Franchise Expo South Sets Records for Attendance

The debut of Franchise Expo South in Houston set a record for the largest number of attendees and exhibitors in the show’s eight-year history. Held from February 6–8 at the Reliant Center, the event attracted nearly 11,000 visitors who had the opportunity to meet with more than 200 franchisors face-to-face to discuss new franchise opportunities while examining the latest issues affecting the industry. Though the majority of visitors were from the greater Houston area, potential franchisees came from 38 states and 18 countries.

“We were extremely pleased with the record-breaking turnout at the first Franchise Expo South in Houston,” says Tom Portesy, president of MFV Expositions, producers of Franchise Expo South. “Our decision to move the Expo to Houston was a strategic decision based on the region’s growing economy and because Houston is one of the best cities in the country for small business. We look forward to many more successful years in the city.”

Franchise Expo South offered visitors the unique opportunity to discover which types of franchise businesses match their needs. The tradeshow floor highlighted hundreds of top brands across all industries including America’s Taco Shop, Burger 21, Capriotti’s, Zaxby’s, Caring Senior Service, CruiseOne, Crunch Fitness, and Ready Decks, among others.

“The first Franchise Expo South in Houston was one of the busiest trade shows I have attended in my 25-year career in franchising,” says Brian Wieters, vice president of franchise recruitment for Pillar To Post Inc. “We were very impressed with the number of qualified buyers who were in attendance and expect to close three new franchise deals as a result of the show. I am sure many exhibitors would agree that the show’s move to Texas has definitely paid off.”

Sponsored by the International Franchise Association, Franchise Expo South also featured over 50 educational seminars and conferences, several of which were approved for Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) accreditation. These public sessions discussed the latest issues affecting the industry and further defined the impact that franchising has on both new and existing businesses.

Mr Gatti’s Pizza Celebrates Grand Opening of Store in Victoria, Texas

Mr Gatti’s Pizza, the beloved pizza restaurant chain, is celebrating the grand opening of its new Victoria location at 2804 N. Laurent St. with a special event on May 1 at 5 p.m. The jam-packed celebration is open to the public and will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the local Chamber of Commerce, children’s entertainment with bounce houses and a […]

Wienerschnitzel Appoints Doug Koob as Chief Development Officer

Wienerschnitzel, the world’s largest hot dog concept, announced today a new addition to its executive leadership team, Doug Koob. In this new role, Koob will oversee sales and business development teams for both domestic and international growth, real estate, along with restaurant design and construction. Koob’s background of 40-plus years in the hospitality industry led […]

Daddy’s Chicken Shack Names Dave Liniger Jr. CEO

Daddy’s Chicken Shack, the quick-service concept dedicated to serving up good livin’ and better chicken, announced today two new promotions within their executive team. Tony Adams, who previously served as the Vice President and Chief of Staff for Area 15 Ventures, will now be taking on the role of President for Daddy’s Chicken Shack while […]

Abbott’s Frozen Custard Announces Opening of First Franchised Store in Texas

Abbott’s Frozen Custard, the oldest frozen custard franchise in the nation, is celebrating the grand opening of its first franchise location in the state of Texas. Located in the Dallas suburb of McKinney, at 1520 N Hardin Boulevard, it is the first of more than 100 locations throughout Texas to be opened by owner-operator Southern […]

Shake Shack Expands Partnership on Carbon Neutral Whole Milk

Neutral Foods, the first certified carbon neutral food company in the U.S, announced the expansion of its partnership with Shake Shack to supply its certified Carbon Neutral Whole Milk to over 90 Shake Shack locations in the U.S. Shake Shack is the first fast casual restaurant partner for Neutral Foods and is using Neutral Milk […]

Wendy’s Promises to Increase Access to Solar Energy for Franchisees

Wendy’s on Tuesday shared progress in sourcing renewable energy through its participation in community solar programs. Emissions reductions from these programs will advance progress against Wendy’s science-based targets to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 47 percent, and Scope 3 emissions from franchisees by 47 percent per restaurant by 2030, both from a […]

Alberto Sosa Bringing Pollo Campero to Smyrna, Tennessee

Alberto Sosa, who already owns two Pollo Campero franchises in Tennessee, is bringing the Central American chicken concept to the Nashville suburb of Smyrna. With over 100 U.S. locations and another 350 worldwide, the Central American chicken franchise is growing quickly, bringing family-recipe-inspired, flavorful chicken meals to the markets it enters. Smyrna’s new Pollo Campero […]

Chick N Max Named One of the Fastest-Growing Companies in Wichita, Kanas

Chick N Max – a next generation fast casual franchise specializing in almond wood smoked chicken and wings, chef-crafted sandwiches, and fried tenders – recently landed at the top of the Wichita Business Journal’s 2024 fastest-growing companies list. The burgeoning brand secured the top spot in the annual ranking with revenue growth of 89.5% last year. “We’re absolutely […]

You might also like...

Get daily updates on quick-serve industry news, tips, and events.