfield, Sacramento, San Bernardino and the Bay Area as its next California targets. 3) VIO Med Spa Enters New York City Market with Queens Signed Agreement VIO Med Spa just broke into the country's biggest media market. The physician-guided med spa franchise signed its first New York City franchise agreement, paving the way for a new location in Queens. Triple board-certified dermatologist Dr. Arjun Mehta will serve as medical director of the new spot, partnering with his brother-in-law Amin Ashraf on the operational side as the pair evaluates sites across the borough. "VIO offers that brand recognition, along with a proven model, a growing national footprint, and an established presence nearby in Patchogue and East Northport," Mehta said. "The strength of that support system...made VIO the clear choice as I take this next step into business ownership." The Queens signing caps a fast-moving 2026 for VIO, which has added more than 18 new franchisees this year with recent deals in Richmond, Atlanta and Prosper, Texas. The brand now operates 65 locations across 20 states with more than 175 territories open, sold or in development, and reports a $1.3M systemwide AUV with a $2.3M top-quartile average. EXTRA SAUCE 💥 Swig Signs 11-Unit Deal in Denver Market The dirty soda brand is making its first move into Denver through an 11-unit agreement with Denver Day Makers LLC. The first South Denver location is targeted to open by mid-2027, with the drive-thru-first format built to keep build-out costs low. Batteries Plus Unveils Proprietary Artificial Intelligence Platform to Support Franchise Growth The brand is rolling out three new AI tools systemwide, including an SMS voice agent built specifically to qualify franchise leads and an in-store assistant that helps customers find products. Full deployment across all locations is expected by the end of September. Greg DuPey of Pillar To Post Home Inspectors Named Franchisee of the Year by IFA DuPey bought his Morrisville, Pennsylvania territory back in 2012 and has since grown it nearly fourfold. He'll be honored for the achievement at this week's IFA26 Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. Flying Biscuit Café Opens in Downtown Knoxville Franchisee Chris Compton opened his second Knoxville-area location Saturday, this one complete with a patio and full bar in the heart of downtown. He's aiming to develop three to five cafés across the metro over the next five years. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill Announces Partnership with PepsiCo The new beverage lineup brings Pepsi, Gatorade and Pure Leaf to Great Greek locations nationwide, alongside four custom lemonade and refresher flavors developed specifically for the brand. The rollout is expected to be complete across the system by the end of 2026. Chicken Salad Chick to Open First Restaurant in New York The Clifton Park location opens September 22 and marks the first restaurant under a 25-unit development deal covering Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and the Upper Hudson Valley. It's the largest development agreement the brand has ever signed. WOWorks Unveils Three-Tier Incentive Program to Accelerate Franchise Growth The Saladworks and Frutta Bowls parent will waive the franchise fee on an operator's first three units for anyone committing to six or more restaurants. The incentive runs through the first quarter of 2027 and applies across the company's full brand portfolio. Mountain Mike's Pizza Opens Wilsonville Location, Expanding Oregon Presence Franchisee John Sharma's new restaurant marks the pizza chain's seventh Oregon location, complete with an arcade area and weekday all-you-can-eat buffet. Mountain Mike's is on pace to open more than 20 new locations systemwide by year's end. Angry Chickz Opened in Avondale Sept. 11 The Nashville hot chicken brand's fourth Arizona restaurant and 47th location nationwide opened with jersey giveaways for early arrivals. A raffle offered a year of free chicken to the first 500 guests who showed up. Nick the Greek Brings Authentic Greek Street Food to Santa Clarita Franchisee Nader Shenouda opened the fast-casual concept's newest California location, serving house-roasted gyros and charbroiled souvlaki. He's already planning a second Nick the Greek restaurant in the region. Mo' Bettahs Makes Waves in Indiana With New Zionsville Restaurant The Hawaiian plate-lunch chain's second Indiana location and 81st nationwide opens just two weeks after its Avon debut. Together the two restaurants round out the brand's initial footprint across the Indianapolis area. Farmer Boys Celebrates the Opening of Its First Santa Clarita Location Nearly two decades into the Farmer Boys system, franchisee Omar Mawas brought the farm-to-table burger and breakfast brand to a new Los Angeles County market. The new restaurant offers dine-in, drive-thru and online ordering from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. 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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