Franchising

Blaze Pizza expands in Midwest with 3 locations

Photo: Blaze Pizza

May 7, 2025

Blaze Pizza will open three locations across Indiana and Kentucky. The first restaurant is expected to open in Evansville, Indiana, this summer, according to a press release.

The new development is led by hospitality entrepreneur Richie Patel and seasoned franchise operator Manish Malhotra.

"We've both been fans of Blaze Pizza for years. It's hands down the best pizza I've had — and as someone who owns multiple restaurants, that says a lot," Patel said in the press release. "What really drew us in was how customer-friendly the experience is, and how streamlined the operations are for our team."

Patel, known for Evansville eatery favorites like Rooftop (American pub with live music), Birdie's (golf simulator bar and event space), and Noche (an upscale Mexican concept), is taking a hands-on approach to the Blaze rollout. Malhotra, who operates 19 franchise units across brands including Arby's, Teriyaki Madness, Zaxby's and Wings Etc., brings valuable systems experience and scale. Day-to-day operations will be supported by a general manager from one of Patel's current restaurants.

The partners are launching their Blaze Pizza stores under their company RPMM Evansville, Inc. with additional locations planned in Murray, Kentucky, and Bloomington, Indiana.

"Blaze Pizza is all about personalization and premium ingredients served at lightning speed," Malhotra said in the press release. "It's a brand that's built for today's customer — and for tomorrow's restaurant landscape."

Blaze Pizza was founded in 2011 and has almost 300 restaurants across 38 states and three countries.