The International Franchise Association’s 2024 Franchising Economic Outlook report shows that 425 new franchised businesses will open in Arizona in 2024, creating more than 5,500 projected new jobs. That means over 200,000 Arizonans will be employed by 18,559 franchise small businesses in the state. These local businesses continue to deliver jobs and business ownership opportunities, despite economic uncertainty across all industries and in daily life. Here is a look at five fast-growing homegrown franchise opportunities that call Arizona home and are targeting growth in 2024 and beyond.
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Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop
While founded in 1995 in California by a husband-and-wife team, in 2020 local business leader Michael Nelson – a veteran of Subway and Wingstop and current multi-unit franchisee with Carl’s Jr. – purchase the craveable brand and moved its headquarters to Scottsdale, with an eye toward investing in infrastructure and technology so that the brand could flourish in Arizona and then be expanded nationwide. In the past 18 months, Mr. Pickle’s has exploded across the Valley with locations across Scottsdale, Queen Creek, Laveen, Chandler, and Surprise while launching new proteins, sandwiches, online delivery systems, and more. Nelson also inked a deal to continue expansion across California and is already looking at opportunities across the Western U.S.
Learn more: www.mrpickles.com
sneakybird
Like Nelson, sneakybird founder and CEO Dan Chaon is a franchise veteran with decades of experience in leading Chili’s, Johnny Carino’s, and Native Grill & Wings, which he sold to FAT Brands in 2021. After years of development, Chaon opened sneakybird in Scottsdale in late 2022, focused on a chicken product that is Never Ever Fried® but thanks to an innovative way of cooking and proprietary panko-parmesan breading, has all the crispy, juicy goodness without the guilt. Earlier this year, Chaon signed his first franchisee to a deal that will expand the brand to six more restaurants across Arizona over the next 18 months, and he is similarly looking to national expansion moving forward.
Learn more: www.sneakybird.com
d’Lite Healthy On the Go
Couple Brooke and Chad Knudson – who come from a nutrition and business background – launched d’Lite Healthy On The Go with one goal: create a quick-service restaurant that provides high-quality, nutritious eating in a convenient format, while creating a welcoming environment for guests to achieve healthier diets and lifestyle choices with ease. Today, d’Lite is a health-conscious kitchen and coffee house offering the convenience of dine-in, drive-thru, pick-up, delivery and catering with a mission to make daily healthy eating accessible. Occupying a thriving niche restaurant category, the brand has grown to six locations and now offers franchise opportunities statewide.
Learn more: www.dlitehealthyonthego.com
Frutilandia and Taqueria Factory
Entrepreneur Gamaliel Garifo – a Big O Tire franchise veteran – co-created the Frutilandia franchise with wife Eloísa Garfio in 2006 in Mesa using the family’s time tested raspados recipes. Today, it has grown to franchises across Chandler, Glendale, Phoenix and more offering mouthwatering authentic desserts and ice cream, savory Mexican snacks, and refreshing agua frescas. In 2022, the Garfios debuted their Taqueria Factory concept in Chandler specializing in tacos and quench worthy micheladas and margaritas with eyes to franchise and expand. Already in 2024, they opened dual locations – both concepts under one roof – in Tempe and Mesa with plans for three more by late 2025.
Learn more: www.frutilandiausa.com and wwwtaqueriafactory.com
Koibito Poke
Founded in 2018, Koibito Poké is the leading Arizona poké restaurant influenced by traditional Hawaiian and Japanese flavors and ingredients. Koibito – “love” in Japanese – is all about showing bodies some love by providing fresh, clean whole foods that taste good, too. The brand is co-founded by former MLB pitcher and three-time World Champion Todd Stottlemyre who has led the brand’s expansion throughout Arizona. The franchise has expanded its concept to 10 locations with restaurants across the country in Missouri, Nevada and North Carolina with a new location in Gilbert set to open by year’s end.
Learn more: www.koibitopoke.com
