Captain D’s Seafood announced that it will open eight new restaurants in Kansas City over the next eight years. The expansion is part of a broader agreement with Reel ‘Em In, LLC., a Kansas City holding company that has other restaurant interests in the area.

Under the agreement, Reel ‘Em In will develop eight new Captain D’s restaurants and operate them as franchises. The company will also purchase eight existing Captain D’s restaurants in Kansas City and operate them as franchises. Captain D’s has a total of nine restaurants in the Kansas City market.

In addition, the agreement calls for Reel ‘Em In to remodel the existing restaurants it is purchasing with Captain D’s new décor, which recreates the allure of a dock-side seafood shack with naturally aged woods, hanging steel lights, and a galvanized steel awning hanging over a portion of the dining room, as well as nautical artifact and local navigational charts.

The transaction comes during the most aggressive expansion effort in Captain D’s 32-year history. The expansion, which will significantly increase the number of both franchised and company-owned restaurants, will result in approximately two-thirds of the company’s restaurants being operated by franchisees, up from approximately one-third today.

Captain D’s now includes 212 franchise units and 351 company locations throughout the country.

Reel ‘Em In president Brian Studdard and his wife, Candy, also recently purchased five Backyard Burgers franchises in the Kansas City area. He formerly served as COO of Planet Smoothie, a chain of more than 115 smoothie stores, and has also held executive positions with such brands as Mrs. Winner’s, Lee’s Famous Recipe, Del Taco, and Church’s Chicken restaurant companies. Candy was previously a Planet Smoothie franchisee and a general manager within AFC Enterprises, operating a number of Church’s Chicken restaurants.

Reel ‘Em In is managed by another Studdard-held company, T.W.A (Together We Achieve) Management Services, Inc., a multi-brand, multi-category growth company focused of maximizing opportunities within the quick service industry. T.W.A. offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to join as “Managing Partners,” responsible for overseeing and improving daily operations, sales, operating costs, and profitability of particular brands; all partners share in the rewards of the company’s success.

Reel ‘Em in and T.W.A. are both encouraged by the strength and growth potential that the Kansas City Market offers.

“With 90 percent brand recognition in the region and a unique concept, Captain D’s offers an attractive restaurant franchise opportunity,” says Studdard. “By bringing our strong management and development backgound to the proven Captain D’s system, we have set the stage for a long and prosperous relationship with the company.”

The current expansion efforts of the Nashville-based company are fueled in part by the company’s success over the past several years. Moving to build on that momentum, Captain D’s is searching for qualified franchise applicants to meet their development plans of up to twenty-three new franchise units, creating 575 new jobs, in the area over the next five years.

Captain D’s will continue to expand in the Midwest and Southeast as well as explore opportunities in other markets Multi-unit foodservice operators, investors in learning more about Captain D’s single-and multi-unit development plans may contact Captain D’s Franchise Development Department at (800) 550-4877 or visit www.captainds.com.