News

Will Oversee Local Growth as Area Directors

MANASQUAN, N.J. - Jersey Mike’s Subs, known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled Jersey Shore-style subs, has signed a development agreement with Paradigm Investment Group, the 2^nd largest franchisee in the Hardee’s System, to open 10 units in portions of Westchester County, N.Y. and Fairfield County, Conn.  Additionally, acting as Area Directors, the Paradigm team will oversee growth throughout the entire state of Connecticut, Western Massachusetts and a portion of Southern NY state.  The new partnership is part of Jersey Mike’s active East Coast expansion plan.

“Paradigm’s Brian Kelley and Don Wollan are the type of franchise partners we are looking for: experienced multi-unit operators who share our passion for excellence in all things,” said Hoyt Jones, president, Jersey Mike’s Subs.  “Their operational expertise will allow us to scale up in a way that celebrates our 57-year-old brand and introduces our authentic Jersey Shore-style subs and hospitality to the area.”

Paradigm, with nearly 100 Hardee’s restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana, received the 2013 CKE Developer of the Year Award.  The company is ranked #71 on Franchise Times’ 2013 Restaurant 200, which lists the industry’s leading multi-unit, multi-concept franchisees.

“We look for brands that are Best in Class and Jersey Mike’s clearly stands apart from the pack in the sub-sandwich segment,” said Brian Kelley, managing partner, Paradigm. “We wanted to work with a brand that embraced the importance of high quality food with a strong emphasis on operational efficiencies offered in a clean and inviting atmosphere for our guests.  In addition, Jersey Mike’s has assembled an experienced management team at the franchisor level which is well-positioned to maintain support for its growing network of franchisees.   We are very excited to launch our first venture in the Northeast with Jersey Mike’s.”

Kelley, who grew up in Connecticut and is now living in California, said the first location is planned for Wilton, Conn.  The new location is expected to open in late 2013.  He said he was first attracted to the brand when his wife raved about it, describing the quality food and customer experience.

“Jersey Mike’s is the old-school deli I grew up with, offering a real Italian sub – the quality of the meat, the oil & red wine vinegar, the fresh baked bread and the friendly ‘Jersey’ personality behind the counter bring me back to the Northeast,” said Kelley.  “We loved that just as our founder, Don Wollan would cook you a great steak or work the fry station himself, Jersey Mike’s Founder and CEO Peter Cancro jumped behind the slicer to make us delicious sub sandwiches on our very first visit.”

Restaurant industry veterans Brian O’Hagan and Troy Davidson will serve as Area Directors for the region.  O’Hagan is a past executive with Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo and has been a consultant for other popular restaurant brands.  Davidson has extensive experience in all aspects of the restaurant industry through work with McDonald’s Corporation and as a franchisee of Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern.

Jersey Mike’s is pursuing strong development efforts on the East Coast.  The company opened its first Manhattan location, in the Financial District, in July and a second is scheduled to open in Midtown in September.  In addition to New York and Connecticut, other East Coast development is underway in New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Started at the Jersey Shore in 1956, Jersey Mike's is one of the country’s fastest growing fast-casual concepts. Technomic ranked Jersey Mike’s the 3rd fastest-growing restaurant chain with sales above $200 million and the company was named one of the top 10 growth companies based on U.S. systemwide sales in the 2013 Nation’s Restaurant News Second 100 ranking.  Jersey Mike's ranked #1 in growth in the sandwich segment.

This growth is no surprise as Jersey Mike’s wins best sub awards in virtually every market it enters. Jersey Mike's has passionate fans throughout the country who crave their subs made Mike's Way™ with onions, lettuce, tomatoes and a signature olive oil blend, red wine vinegar and spices. The company uses only private labeled meats and cheeses that are sliced fresh for each sub sandwich and piled high on in-store baked bread.

Jersey Mike’s culture also sets the brand apart.  “Giving...making a difference in someone’s life” has always been a guiding principle at Jersey Mike’s. Since 2010, locations throughout the country have raised nearly $7 million for worthy local charities and distributed more than 500,000 free sub sandwiches to help numerous causes.  This past March, Jersey Mike’s celebrated its 3rd Annual “Month of Giving,” a national fundraising campaign, raising $1.7 million for 86 local charities.

Jersey Mike’s, a fast-casual sub sandwich franchise with more than 750 locations open and under development nationwide, has a long history of community involvement and support.  Jersey Mike's serves up an authentic taste of the Jersey Shore, with fresh sliced subs on fresh baked bread – the same recipe it started with in 1956.  The company’s mission is to bring its customers the highest quality, freshest made sub in the industry and give back to the communities in which it operates.  A store locator and franchise information for Jersey Mike’s can be found at www.jerseymikes.com.

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