Pasadena-based Blaze Pizza has franchise agreements to develop 400 additional locations across the U.S., Canada, the Middle East and North Africa. The company expects to have 1,000 restaurants within four to seven years. The build-your-own pizza business currently operates 252 outlets situated in 39 states, but has wide-ranging plans to open new locations in the U.S., Canada, the Middle East and North Africa.
President and CEO Jim Mizes said, “It starts with the fact that we are a fast-casual, build-your-own customized pizza company,” he said. “So in that sense, we really have the wind at our back. And we hired a great chef, Brad Kent, at the beginning, so we started off with great sauce and great cheese. That’s the foundation for a good pizza.”