1851

If you’re a sub-200-unit restaurant franchise, your days as an independent franchisor may be numbered, at least according to Focus Brands’ new CEO, Jim Holthouser.In <a href="https://www.franchisetimes.com/franchise_focus/new-boss-at-focus-brands-plots-m-a-push/article_646c275c-1496-11eb-beec-9740abe568bd.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=focus-brands-ceo-predicts-large-scale-consolidation-of-foodservice-brands-2714174" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">an interview with Franchise Times published this week</a>, Holthouser detailed the umbrella company’s plans to double its unit count over the next decade. To accomplish that feat, Focus Brands is ramping up its acquisitions.<blockquote>“We need a great burger brand. We need a chicken brand. Yes, we have Moe’s, but that’s about burritos; tacos are incredibly popular with consumers,” he said, referring to Moe’s Southwest Grill and then ticking off other wish-list buys. “Pizza has done incredibly well. A coffee brand. For the health-conscious, there are interesting Mediterranean and salad brands.”</blockquote>Holthouser contends that mass consolidation is not just the most lucrative path forward for Focus Brands, but the direction that the entire industry is heading regardless. The former Hilton executive pointed to consolidation among hotel brands over the past 20 years as a sign of what’s to come for restaurant brands.<blockquote>“I see this industry as ripe for very rapid consolidation,” he said. “Where the foodservice industry is today, it’s almost like looking in a rearview mirror of what the hotel industry was 20 years ago. It’s eerily similar.”&nbsp;Two decades ago, the hotel business was fragmented and today there are four or five major players, he said, also noting “a rush to digital and rapidly going toward third parties,” similar to foodservice, accelerated by the pandemic.</blockquote>If Holthouser’s prediction — one his team is actively working to bring to fruition —&nbsp;proves correct, the restaurant industry won’t be better off for it. Variety is not only important for consumers, it’s critical to franchise entrepreneurs, who rely on a diverse field of brands to find a model that aligns with their goals and lifestyles. If in ten years the restaurant industry is dominated by a handful of mega-corporations, it will be much harder for prospective franchisees to find an opportunity tailored closely to their interests.<a href="https://www.franchisetimes.com/franchise_focus/new-boss-at-focus-brands-plots-m-a-push/article_646c275c-1496-11eb-beec-9740abe568bd.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=focus-brands-ceo-predicts-large-scale-consolidation-of-foodservice-brands-2714174" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the full interview at franchisetimes.com</a>.

Focus Brands’ CEO Predicts Large-Scale Consolidation of Foodservice Brands

1851 Franchise

Jim Holthouser told Franchise Times that the current field of restaurant brands looks a lot like what the hotel industry looked like 20 years ago.

focus-brands-ceo-predicts-large-scale-consolidation-of-foodservice-brands

Happy Joe’s Franchising

Why Texas Is the Perfect State To Open a Happy Joe’s Franchise

why-texas-is-the-perfect-state-to-open-a-happy-joes-franchise

Seniors Helping Seniors®

Photo of two people, with white hair, sitting on couch, smiling at each other

Seniors Helping Seniors® In-Home Care Services Expands in Manassas and Fredericksburg, Virginia

seniors-helping-seniors-in-home-care-services-expands-in-manassas-and-fredericksburg-virginia

BooXkeeping

Tech-Driven Bookkeeping: How BooXkeeping Franchisees Are Embracing the Future

tech-driven-bookkeeping-how-booxkeeping-franchisees-are-embracing-the-future

Fitness Premier

Fitness Premier's State-of-the-Art Facilities and Multi-Discipline Approach Fuels Franchise Owner Success

fitness-premiers-state-of-the-art-facilities-and-multi-discipline-approach-fuels-franchise-owner-success

Melting Pot

Melting Pot 50th anniversary photo, featuring three people enjoying celebratory drinks and fondue

Melting Pot Celebrates 50 Years of Fondue Magic With a Year of Special Menus, New Offerings and Unforgettable Moments

melting-pot-50th-anniversary-fondue-celebration

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs To Retire in 2026 After 36 Years With the Company

yum-brands-ceo-david-gibbs-to-retire-in-2026-after-36-years-with-the-company

Hooters Bankruptcy - Chapter 11 - April 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Files for Bankruptcy, Sells Restaurants to Franchisee Group

hooters-bankruptcy-chapter-11-april-2025

Fly Dance Fitness Expands With First Franchise Location in Georgia

fly-dance-fitness-franchise-expansion

&pizza - Fast-Casual Pizza Chain Begins Franchising - 1851 Franchise

&pizza Embraces Franchising To Fuel Bold New Growth Strategy

andpizza-franchising-ceo-mike-burns

CFOs See Recession as Likely in ’25; Why Now Is the Time To Water the Franchise Buyer Seeds

cfos-see-recession-as-likely-in-25-why-now-is-the-time-to-water-the-franchise-buyer-seeds

Paris Baguette Ranks Among Top Franchises on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Paris Baguette Ranks Among Top Franchises on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® for 2025

paris-baguette-ranks-among-top-franchises-on-entrepreneurs-franchise-500-for-2025

1851 Agg - McDonald's Sales Decline Expansion Continues - 1851 Franchise

McDonald’s Franchisees Feel the Pressure as Sales Decline and Expansion Continues

mcdonalds-franchisees-feel-the-pressure-as-sales-decline-and-expansion-continues

Design with hundred dollar bill and orange "recession" banner across the middle

ABC News: Recession Risks Are Rising, Economists Say. Here’s What to Know.

recession-risks-impact-economy-franchise-world

Florida Franchisee Reflects on Success and Growth with Sylvan Learning

florida-franchisee-reflects-on-success-and-growth-with-sylvan-learning

Franchise Deep Dive: Studio Pilates Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data

franchise-deep-dive-studio-pilates-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Military Veteran and Craft Beer Enthusiast to Bring Voodoo Brewing Co. to Toledo, Ohio

military-veteran-and-craft-beer-enthusiast-to-bring-voodoo-brewing-co-to-toledo-ohio

Focus Brands’ CEO Predicts Large-Scale Consolidation of Foodservice Brands

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS