Rita's Italian Ice has signed a new area franchise development agreement for part of Los Angeles County, California, and an area franchisee development agreement for Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, also known as the ABC Islands.
The company also announced Scott Schubiger has joined the company as senior vice president of franchise sales. Schubiger, a sales veteran with more than 20 years of experience, will manage worldwide franchise development for the popular growing chain.
"With a renewed focus on growing the Rita's brand, we are proud to welcome our California and ABC Islands area franchisees," says Jonathan Fornaci, chief executive officer of Rita's. "Another new addition, and member of the senior leadership team, Scott Schubiger will enable us to expand Rita's brand to many more fans within the United States and abroad."
Stuart and Cynthia Glist are the new area developers for Rita's Italian Ice in Los Angeles County. Their territory includes San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, and Antelope Valley.
They plan to grow the popular brand by offering franchises in their territory to have twenty five locations open over the next five years. Their first Rita's store in Burbank is planned for this fall.
"We were actually in negotiations with Rita's before we had even tasted the products," Stuart Glist says.
"During our due diligence process it became evident that Rita's was perfect for California. The differentiated product, no direct competition, and a long history and track record of success, were just a few of the many things that appealed to us. We can't wait to share our love of Rita's with our fellow Californian's!"
"The ABC's, the sunny Caribbean islands with an average temperature year-round in the mid-80s Fahrenheit, is the perfect place to open Rita's," says Joe DeAngelis area developer, along with his wife, Irene, of Rita's ABC Islands. "We are very proud to be the first to bring Rita's to the Caribbean."
They plan to franchise and open four Rita's stores within three years with the first targeted to open in Aruba this October.
The company is actively seeking area development agreements and multiple-unit operators throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Florida, the Carolinas, and the Northeast, and single-unit franchisees in the mid-Atlantic region. Rita's is also actively pursuing major international markets across several continents.
