California Tortilla Looks For Additional Development Opportunities in New Jersey

Fast casual Mexican restaurant franchise California Tortilla has established its footing as the neighborhood hangout where delicious food and top-tier service are always on the menu. Growing to 45 restaurants and counting since its humble beginnings in Bethesda, Maryland in the mid-1990s, Cal Tort is gearing up for major growth beyond its stronghold in the Mid-Atlantic. As the brand prepares to enter a new phase of growth, Cal Tort is looking to expand into a number of major cities along the East Coast and has identified the state of New Jersey as a key growth market.

Aaron Goldberg is Cal Tort’s Director of Franchise Development. In total, he said, the state of New Jersey has the potential to hold as many as 45 units for the chef-inspired brand, and his team is particularly interested in establishing a presence in the Garden State communities adjacent to Philadelphia and New York. 

“Our commitment to healthy, fresh and high-quality ingredients is one of our most distinct differentiators, so our franchise development plans have to account for both supply chain management and adequate support,” Goldberg said. “With our development strategy centered on controlled cost of goods, quality and delivery, it makes sense for us to pursue growth concentric to our other existing locations to best set franchisees up for success.”

Currently, Cal Tort’s presence in New Jersey includes a location nestled comfortably within the Philly suburb of Sicklerville as well as two locations in the northern part of the state, in Roxbury and at Montclair State University. The success of these locations has caught the eye of Cal Tort leadership, making New Jersey a focal point of its development efforts leading into 2020. Cal Tort also sees a lot of potential in New Jersey because it’s geographically located between two large cities experiencing a mass exodus of families heading to more suburban areas.

“In the last year, we’ve entered a number of new markets and are continuing to build upon that momentum by expanding our footprint further in New Jersey,” Goldberg said. “Based on our successful growth in and around the Philadelphia area with eight locations so far, including Sicklerville, as well as the growing number of families moving out of major cities—New York included—make the state a prime territory to hone in on our target demographic.”

As the brand continues to leverage its existing footprint in New Jersey while exploring expansion opportunities in key markets throughout the state, California Tortilla is seeking qualified franchisees to help grow the brand throughout the state. Some of the most sought-after qualities in a Cal Tort franchisee include those entrepreneurial passion, business acumen and restaurant experience. 

According to president and CEO Bob Phillips, the most successful Cal Tort franchisees take on the role of “mayor of their restaurants” and are involved in their community, have energy and are great at making connections. The brand’s ideal 

“We’re looking for franchise partners eager to scale in a high-demand market, with a food-first mindset and business know-how,” Phillips said. “The ideal Cal Tort franchisee is a multi-unit, multi-concept operator that sees a focus on quality and customer service as the key to profitability. With the right candidate, the opportunities for development are endless—we allow for traditional and non-traditional formats, and area development rights are also available.”

The investment range for a California Tortilla franchise ranges from $402,400 to $697,000, including a $40,000 initial franchise fee. For more information on available opportunities, please visit https://franchise.californiatortilla.com.