Jones brings decades of franchising experience to the rapidly growing pizza brand.
Blaze Pizza, a fast-casual pizza franchise with more than 340 restaurants in six countries, has announced the appointment of Johnny Jones as its new senior vice president of development.
Jones joins Blaze Pizza after spending more than 20 years in the franchise industry, having previously served as vice president of real estate and development for SONIC Drive-In and Inspire Brands.
“We are excited to welcome Johnny as the newest member of our Blaze family. His proficiency in real estate development coupled with a deep understanding of the restaurant industry will undoubtedly fuel our ongoing efforts to rapidly expand Blaze’s footprint across the country,” said Mandy Shaw, chief executive officer and president of Blaze Pizza.
“Blaze has cultivated an exceptional leadership team led by industry veterans, and we have no doubt that adding Johnny’s expertise will be a tremendous asset as we accelerate our unit growth and welcome new franchisees to the brand.”
Under his leadership at previous organizations, Jones grew SONIC’s footprint to over 1,000 units and executed many profitable franchise deals and growth strategies. This aligns with what he will be doing in this new role, with Jones utilizing his experience to support Blaze Pizza’s ambitious growth plans for 2021 and beyond.
“In the restaurant industry, you rarely come across a brand like Blaze Pizza that appeals to the masses, delivers on their promise to only use quality food products, and provides a selection of menu items that will appease the array of dietary preferences we see in today’s world. When I had the opportunity to join the team in charge of growing this trailblazing concept, it was an easy yes for me,” said Jones. “After fourteen months of navigating a pandemic, now’s a great time to accelerate the momentum Blaze has built and expand the brand’s footprint in markets nationwide.”
