MOOYAH eyes 20 units in Bay Area

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes* is bringing its “better burger” brand to the San Francisco Bay Area, with a growth plan targeting 20 locations in the Northern California counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano and San Mateo. Leading the effort for MOOYAH will be development agent Loren Katzman, who projected that each restaurant location would add between 20 and 30 jobs to its local community. Katzman and her husband looked at many franchise concepts before investing in MOOYAH, but they chose the opportunity with the Dallas-based chain because of their own positive experiences with the MOOYAH brand. “We fell in love with the food, service and brand immediately after visiting MOOYAH’s headquarters in Texas,” Katzman said. “Guests in the Bay Area will enjoy the freshness and variety that MOOYAH offers. With options such as our Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger and salads, MOOYAH will particularly appeal to the many active and health-conscious guests in the area. ” MOOYAH has recently opened locations in Walnut Creek and Morgan Hill, and is looking forward to two more openings in Santa Clara County by early 2015. While Katzman is also looking to develop in Santa Clara County, Marin County, San Joaquin County and Merced County, her immediate focus will be on tapping into the Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano and San Mateo markets. Prior to joining MOOYAH, Katzman spent 30 years gaining extensive experience in the restaurant industry, equipping her with the skills necessary to ensure the brand thrives in the Bay Area. As a reflection of her capabilities, the Walnut Creek and Morgan Hill restaurants have consistently ranked within the top 10 locations in MOOYAH’s system in terms of sales. “Paired with our strong North American growth, including our recent 65th restaurant opening in the United States, strong and targeted individual-market development is becoming a larger part of our expansion,” said Michael Mabry, chief operating officer of MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes. “Through the local developer Loren Katzman, we have the ability to penetrate a market with someone embedded within the local business community.” MOOYAH saw tremendous growth in the past several years, expanding from a Texas brand into an emerging national player and leader in the growing better-burger segment of fast casual. The brand currently has 65 restaurants in 16 states and plans to open 10 more by the end of the year, bringing the system to 75 overall in the United States. In 2015, MOOYAH aims to end the year with 100 restaurants across the country. “MOOYAH began as a simple concept built around friendly people serving the freshest, most delicious burgers, fries and shakes available,” said MOOYAH co-founder and CEO Rich Hicks. “As our brand continues to evolve, we are committed to keeping it simple, while still relevant, in order to appeal to guest’s individual tastes and favorites. Additionally, its family-friendly environment helps MOOYAH stand out above its competition, executives said. “MOOYAH prides itself on being a family-friendly business, from the guests we serve to the franchisees who open restaurants with the goal of running them with people they consider family,” Mabry said. “We designed the restaurant concept with family in mind so everyone would feel welcome and comfortable.” He noted that the restaurant chain continues to attract favorable media attention throughout the nation for its commitment to high-quality, first-to-market products, innovative social media tactics, and strong franchise growth. Those interested in the franchise opportunity are encouraged to contact Katzman at (702) 499-3993 or [email protected]. More information about the MOOYAH franchise opportunity is available at http://www.mooyahfranchise.com/. For more information on the growing brand, follow MOOYAH on Twitter @MooyahBurger and connect with MOOYAH on Facebook at the MOOYAH Burgers & Fries Fan page.