Pollo Campero Identifies Arizona as Market Primed for Franchise Growth

Pollo Campero, the iconic chicken franchise with 50 years of proven success, is poised to expand rapidly across the nation as it embarks on a mission to reach 85 U.S. franchise locations open by 2026. Now, the brand is targeting Arizona for its next flavorful takeover, with plans to add a minimum of six new locations in the state over the next 5 years.

Director of Franchise Development Blas Escarcega says the team has identified Arizona as a prime market for franchise expansion because the area is growing both demographically and economically, which will provide several benefits for Pollo Campero franchisees. 

“Arizona is a wonderful market and is one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S.,” said Escarcega. “People are migrating there from all over the world, because it is also a very business-friendly state. We believe there is a potential to tap into the market, because the demand for various types of international cuisine will likely develop as more people immigrate from other countries.” 

Arizona’s population as a whole is growing faster than the U.S. average, and according to U.S. Census Data, Phoenix was the fastest-growing big city in the United States between 2010 and 2020. Additionally, 30% of people in the state report Hispanic or Latino origin, and the largest individual ancestry group is Mexican (25.8%). Some experts believe that Arizona will become a minority-majority state by the year 2027 based on current demographic trends. This kind of diverse customer base is ideal for Pollo Campero, which is a major favorite among international customers as the world’s largest Central American chicken franchise.

Luis Javier Rodas, Managing Director and COO, says the team is also targeting markets where they are confident they can reinvigorate the Pollo Campero brand presence and leverage established supply chains. With two locations in the nearby state of Nevada, Arizona is a perfect example of this strategy.

“Our legacy customers are increasing in Nevada, and we believe the Southwest is underserved, with a big population base and a lot of white space,” said Rodas. “We’ve spent the past several years figuring out the supply chain requirements in each market we’ve operated in, making sure we can get our high-quality product to restaurants promptly. Now, we want to develop the Arizona market and increase our unit counts so the supply chain can better service it. We have many multi-brand owners already showing interest in Arizona. It is really a booming market.”

The Guatemalan-born concept, which is focused on fresh, made-in-house ingredients and unique flavors, is emerging as a top choice in the $40.6 billion fast-food chicken franchise segment. Pollo Campero has already established a loyal customer base through its delicious offerings and dedication to exceptional customer service, setting incoming franchisees up for success.

“We have legacy customers — Latin American customers who know the brand from our international footprint — in markets all over the country, and those were the markets we traditionally focused on,” Escarcega said. “Now, what has happened is that we’ve expanded that legacy customer base and realized that the brand has legs to reach more mainstream consumers in the U.S. We want to maintain the legacy piece, while also bringing the opportunity to new customers and developing around the existing markets that we have.”

In addition to Arizona, the Pollo Campero team is looking to grow in markets like the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and North Florida. The brand will also open more corporate-owned stores, with a particular focus on California, New York and South Florida.   

“At the end of the day, we are lacking the number of units to keep up with what our customers want,” Escarcega said. “We have some customers who have to travel several miles to visit the closest Pollo Campero, and we don’t want that. We want to plant the seeds that will eventually allow us to bring a Pollo Campero restaurant closer to every hungry customer with the help of qualified franchisees eager to partner with a proven and beloved brand.”

Initial investments range from $887,250 - $2,126,500.* For more information, visit: https://camperofranchise.com/

*To see the brand’s full reported financials, please reference Pollo Campero’s Franchise Disclosure Document (updated June 7, 2021). 

ABOUT POLLO CAMPERO:

Pollo Campero is a fast-casual restaurant chain focused on delighting guests with better-chicken offerings. Through its flavor and quality, Pollo Campero offers a unique and convenient feel-good eating experience for individual, group/family and catering occasions. Chicken entrees can be ordered either Campero Fried or Citrus-Grilled, bone in or boneless and paired with an array of fresh sides, drinks and desserts for a complete meal. Pollo Campero started as a small family-owned restaurant in Guatemala in 1971, and has grown to one of the biggest chicken chains in the world.