1) Pvolve to Enter Dallas Market With Three-Unit Agreement

Dallas is a rapidly growing city and its fitness options are plentiful, but entrepreneur Jessie Cleveland believed something was missing in the market.

Cleveland, who enjoys trying different wellness concepts, said the Dallas metro area has several high-impact workout spots, but not enough low-impact exercise businesses. That’s where Pvolve entered the picture, with Cleveland learning about the concept from a podcast featuring founder Rachel Katzman.

Seeing Dallas had potential for more Pvolve studios, Cleveland reached out to the franchisor about developing the market. After a period of due diligence, Cleveland signed a deal to open three locations in Dallas, marking her first foray into franchising.

2) StretchLab Becomes Official Stretching Partner of Major League Pickleball

StretchLab announced today its official sponsorship of Major League Pickleball (MLP), strengthening StretchLab’s presence within the rapidly growing pickleball community. In addition to its designation as Exclusive Preferred Stretch Partner, the partnership will run through the 2025 season and highlights StretchLab’s commitment to enhancing athletic performance, mobility, and recovery for both recreational and competitive athletes.

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. according to the Topline Participation Report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), attracting active adults who prioritize fitness and wellness. Pickleball players make up a significant portion of StretchLab’s core consumer base, who seek improved flexibility, faster recovery, and injury prevention to stay active longer.

3) Unleashed Brands Announces Pat O’Toole as Chief Marketing Officer

Unleashed Brands, the world’s first and largest Youth Enrichment Platform providing safe, fun, and enriching environments to help kids learn, play, and grow, has named Pat O’Toole, a 20+ year marketing industry veteran that has shaped some of the world’s most iconic brands, as its new Chief Marketing Officer.

Most recently, O’Toole served as the Chief Marketing Officer for Burger King US & Canada, where his team led innovative campaigns that connected the brand with millions across North America. Prior to that, he was the Chief Marketing Officer at Mountain Dew, overseeing PepsiCo Beverages North America’s ‘Flavors’ portfolio. Throughout his career at PepsiCo, he played a key role in driving growth for multiple billion-dollar brands, including Doritos, Cheetos, Tostitos, Fritos, and Lay’s Dips in the U.S. and globally. He has also been elected twice as an Independent Director for US Youth Soccer, helping to advance youth development initiatives and promote community-focused programs nationwide.

EXTRA SAUCE 💥

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® Appoints Tara Hinkle as President and Head of Americas: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has announced the appointment of Tara Hinkle as the new President and Head of Americas. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Tara Hinkle as The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s new President and Head of Americas,” said CEO for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Jose Pepot Miñana Jr. Hinkle assumed the position of President and Head of Americas in January 2025, bringing nearly 20 years of expertise in franchising and strategic operational planning to the role.

Church’s Texas Chicken® Appoints Roland Gonzalez as New Chief Executive Officer to Lead Legendary Brand’s Next Phase of Global Growth: Church’s Texas Chicken®, one of the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chains in the world, has named Roland Gonzalez as its new Chief Executive Officer. With a wealth of experience in the global quick-service restaurant industry, Gonzalez will lead the legendary brand’s next phase of global growth and evolution, having played a key role in its transformation over the last two years as Chief Operations Officer. He succeeds Joe Guith, who was named to the post in 2022.

A highly respected executive with a passion for building and motivating cross-functional teams, Gonzalez brings an extensive track record of driving operational excellence through global business strategies and process improvement, strengthening franchisee partnerships, enhancing guest experiences and expanding brand reach in highly competitive categories and geographic markets. Prior to joining Church’s Texas Chicken®, he held senior leadership roles at major quick-service restaurant brands, including Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes, where he implemented successful global growth strategies and delivered high-impact results across RBI’s portfolio of 20,000+ restaurants.

Port of Subs Expands in the Pacific Northwest: Port of Subs® proudly announces its latest development deal. With 10 units expected to open across Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, including Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, Spokane, and Coeur d’Alene, this agreement is in partnership with Navy veteran and entrepreneur Ben Pearson.

