Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza is heating up the Midwest with a landmark 16-unit development deal.
In partnership with multi-brand operators Elie Damouni, George Damouni, Nadim Burbar and Daniel Burbar, Blaze will dramatically grow its footprint across the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana regions. Within the large territory, the Damounis’ and Burbars’ team will focus on adding locations throughout Illinois counties including DuPage, Will, Kankakee, Kane, McHenry and Lake, as well as Indiana’s Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties.
“When we were seriously considering our investment in Blaze Pizza, the two most important selling factors were the business model and the brand’s size,” says Damouni, who will be working closely alongside his brother George and two nephews. “For a concept with tremendous growth potential, I also feel the corporate team is an extension of my family. To have people who truly care about your operations and development goals is so important in today’s restaurant industry. I’m looking forward to the hands-on support we’ll be receiving as we grow Blaze Pizza’s Midwest presence.”
As a multi-brand operator with business ownership experience, Damouni joins Blaze Pizza with 15-plus years of QSR industry knowledge. His family, who will be heavily involved in business development and daily operations, comes from a long line of entrepreneurs. The team’s complementary management and marketing skillset will help facilitate their growth plans in the months and years to come.
“Elie and his family have a strong determination and spirited attitude, which is exactly what we look for in our partners,” adds Laura Crews, franchise development for Blaze Pizza. “Their combined experience in business ownership and the restaurant industry makes them a powerhouse team, and we’re anticipating they’ll have a prosperous journey.”
From its inception in 2012, Blaze Pizza has built momentum and developed a cult-like following as it expanded from its California base to bringing over 340 restaurants into 41 states and six countries.
Blaze Pizza is a modern day “pizza joint” serving up artisanal pizzas that are both fast and affordable. With fans lining up or ordering online each day for their custom-built pizzas, freshly made salads, house made lemonades and s’more pies, the innovative fast-casual concept has quickly become one of the hottest restaurant chains in the country.
Each restaurant features an interactive open-kitchen format that allows guests to customize one of the menu’s signature pizzas or create their own, choosing from a wide selection of real ingredients that are free of artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners. The generously-sized pizzas are then sent to a blazing hot open-flame oven – the centerpiece of the restaurant – where dedicated pizzasmiths ensure the artisanal pies are fast-fire’d and ready to eat in just minutes. Restaurants make fresh dough from scratch using a proprietary recipe developed by Executive Chef Bradford Kent, which requires a 24-hour fermentation period to produce his signature light-as-air, crisp crust. For pizza fans with specific dietary needs, Blaze Pizza offers gluten-free crusts and vegan cheese.
The brand’s business model, made up of extensive site selection procedures, training programs and marketing support, is designed to attract individuals and operator teams with a strong business acumen, proven restaurant industry success and an interest in multi-unit franchising
