A team of New Jersey-based entrepreneurs who bring a mix of experience from upscale restaurants and nightlife venues see a bright future in the fast-casual category.
Esperto Hospitality Group signed a 13-unit agreement with Daddy’s Chicken Shack to grow the concept in the Garden State. The group includes four veterans in the industry are taking the lead with expansion.
John DiLeo, who brings two decades of restaurant industry experience, will run strategic planning for the development of the units. The day-to-day operations will be overseen by chef Norman Reola and Anthony Fiorentino, who’s worked at hospitality companies such as Landry’s, Light Group and Libre Management.
Rounding out the team is Anthony DiLeo, who has 30 years of experience in franchising and will oversee the franchise logistics for the team. In addition to their individual backgrounds, the group have collectively opened restaurants, too, including pan-Latin concept Centrada Cocina & Cocktails and seafood eatery Catch 19.
Anthony Fiorentino is a new Daddy’s Chicken Shack franchisee.
Fiorentino said a fast-casual franchise like Daddy’s Chicken Shack was missing in New Jersey markets, and multiple factors influenced the group’s brand choice.
“We saw how the co-founder of Re/Max, David Liniger, was part of it, and thought this is a great opportunity to get in at something at the ground level,” said Fiorentino of Liniger’s 2022 investment in the brand. “Then we tasted their chicken and it became a real no-brainer for us. It’s a chef-driven concept, and their focus on that makes a lot of sense to us, too, with our upscale dining experience in our group of restaurants.”
Kyle Richardson, director of guest services for Esperto, said the timing felt right with the popularity of the fast-casual model.
“I think it makes sense to get in this lane,” Richardson said. “Right now, the franchised fast-casual area seems to be the next right move, especially in our area. Daddy’s Chicken Shack is a perfect match to the market, specifically along the Jersey Shore.”
Kyle Richardson is the director of guest services for Esperto Hospitality Group.
The franchisees plan to develop their units in New Jersey’s coastal counties of Monmouth and Ocean. Fiorentino said the group is negotiating three letters of intent as it searches for its first site. The goal is to break ground in three months and have its opening three-to-four months after that.
“Ocean and Monmouth are home to us, and we have restaurants in these counties already,” Fiorentino said. “We see the amount of real estate and people moving into these counties, plus there’s the dual seasons factor with the beach area and the inland area with traffic from both. With the seasonal visitors that come in, the 13 number felt good.”
Owned by Area 15 Ventures, which also owns Port of Subs, Daddy’s Chicken Shack is an eight-unit brand with an initial investment range from $748,250 to $1.14 million. While it’s a newer brand, founded in 2018, Fiorentino said Daddy’s Chicken Shack has developed a strong training system, adding to the attractiveness.
“Having the experience of managing multiple locations, something that really matters is training,” Fiorentino said. “Having employees who understand our operations can allow us to scale Daddy’s Chicken Shack over New Jersey. It’s something we thrive on. We’ve seen that if you don’t have the consistency and training on the back end, the guests in the front of the house can feel it. I think we share that same vision.”