As part of these deal signings, Blaze Pizza is expanding in Georgia with three new restaurants in the greater Savannah area and opening its first locations in Maine, with three restaurants to be developed across fast-growing markets including Westbrook, Brunswick, and Portland. Additionally, earlier this month, the brand opened its newest non-traditional restaurant location on the Tarleton University campus, adding to the mix of dining options available to students and staff.
Spearheading the introduction in Maine is seasoned business owner Jeffrey Martin of Wildfire Restaurant Group, along with his wife, Kirsten Martin, who will oversee the operations of the business. Having previous real estate management experience and a background in the restaurant industry as a Jersey Mike’s franchisee, Jeffrey decided to move forward with franchising with Blaze Pizza to diversify his business portfolio with a brand that has a proven track record. Additionally, as a Maine native, he sought the opportunity to introduce Blaze Pizza’s one-of-a-kind dining experience and natural, high-quality ingredients to his home state.
“Over the years, Blaze Pizza has been able to position itself as a clear leader in the fast-casual pizza segment with a proven business model that not only provides great opportunities for franchise owners like myself but also delivers to customers a dining experience that keeps them coming back for more. This is a great business opportunity for us and we couldn’t be more thrilled to join the Blaze Pizza franchise,” said Jeffrey.
“In addition to Blaze’s great product offerings, the brand’s strong connection to community and celebration of self-expression is what’s most exciting. We have no doubts that Blaze Pizza in Maine will be welcomed with as much excitement as that of our team.”
Further expanding the brand into Georgia is existing Blaze Pizza franchisee Grant Watkins of KW Restaurant Group. As an experienced restaurant operator and business owner, Grant has been successfully operating and opening Blaze Pizza locations since 2016. Today, Grant and his team are looking to expand further into this market and solidify the brand’s presence here with three additional locations to be rolled out in the next few years.
Blaze Pizza also celebrated the opening of a new location on Tarleton University’s campus. Per the university’s special request, Blaze Pizza joined the Texan Riders and introduced the brand’s one-of-a-kind dining experience and customizable fast-fire’d pizzas to students and faculty in the new school year.
“In 2022, we’ve continued to focus on growing our brand with seasoned restaurant owners and operators, as well as looking for new opportunities to expand Blaze across non-traditional venues, including college campuses and airports. We’re one of the top pizza franchises and we’re committed to consistently delivering to customers fast-fire’d pizzas featuring 100 per cent clean ingredients and an unforgettable dining experience,” said Ed Yancey, chief development officer at Blaze Pizza.
“Jeffrey and Grant are the perfect partners to help us grow across these key markets and we’re excited to support them and their teams as they prepare to open their new locations in the near future. We’re also thrilled to see the outstanding turnout Tarleton State University experienced on the grand opening date of the new Blaze Pizza location. We’re thankful to be a part of the on-campus community and look forward to giving students and staff the opportunity to create the pizza that best fits their cravings on any given day.”
