Why Multi-Unit Franchise Ownership Is Now the Norm
When Chris LaRocca launched Crushed Red—his fast-casual franchise concept for customizable chopped salad and pizza—in 2012, several people approached him about buying a unit. But the St. Louis-area entrepreneur turned away even those who seemed experienced and financially capable.
After years of helping develop similar concepts, he determined that the way to succeed in the competitive restaurant space was to rely on multi-unit franchisees—those who can buy the territory for several units and build them over a relatively short period of time.
“Area development is the only thing we’re going to do,” says LaRocca, who had two company-owned Crushed Red units open at press time (with eight more on the way) and expected to have 11 franchised units up and running by the end of 2016. “It gets us there quicker, and the franchisees are more sophisticated. We don’t
