Marco’s Pizza operates 1,200 existing stores in 34 states, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. It recently signed a 15-unit deal in the Midwest wth Grube Inc. and a master franchise deal in Mexico City with franchisee Group Pizza Amantes SA de CV.
Marco’s Pizza has ambitious growth goals.
According to the company, it has the potential to open another 4,000 or so locations, adding to its 1,200 existing stores in 34 states, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
Bringing the brand a smidge closer to that goal are a master franchise deal signed in Mexico City, a 15-unit deal in the Midwest and a four-unit agreement in Idaho.
The Toledo, Ohio-based franchise also sees plenty of runway left in the Midwest to grow. It signed a 15-unit deal with Grube Inc. in northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana. Grube’s agreement with Marco’s includes the resale of nine franchised locations in northwest Ohio from E&S Bueter Corp. Terms of those deals were not disclosed.
“In alignment with our development strategy for multi-unit growth, this signed agreement puts Marco’s on the fast track to reaching our growth goals,” Gerardo Flores, chief development officer at Marco’s Pizza, said in a statement.
Grube, which is headquartered in Defiance, Ohio, formed when it opened its first Buffalo Wild Wings in Lima, Ohio, in 2002. It’s now one of the brand’s largest operators with 60 locations in California, Ohio, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia.
“This deal marks a significant milestone for the Grube team as we enter the pizza market and expand our portfolio to reach more than 75 units, while deepening our footprint in the Midwest,” Grube President Steve Grube said in statement.
Marco’s jumped 24 spots to No. 77 on the Franchise Times Top 400 with over $1 billion in global sales. The pizza brand opened nearly 80 new stores in 2023 and sold 86 franchises. The company has the most locations in Texas with 142 followed by Florida with 150 and 142 in its home state of Ohio, said Flores. Marco’s has 29 stores in Indiana where Grube plans to expand its presence.
Gerardo Flores, chief development officer at Marco’s Pizza
“The Grube team is a remarkable addition to the Marco’s team as they have a proven track record of elevating other brands in their portfolio. We look forward to watching them foster sustained growth in new and existing markets,” Flores said.
Marco’s said its 2024 development strategy will focus on multi-unit growth as it prioritizes franchisee relations and operational support with nearly half of its current franchise network being made up of multi-unit operators. Other key growth areas of opportunity said the company are in capitalizing on franchise growth in the nontraditional sector alongside international expansion.
“We have a strong presence in the Midwest and Southeast,” said Flores. “Marco’s push now is west into states like Arizona.”
While growing its U.S. footprint remains a top priority for Marco’s, the company is committed to international expansion. In March, it signed a 50-unit master franchise agreement in Mexico City with franchisee Group Pizza Amantes SA de CV, a Mexican company run by four business partners, which plans to open traditional and nontraditional units with their first store projected to open this spring.
Flores said it has several franchisees in Puerto Rico and two master franchisees in the Bahamas, Sitos Carribean and Artos Holdings Bahamas. The pizza chain, meanwhile, said it’s targeting expansion opportunities in Latin America, with future sights set on expanding in the Middle East, Europe and Canada.
“We have reached a level domestically where our brand is strong enough that international development is the next logical step to reach our growth goals,” Flores said.
The Mexico deal came on the heels of the company announcing it will open four locations in greater Boise, Idaho, starting in June. The chain says it envisions up to 12 locations in the state.