FROM THE WOLF DEN

1) The Pickle Pad Emerges Along East Coast With Seven-Unit Deal

Founded in 2023, the pickleball concept is the latest from NRD Capital portfolio company Indoor Active Brands, which also owns Altitude Trampoline Park. Following the opening of its first corporate location in Tallahassee, Florida, the franchisor signed a seven-unit agreement to grow north along the East Coast.

Signing on with the emerging brand is Vikas Kapila of Richmond, Virginia, who plans to develop locations in both his home state and South Carolina. Kapila, who has a background as a software engineer with experience in telecommunications, said he looked into franchising after attempting his own entrepreneurial ventures.

2) Smoothie King Reports Q3 2024 Growth With 38 New Store Commitments and 28 New Store Openings, Marking Highest Number of Openings in Six Years

Smoothie King, the world’s largest smoothie brand and the first health and fitness fast-casual brand of its kind, today announced its Q3 business update. The brand reported 38 new store commitments and 28 new store openings across 16 states in Q3 2024, marking the highest number of store openings in a single quarter in six years and the second-highest in its history.

Key milestones this quarter included expansions into two new states, the grand opening of a new Austin, TX location—the first in the area in three years—a flagship store opening at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and the opening of two new stores in Colorado as part of a broader expansion plan for the state. Additionally, Smoothie King launched its new Coconut Bowls nationwide, further enhancing its popular Smoothie Bowl lineup.

3) Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Grows with Canadian Expansion

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers®, is expanding its footprint with three new locations in Canada. Freddy’s signed a Master Franchise and Development Agreement with Gregg Most and Jim Werschler of North 49 Frozen Custard and Steakburgers in November 2022. The brand will partner with development group Steakburger North to bring the taste of Freddy’s to Winnipeg, Manitoba. The deal, signed with local franchisee John Hall and operating partner Turner Ethans of Steakburger North, will see locations open across Winnipeg over the next three years, with the first restaurant set to open in 2025.

“From the moment we discovered Freddy’s, it felt like the right fit—craveable food, great people, and a real commitment to quality and hospitality,” Hall said. “The Winnipeg community has always been very enthusiastic to try new restaurant concepts, and we’re ready to introduce Freddy’s in a way that feels local and authentic, with our focus on amazing service.”

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EXTRA SAUCE 💥

Former Franchisees Sue Dickey’s for Alleged Fraud: A group of former Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchisees are suing the franchisor and a Minnesota-based bank for alleged fraud and misrepresentation.

The former franchisees claim Luminate Bank and former Dickey’s employees provided incorrect financial information and didn’t disclose other key financial details about profitability and operational costs. The franchisor claims the allegations are without merit and the suit was filed for publicity.

Scenthound Franchise Expands Retail with Daily Dental Support: Scenthound, a dog wellness franchise, has expanded its retail line, Houndswell®, to include Daily Dental Support, a supplement to combat periodontal disease in dogs. Daily Dental Support is the latest in Houndswell’s line of canine wellness and hygiene products developed exclusively for Scenthound to provide dog owners with at-home care solutions to complement the brand’s services. The veterinarian-grade products address overall dog health including skin and coat care, ear health and now dental hygiene.

Founded in 2015 as the nation’s first dog wellness franchise concept, Scenthound offers monthly subscription-based hygiene and wellness services at its 110 franchised and corporate-owned locations, called “Scenters,” across 25 states.

Pet Supplies Plus Donates More Than 55,000 Pounds of Pet Food and Litter for Hurricane Relief: In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Pet Supplies Plus made a substantial donation to non-profit The Rewritten Story Foundation. With the immense impact natural disasters can have on displacing animals and straining resources, this donation will help ensure that pets and their families receive necessary support during recovery and rebuilding efforts.

“As a business that prioritizes community engagement and connection, we feel a strong responsibility to support the communities we operate in during times of need,” said Chris Rowland, CEO of Pet Supplies Plus. “We’re honored to support The Rewritten Story Foundation to provide some relief to families and animals impacted by Hurricane Helene. Together, we hope to make a positive impact and help these communities recover and rebuild.”

Domino’s® Appoints Kate Trumbull as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer: Domino’s Pizza Inc. today announced the promotion of Kate Trumbull to Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, effective Nov. 1, 2024. In her new role, Trumbull will oversee global marketing and continue to report to Joe Jordan, President, U.S. and Global Services. Additionally, Risa O’Hara and the international marketing team will report to Trumbull as part of this expanded global marketing organization.

