Area Developer Targets South Florida – Restaurant & QSR Expansion Report

Toledo, Ohio-based pizza franchise Marco's Pizza has launched an aggressive expansion plan targeting the South Beach, Coconut Grove, Fort Lauderdale and the Miami area. Aneesh Patel, the area developer in the Miami/FortLauderdale area, co-owns six Marco's Pizza restaurants with his father and brother in Tampa and Broward County and wants to add as many as 30 new units in the Miami market. Patel is seeking franchisees interested in opening Marco's stores in Aventura, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Coral Springs, Doral, Ft. Lauderdale, Kendall, Homestead, Hollywood, Hialeah, Miami Beach, downtown Miami, Lauderhill, Miami Gardens, Miramar, Pompano Beach and South Beach. "We haven't even been in the market for four years yet, and we're already breaking ground on our seventh store," said Patel adding that with the South Florida population being the densest area in the state, and Miami's reputation as a foodie town, there has never been a better time to invest in the franchise. Introduced in 1978, the company emphasizes consistency, making its dough fresh in stores every day. Every pizza is topped with premium meats, never-frozen cheeses, vegetables prepared in-store and sauce made from a hybrid tomato developed especially for Marco's. The quick service units target end cap and in-line units in high traffic grocery or large format-anchored plazas. The size necessary is in a 1200 to 1500 square foot range. Currently there are over 50 Marco’s Pizza locations in Florida with units opening shortly in Panama City Beach in North Florida and in Royal Palm Beach in Southeast Florida.

Aneesh Patel – Area Developer (386/383-0380 aneeshpatel@hotmail.com)

CATEGORY: Quick Service

Chain Name: Marco’s Pizza

Company Name: Marco’s Franchising LLC

Street Address: 5252 Monroe St., Toledo, Ohio 43623

Tel: 419/885-7000 Fax: 419/885-5215

Email: Website: www.marcos.com & www.marcosfranchising.com

Menu Specialty: Authentic Italian pizza

Introduced: 1978 in Toledo, Ohio by Pasquale ‘Pat’ Giammarco

No. of Locations: Over 450 in about 33 states, Bahamas. Puerto Rico and India opening in 2014

Areas of Operation: Worldwide

Types of Location: End cap or in-line in grocery or large format retail-anchored community shopping center

BusinessType (corp., franchise, jv): Franchise

Size Req’d: 1200 to 1500 square feet

Special Requirements (patio, drive-thru, etc): Minimum of 20 foot frontage. Visibility, access in market with at least 10,000 households within a three mile radius. Median income in the area should be $45,000 to $85,000 per year.

Contact Name: Jack Butorac, President & CEO

Dave Black, Executive Vice President of Operations

Cameron Cummins, Vice President of Franchise Marketing & Recruitment

Mike Jaynes, Vice President of Sales & Product Integrity

Bryon Stephens, Vice President of New Business Development

Jim Strachan, Vice President of Operations

Ken Switzer, Vice President and CFO

Don Vlcek, Vice President of Purchasing

Peter Wise, Vice President of Marketing

Joe Stephens, Director, Franchise Development

Lauren Johnson, Franchise Development Coordinator (ljohnson@marcos.com)

Tom Achs, Vice President, Construction