Omnichannel health and wellness brand, Freshii Inc. announced it has entered into a new multi-unit franchise agreement with Level Hospitality for the planned development of 20 new restaurant locations over the next six years in Texas, focused in Houston and Austin. Level Hospitality, a management and hospitality company founded by experienced hotel and quick-service restaurant operators Al Velji and Nathan Leitner, manages a portfolio of hotel and restaurant brands in North America.
The deal represents the largest multi-unit franchise agreement in Freshii’s history, and an opportunity to expand the company’s store count in one of the fastest-growing states in the United States. The company believes that additional stores in Texas, specifically in Houston and Austin, present a great opportunity to expand consumer exposure and access to the brand.
“We’re very excited to expand our presence in Texas. With an incredible food culture and a large consumer base, which is seemingly growing by the day, we see this as an incredible opportunity to strengthen our foothold in the southern United States,” says Adam Corrin, Chief Operating Officer of Freshii. “Nathan and Al have shown themselves to be strong operators, with proven [quick-service restaurant] and hospitality experience, a passion for the Freshii brand, and a deep knowledge of the Texas market. We have great confidence in their ability to launch and manage a multi-unit business, and are excited to take this next step with the two of them,” Corrin added.
“We’ve spent a lot of time with the Freshii team and have become big fans of its leading healthy [quick-service restaurant] offerings. We’re convinced that Freshii is the brand we want to work with as we build out the Texas better-for-you restaurant market,” says Velji. “Freshii’s growing omnichannel presence and its continuing commitment to supporting its franchise system with evolving technology and menu innovation, will allow us to meet the needs of today’s health and wellness-focused customers, however, they prefer to shop,” adds Leitner.
