Pollo Campero, the fast-casual chicken franchise with 85-plus U.S. locations and another 270 worldwide, is ready to expand in prime markets across the country, with a heavy focus on the Southeast region. One of the markets the team has identified as particularly well suited for growth is South Carolina, with a flourishing economic landscape, unmet demand among both legacy consumers and new fans, and wide open territory availability.

“South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country,” said Director of Franchise Development Blas Escarcega. “If you look at the projections of the next five years, areas like Myrtle Beach and Greenville have seen an over 3% average growth rate in their population. This is because the cost of living is great, and the economy is doing very well. It is a very business-friendly state. We are already in Georgia and North Carolina, so we have the opportunity to fill that gap geographically.”

Additionally, Escarcega notes that the South Carolina demographics align perfectly with the brand. South Carolina is home to 258,000 Hispanics and was ranked number one among all states in Hispanic growth between 2000 and 2010, with an over 300% increase in the Hispanic population.  

“We are always looking to reinvigorate growth where we already have legacy customers — people with Central American roots where the brand is well-known,” said Escarcega. “We understand that there are those legacy customers who moved to the U.S. or still visit Central America, and they are nostalgic for brands like Pollo Campero. These customers have sentimental value for the brand; they love the logo, the food, everything. We want to maintain the legacy piece while also bringing the opportunity to develop existing markets and reach people outside that established customer base.” 

Escarcega says the Pollo Campero team has identified the capacity to add 10 new restaurants in South Carolina. 

With a carefully crafted menu developed over many generations, Pollo Campero has grown from a small, family-owned restaurant in Guatemala to a worldwide favorite. This beloved consumer offering allows Pollo Campero franchisees to quickly build a dedicated following in markets like South Carolina. 

“The markets we are looking at in the Southeast have a higher-than-average consumption of chicken,” said Escarcega. “That is why there is such a high concentration of chicken concepts in the Southeast — people love chicken, fried in particular. It really transcends demographics. Everyone just loves chicken in the Southeast, and nobody does chicken like Pollo Campero.” 

In addition to satisfying customers, Pollo Campero also stands out as a franchise opportunity for its owners, with a proven business model, innovative menu and robust support infrastructure. For example, Escarcega says incoming franchisees in South Carolina can be confident that they will have easy access to an established supply chain in the area, despite bringing the brand to the state for the first time, since there are already successful locations in North Carolina and Georgia.

“We’ve built out our supply chain in several major markets over the past 20 years, which has allowed us to expand beyond those core markets because we know what works and what doesn’t,” said Escarcega. “Now we are allowing entrepreneurs to take advantage of our position in the industry and bring our product to new customers.”

The Pollo Campero team says their expansion efforts will be primarily focused across the Southeast over the next three to five years, including the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and North Florida. Additionally, the brand has identified a big growth opportunity in Arizona, as well as a few other markets scattered across the country. The brand will also open more corporate-owned stores, with a particular focus on California. 

“We have some customers who have to travel to visit the closest Pollo Campero, and we don’t want that,” Escarcega said. “We want to plant the seeds that will eventually allow us to bring a Pollo Campero restaurant closer to every hungry customer.”

Initial investments range from $1,287,250 – $2,491,500*. For more information, visit https://camperofranchise.com/.

*To see the brand’s full reported financials, please reference Pollo Campero’s Franchise Disclosure Document (updated July 13, 2022). 

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 into one of the biggest chicken chains in the world.