Little Caesars, the global, family-owned pizza chain with franchise and company-owned stores in each of the 50 U.S. states and across 27 countries and territories, is looking to grow its presence in Tampa and the surrounding cities along Florida’s west coast. The announcement of these expansion plans follows the Little Caesars sponsorship of the championship-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their home field, Raymond James Stadium.
The chain’s development goals for the Tampa market include opening 10 new units by the close of this year, then continuing that growth momentum to reach 30 new Little Caesars locations in the area and its surrounding communities by 2024.
“Bringing more franchise ownership opportunities to the Tampa Bay area has been a goal of ours for some time,” says Craig Sherwood, Vice President of U.S Development at Little Caesars. “Now that we’re the official pizza of the winning home team and Raymond James Stadium, we can’t imagine a better time to double down on our commitment to bringing our proven pizza business model to aspiring entrepreneurs in this area.”
The brand’s accessibility, quality products and affordability really set Little Caesars apart in the last year as one of the leading pizza franchises amidst the ongoing pandemic. The brand’s signature Pizza Portal Pickup—the first heated, self-service mobile order pickup station in the restaurant industry—and its delivery service promise relevance and value at a cost-effective investment level for Tampa’s entrepreneurs.
With a strong number of Little Caesars locations currently operating in the Tampa Bay area, the brand is looking to increase its presence in the region by accelerating its search for both single-unit and multi-unit franchisees.
“Tampa residents will be seeing more and more of the Little Caesars brand in the coming years with our presence being amplified at Raymond James Stadium, and we expect that the local community will want more of our delicious pizza beyond this venue,” says Sherwood. “We look forward to working alongside sophisticated franchisees who join us in our endeavors to meet those consumer demands in this key market and beyond.”
Outside of Tampa, Little Caesars has big plans for growth across the entire state of Florida. Key markets being targeted for continued development in the state currently include Naples, Orlando, Jacksonville, Gainesville and Lake City.
