Bojangles announced it has signed a franchise development agreement to bring 10 new stores to New Jersey. Led by long-time fast-food franchisee, Dipak Patel & Agam Vaidya, the deal continues Bojangles’ strong start to 2022. The brand has added 35 units to the pipeline since the start of the year to expand in both new and existing markets such as Dallas, San Antonio and Virginia Beach.
“There’s a lot of demand for Bojangles in the Northeast, and this became more evident when we brought our food truck to Times Square last year to launch our all-new Bo’s Chicken Sandwich,” says Jose Costa, Chief Growth Officer at Bojangles. “We couldn’t be more excited to bring our brand to New Jersey, and Dipak Patel and his team are the perfect partners to help expand Bojangles’ footprint in the market. The executive team has extensive food service knowledge and operations experience, but also has a passion for Bojangles. We have an exciting future ahead in New Jersey and look forward to expanding our footprint throughout the region.”
Starting his career as a Burger King crew member in New Jersey, Patel rose the ranks and quickly moved to manager to Restaurant General Manager title before entering the franchise industry. In 2007, Dipak acquired his first four Burger King locations in New York and doubled sales over the first two years. Agam joined the group in 2019 as a business partner, and together they have evolved to one of the top performing operators in the Northeast with a total of 56 fast-food locations scattered throughout Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. The new Bojangles locations set to build will be found across Middlesex, Essex, Union, Bergen, and Hudson counties.
“We have been actively searching for a concept to help broaden our portfolio, and Bojangles immediately stood out for its unique position within the fastest growing category in quick-service restaurants. Despite not having a location in New Jersey, the brand already has strong market recognition, and we are confident that Bojangles’ high-quality menu items and welcoming atmosphere will resonate throughout the local community,” says Mr. Patel, who is a Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer. “We are thrilled to be bringing Bojangles to the Garden state and believe there is unlimited potential for the brand in the greater New York metropolitan region.”
A leader in chicken and biscuits, the brand finished the year with development agreements signed to open more than 100 stores in key markets and finished the year reporting an industry-leading AUV of $1.9M. The chain’s success is partly due to its strong morning daypart with around 40 percent of its sales coming before many competitors have opened their doors. Additionally, Bojangles offers a variety of prototypes for franchisees to consider when building out their portfolio, including a prototype featuring the “Biscuit Theater,” which allows guests to witness the brand’s beloved buttermilk biscuits being made from scratch. These key differentiators and success across all stores have been a key part of Bojangles’ expansion.
Franchise opportunities with Bojangles remain in regions across the U.S., including the Southwest, Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and parts of the Southeast. Candidates should have restaurant and business experience, along with a minimum net worth of $1.0M and liquid capital of $500,000. For both traditional and non-traditional units, operators that meet preliminary qualifications can expect an investment ranging from $590,100 – $2,828,500.
