STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Pizza Patrón plans to add 60 new franchised stores in the Houston metropolitan area over the next five years.
February 25, 2016
Pizza Patrón plans to add 60 new franchised stores in the Houston metropolitan area over the next five years, according to a company press release. Company officials said the Houston market represents an opportunity for growth for the brand inside the U.S. Harris County in Houston trails only Los Angeles County among the 60 counties in the U.S. with the largest Hispanic populations, according to a recently released Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Among the 2.11 million Hispanics in the Houston area, 41 percent are foreign-born, the fourth-highest percentage among the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., the Pew report shows.
"We have a loyal core customer and with stats like this we are very optimistic that we will continue to expand our footprint and serve them all," said Victor Vazquez, vice president of Business Development for Pizza Patrón. "The ceiling of opportunity has never been higher for any market like it is for Houston."
Recently, the chain reignited its franchising program and bolstered its corporate support team in preparation for the expansion by adding Isaiah Melendez as its new franchise sales manager, the release stated. The company is seeking franchise partners and investors. Potential franchisee candidates include restaurateurs with multi-unit experience and qualified owner operators that are solely devoted to their Pizza Patrón business and live in the community they serve. Including a franchise fee of $20,000, the initial investment to own and operate a Pizza Patrón restaurant starts as low as $211,100.
"We have recently announced a new standalone store model that greatly expands real estate opportunities," Vazquez said. "Because it stands alone, it stands out from strip center businesses, heightening our brand awareness and maximizing the ROI for our franchisees."