Trumbull joined Domino’s in 2011 from Procter & Gamble, where she worked on several iconic brands, including Tide and Gain. During her 13-year tenure at Domino’s, Trumbull has held multiple leadership roles, progressing from Program Leader of Hispanic Marketing to Director of Loyalty, to Director of Digital Advertising, and to Vice President of Advertising. Most recently, in March 2023, she was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Brand Officer, overseeing advertising, media, product innovation, and national sales.

Wild Eggs Acquires St. Louis-Based Crazy Bowls & Wraps; Opens Virtual Kitchen in Jeffersontown, KY: Wild Eggs is cooking up something new at the Wild Eggs’ Jeffersontown location (located at 9010 Taylorsville Rd). Starting Wednesday, October 16, 2024, Wild Eggs’ Jeffersontown location will transform into a Crazy Bowls & Wraps virtual kitchen from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., utilizing its third-party delivery partners for order online pick-up and delivery only. Customers can order crave-worthy, freshly prepared bowls, wraps, and salads directly through crazybowlsandwraps.com or their favorite delivery apps.

In March 2024, Wild Eggs acquired St. Louis brand Crazy Bowls & Wraps (CBW). CBW has established itself as a mainstay in the restaurant industry, especially within the on-trend healthy fast-casual segment, catering to all diet types with product offerings primarily in the form of fully customizable bowls & wraps.

AlphaGraphics announces Don Carpenter as new senior retail network director: AlphaGraphics announced today the hiring of veteran franchise development manager Don Carpenter as its new senior retail network director for franchise development.

“Don has worked in franchising for most of his career, and we’re thrilled to have him on board,” AlphaGraphics Vice President of Retail Network Development Bill McPherson said. “He has spent nearly 25 years supporting franchise owners and their needs while mastering franchise development strategies for some very large and diverse franchising brands.”

Carpenter comes to AlphaGraphics from Circle K, where he served as the franchise development manager. Before that, he served as a franchise owner, master franchisor and was in franchising sales for a large beauty, fitness and wellness brand for more than 10 years.

TOGO’s Sandwiches Announces Appointment of CFO Matt Dowling to CEO: TOGO’S Sandwiches has appointed TOGO’S Chief Financial Officer, Matt Dowling, to CEO following Glenn Lunde’s decision to step down. Lunde’s leadership helped position the brand for growth, and Dowling will follow suit in overseeing overall operations, set strategic goals, focus on growing unit count and drive financial performance while continuing his role as CFO.

Dowling brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of success with more than 40 years of experience leading operations, company finances, analyzing financial data to guide strategic decisions, managing risks, and communicating financial performance to stakeholders. Dowling has held dual positions previously while serving as CFO and President of Boudin, San Francisco’s oldest continuously operating business specializing in The Original San Francisco Sourdough™, and CFO and CEO of Marin Bikes, a global wholesaler and distributor of bikes across 45 different countries.

RNR Tire Express Announces 4 Key Leadership Promotions: RNR Tire Express (RNR) recently held its mid-year company conference where the brand announced four strategic promotions. Key appointments include former national franchise President, Adam Sutton, to CEO, as well as Matthew Warren former SVP to COO, Kyle Parman to President of Corporate Store Operations, and Matt King to VP of Corporate Store Operations.

“These promotions mark a significant milestone for our brand, underscoring our commitment to continually improving and always strengthening our strategic leadership team to best serve our franchisees and customers,” said Larry Sutton, founder of RNR Tire Express.

Adam Sutton, who previously served as the President of RNR, has been with the brand since 2017. With over two decades of executive leadership experience, he will oversee the RNR franchise system. 

Chick-fil-A will plant its flag in Asia next year: Fresh off of sharing its initial expansion plans in the United Kingdom, Chick-fil-A has announced its intention to open in Singapore in late 2025. The Singapore opening will mark the brand’s debut in Asia and will begin a 10-year, $75 million investment in the region.

The company is eyeing ambitious international growth in stores across Europe and Asia, supported by a $1 billion investment, as initially reported last year by the Wall Street Journal. Plans currently call for five international markets by 2030, with the U.K. housing the first permanent store outside of North America, followed by Singapore.