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Donatos Pizza appoints VP of development and franchising

Donatos Pizza announced it has named Jeff Baldwin vice president of development and franchising to help drive the brand's expansion in new and existing markets across the United States.

November 12, 2015

Donatos Pizza announced it has named Jeff Baldwin vice president of development and franchising to help drive the brand's expansion in new and existing markets across the United States.

"We are thrilled to have Jeff on board to lead our development efforts,” said Tom Krouse, Donatos CEO. "He has a proven track record of driving business growth and we are confident that his extensive franchising background will help Donatos exceed our development goals."

Baldwin has nearly 20 years of experience as a real-estate development leader and franchise seller with such brands as Tim Hortons and Wendy's, according to a company press release. Prior to joining Donatos, he served as senior development director for Tim Hortons. During Baldwin's tenure, the company grew its restaurant portfolio from 125 to 883 units.

With 153 restaurants open and operating in six states, Donatos recently announced plans to further expand its national footprint, the release stated. With 18 new locations already in various stages of development, company executives are targeting several markets throughout the Midwest and Southeast for expansion, including Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee, among others.

To augment the company's growth, Donatos is seeking franchise partners and investors looking to capitalize on the brand's history, experience and security with a minimum of three restaurants. Including a franchise fee of $30,000, the initial investment to own and operate a Donatos restaurant ranges from $460,000 to $670,000.

"There's no question that fast-casual pizza is coming to your town, if it isn't there already. And, much like previous growth sectors like burritos, freshly-baked sandwiches and gourmet burgers, many players will enter the segment, but only Donatos has the history and menu to be the category leader," Baldwin said.