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Kono USA inks franchise agreement in San Diego

Franchisor of "The Original" Kono Pizza and Kono To-Go, Fresh Eats, Treats & Sweets, Kono USA has signed a franchise agreement in San Diego.

April 4, 2016

Franchisor of "The Original" Kono Pizza and Kono To-Go, Fresh Eats, Treats & Sweets, Kono USA has signed a franchise agreement in San Diego. The agreement, a first for the brands on the West Coast, will bring 10 new locations to the area, the first of which will open in late Q3 of this year, offering a variety of breakfast, deli, pizza, and desserts in a cone in local malls, according to a company press release.

Spearheaded by a team of franchisees, the forthcoming locations are a collective effort between a group of lifelong friends and family members Ben Hardie and husband-and-wife team Richard and Sunyoung Myers. Richard and Ben, friends since middle school, were both teaching English in South Korea when Richard and Sunyoung met. Ten years later, the group is embarking on a new venture together to open the first Kono USA locations in California.

"After searching for a similar quick serve food franchise concept with a low point of entry for a few years, our group is thrilled to be pioneering the concept in California, where we expect it will be met with wild success," Hardie said. "The simplicity and convenience that the concept offers customers is entirely unique to the area."

The first of the 10 locations will be opening in local malls, as kiosks. If all goes according to plan, the first location will be open in August of this year. After the brand presence is built up in the San Diego and Los Angeles areas, the partners may look into opening other platforms, like the food truck, in-line stores and carts for venues and festivals. The San Diego signing is the latest in a line of agreement signings, with 20 signed in Dallas, 10 in the Atlanta area, and locations opening in Philadelphia and Florida.

"This franchise agreement signing is a milestone for our brand and our domestic expansion," said Carlo Ruggiero, co-founder of Kono USA. "Breaking into this new state and conquering the West Coast is a goal we've been working towards in the past year, and we're thrilled to reach this milestone with partners like these."

"Kono USA is a concept completely unique from any snack, meal or pizza option available in the San Diego market," said David Ragosa, co-founder of Kono USA. "Our products are catching on quickly across America, as we plan to add more than 50 new locations across the country this year."