With Pearson’s military background and over 20 years of management experience, he is prepared to take the brand to the next level in this region.

Alsies Welcomes First Franchisee in Harrisburg, PA – Scott Shapiro to open Alsies Ice Cream Truck in March 2025: Alsies is excited to announce its first franchisee, Scott Shapiro, who will be opening a new location in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Scott, alongside his wife Kellie and their children, will bring Alsies’ beloved ice cream experience to the local community starting in March 2025.

Scott, a long-time Harrisburg resident, is eager to embark on this new venture with his family. “We’re excited to introduce Alsies to the Harrisburg area,” said Scott Shapiro. “This is a great opportunity for us to be involved in our community and create lasting memories for our neighbors through our love for ice cream.”

Smoothie King Franchisees Sign Nine-Unit Deal with PayMore: PayMore Stores has announced a nine-unit franchise deal with seasoned franchisees Travis Bolster and Clay Koenig, and John Gordon expanding the brand into Louisiana and Mississippi. With over 60 years of franchising experience combined, the trio has a proven track record of developing multiple Smoothie King locations across four states and are now adding PayMore to their portfolio.

Bolster, Gordon, and Koenig bring deep expertise in scaling multi-unit operations, having developed 15 Smoothie King locations at their peak.

Co-Founder of Bombas Brand Finds Next Investment in K9 Resorts; Signs Multi-Unit Agreement with Luxury Dog Care Franchise: K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel is expanding its presence in Connecticut with a multi-unit franchise agreement. The pet boarding and daycare brand has signed a deal to bring three new locations to the state, led by experienced entrepreneurs Andrew, Sandra and Robert Heath.

The first two resorts will open in Fairfield and New Haven counties, with a third planned for Hartford county.

Pita Pit USA Grows Alaskan Footprint with Two-Unit Development Deal: Pita Pit USA is excited to announce plans to expand its presence in Alaska with two new locations in Wasilla and Palmer. This reflects the brand’s commitment to providing healthier dining alternatives as demand for fresh, customizable options continues to grow.

The Wasilla and Palmer locations, led by franchisee Kaleb Crawford, are strategically positioned in areas experiencing significant economic growth and development. Crawford, who spent years managing healthcare foodservice operations in Alaska, brings a passion for providing high-quality meals to local residents.

Phenix Salon Suites Surpasses 400 Locations & Drives International Growth: Phenix Salon Suites, the leading salon suite franchise, announced today that it has reached a significant milestone, surpassing 400 locations globally and celebrating the opening of its fifth international location. These achievements solidify Phenix’s position as a global leader in the salon suite industry and underscore the brand’s sustained momentum in domestic and international markets.

Phenix Salon Suites has been rapidly growing for over a decade. The brand has continued to garner attention from seasoned entrepreneurs and multi-brand operators alike, sparking record-breaking growth year after year. Among these achievements, the 400th location was opened by David Eisenmann and Shannon Fela, longtime business partners and multi-unit franchisees whose portfolio includes locations across East Brunswick, Woodbridge, and Union in New Jersey. Development agreements remained strong for the brand throughout 2024, creating an impressive pipeline for 2025, with over 30 new locations expected to open worldwide this year. Regions experiencing the most growth included California, New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

The dual-branded Applebee’s/IHOP concept makes its U.S. debut: Inspired by the concept’s success internationally, Dine Brands has been planning to bring its dual-branded IHOP/Applebee’s model to the U.S. for about a year now. That plan came to fruition this week with the grand opening of the IHOP/Applebee’s restaurant in Seguin, Texas, just outside of San Antonio in partnership with franchisee Ramzi Hakim Group.

At least 12 more such restaurants are planned this year, underscoring parent company Dine Brands’ bullishness about the concept, which features signature dishes from both IHOP and Applebee’s on a single menu – from pancakes, eggs, and bacon to boneless wings and a full bar. The restaurant also includes some unique items mixed and matched from both brands, such as the Buffalo Chicken Omelette and the Ultimate Breakfast Burger, as well as specialty cocktails like espresso martinis and Irish coffee.