Blaze Pizza, a fast-casual, build-your-own pizza brand, announced that LA Metro Blaze Pizza Holding Co LLC has signed an agreement to open 20 franchise stores in the greater Los Angeles area over the next five years. In addition, Blaze Pizza announced that three Los Angeles area restaurant leases have been signed in Torrance, La Canada, and Culver City, California, for new stores that will open this summer. Blaze Pizza now has seven franchise groups developing 56 stores in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and California, with plans to grow to all major metro markets by 2014.

Franchisee LA Metro is led by Peter Koral, founder of premium denim brand "Seven for All Mankind," and entrepreneur Daniel Driz, Koral's business partner for more than 35 years. Experienced restaurateur Chris Heyman, founder of Table 8, is also involved in the franchise venture. Previously, Rolling Hills BP LLC, a franchise group also controlled by Koral and Driz, executed a five-store franchise agreement. Combined, the two franchise entities plan to develop 25 Blaze Pizzas in the area south of Sunset Boulevard and west of the Los Angeles county line.

"Things are moving along quickly with development of our first stores, and we are ready to do more," Driz says. "Clearly, Blaze Pizza is leading the development of this new fast-casual category. We wanted to secure additional territory so that we could further participate in this fantastic growth opportunity."

Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza also announced that three new Los Angeles-area restaurant leases have been signed:

·      Torrance (Palos Verdes adjacent): Scheduled to open in June, the new 65-seat restaurant will be located at 2625 Pacific Coast Highway in the Rolling Hills Plaza near Whole Foods, Veggie Grill, and AMC Rolling Hills 20 theatre. The restaurant will be operated by Rolling Hills BP LLC, a franchise group controlled by Peter Koral and Daniel Driz.

·      La Canada: Scheduled to open in July, the new 62-seat restaurant will be located at 990 Town Center Drive in the La Canada Flintridge Town Center near Sport Chalet, Chipotle, Panera Bread, and The Habit Burger Grill. The restaurant will be operated by Sajha LLC, a franchise group led by Sandeep Bhakta and Kamal Patel.

·      Culver City: Scheduled to open in July, the new 34-seat restaurant will be located at 4114 Sepulveda Boulevard at the intersection of Washington and Sepulveda Boulevards, and next to Chipotle, Pei We, and Jersey Mike's. The restaurant will be operated by Rolling Hills BP LLC, a franchise group controlled by Peter Koral and Daniel Driz.