Wayback Burgers will be exhibiting at the West Coast Franchise Expo (WCFE) from October 23–25 at booth No. 609 in the Anaheim Convention Center in California. The fast-casual company looks forward to presenting its franchise opportunity to passionate entrepreneurs seeking business ownership. As the better-burger segment continues to grow, the company is rapidly expanding, experiencing record growth in the past year alone.
America’s appetite for burgers has led to the rapid rise of better-burger concepts across the nation in past years. As highlighted in a recent Technomic Report, 95 percent of consumers said they eat burgers at least once a month, up from 82 percent in 2009 and 91 percent in 2011. Wayback Burgers is seeking to take a bigger bite of the segment with 100 locations slated to be open by the end of 2014.
“As better burgers continue to resonate with a burger-hungry public, it has been our job to differentiate ourselves in a crowded marketplace,” says John Eucalitto, president of Wayback Burgers. “We have established a competitive advantage with a high-quality, innovative menu and strategic growth plans domestically, internationally, and through nontraditional expansion. With expansion plans in 29 countries and eyes set on opening 20 nontraditional locations in 2015, we look forward to watching our brand expand worldwide with a specific target on the West Coast region of the nation.”
With two locations open and operating in California, the company is turning to the West Coast for expansion with plans to open an additional 10 locations throughout the state of California over the next five years. According to FRANdata, California remains a hot franchise market with 39,060 total franchisee units and 569 total franchise headquarters.
April Valusek, California resident and mother of six, always had a particular liking to the restaurant industry. She pursued this interest right after college by attending Chef School, but ultimately opened up her own pharmacy, part of a family business. In 2012, she returned to her roots in the restaurant industry pursuing the franchise opportunity and is a multiunit owner of Wayback Burgers in Ventura and Port Hueneme Navy Base with a third location slated to open in Camarillo.
“California is a promising market that is lucrative in terms of volume with a strong consumer desire for eating out, but most important was selecting a franchise that offers the systems and training that will ensure your success,” Valusek says. “Franchising provides a proven business structure that works, and the WCFE is the perfect platform to meet face-to-face with key players at Wayback Burgers to explore the opportunity on a deeper level.”
As the premier franchise expo on the West Coast, the WCFE brings together qualified prospects with a variety of franchise companies looking to expand west of the Mississippi. Additionally, the conference will host more than 40 free and informative seminars along with five symposia covering a wide range of topics such as “What Do I Need to Know Before Buying a Franchise,” “Getting Ready to Franchise Your Business,” “Financing Options for Franchising: Your Best Alternatives Today,” and more.
With a presence across 24 states and operations in over 85 locations, Wayback Burgers has plans to double its number of locations sold by the end of 2014, in addition to reaching 100 stores open and operating by the end of the year.