I Heart Mac & Cheese, a South Florida-based fast-casual restaurant concept specializing in customizable, made-to-order macaroni and cheese bowls and grilled cheese sandwiches, announced it will open a second location in Colorado. The fast casual concept has signed a new franchise agreement that will be owned and operated by Kerry Mand. Mand inked a deal for Colorado Springs slated to open this winter 2022.
That dinner-inspired comforting feeling brought back so many happy childhood memories to Mand. She was introduced to I Heart Mac & Cheese through a promotional video. She was immediatelyI was hooked. “I was thrilled to find a business model that provides quick, family favorite meals with traditional and customized options,” Kerry Mand, new Colorado Springs, Colo. franchise owner, says. “The vision and goals of the company parallel my own.”
“I met and married into a family that held many of the same values as mine. My late brother-in-law Tony was a prolific entrepreneur who started investing in his own businesses at the age of 19 when he opened his first pizza franchise. That led to opening dozens more restaurant franchises and his business expanded into real estate investments and ownership of retail stores. After 40 years, Tony unexpectedly passed away. In the midst of grief, our family was suddenly handed all the responsibilities of carrying on his successful business. I was determined to do my part in maintaining business operations with the same zest in which Tony built it. My own business savvy was quickly tapped, and I embraced the opportunity to follow in his footsteps as a bold leader, calculated risk-taker and big dreamer.”
“That’s why my emotional and intellectual connection to the vision and business model of I Heart Mac & Cheese is a strong launching pad for me,” Mand says. “I’m eager to move forward in the tradition of making meaningful community contributions that strengthen families and provide a valuable service of sharing quick, family-friendly meals that give comfort to everyone.”
Led by CEO and chairman Steve Giordanella, the brand launched its first location in 2016 and their headquarters in Boca Raton, FL. The company’s unique franchising program has fueled nationwide brand growth. “It’s always exciting for us when we get to open the first I Heart Mac & Cheese in the franchisee’s state,” Said Giordanella.“We love the fact that more people get to try I Heart Mac & Cheese in more states. Our food is for everyone, from those craving comfort food to vegan and keto dieters and everyone in between.”
I Heart Mac & Cheese, the fast-casual concept specializing in customizable made-to-order macaroni and cheese bowls and grilled cheese sandwiches, has set enormous goals for 2022 as the franchise finished 2021 with tremendous growth performance. The restaurant concept signed 47 franchise agreements in 2021 and many more set to open in 2022. I Heart Mac & Cheese will also be opening new locations in over ten new states, marking the franchise’s first locations in those states. The benchmark deals will bring I Heart Mac & Cheese locations into Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,Texas and Washington. The fast-growing brand wants to keep the drive going by targeting new markets nationwide.
