Blaze Pizza Appoints Johnny Jones as Senior Vice President of Development

LOS ANGELES, June 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blaze Pizza, the nation's leading fast-casual franchise pizza concept, announced today that Johnny Jones has joined the executive leadership team as Senior Vice President of Development. Jones has spent more than 20 years in the franchise industry leading real estate development, market planning, property negotiations, and asset management for nationally recognized restaurant brands. In his new role with Blaze Pizza, Jones will utilize his depth of experience to support the brand's ambitious growth plans for 2021 and beyond.

"We are excited to welcome Johnny as the newest member of our Blaze family. His proficiency in real estate development coupled with a deep understanding of the restaurant industry will undoubtedly fuel our ongoing efforts to rapidly expand Blaze's footprint across the country," said Mandy Shaw, chief executive officer and president of Blaze Pizza. "Blaze has cultivated an exceptional leadership team led by industry veterans, and we have no doubt that adding Johnny's expertise will be a tremendous asset as we accelerate our unit growth and welcome new franchisees to the brand."

Prior to joining Blaze, Jones served as Vice President of Real Estate and Development for SONIC Drive-In and Inspire Brands, a top-tier holding company for popular franchise brands such as SONIC Drive-In, Jimmy Johns, and Buffalo Wild Wings, among others. In this previous position, Jones led all aspects of real estate development and construction management, including executing profitable franchise development deals and growth strategies, and real estate negotiations. Under his leadership, the fast-food restaurant chain grew to over 1,000 units. Additionally, Jones held positions at SONIC Drive-In as senior director of real estate and development and manager of graphic information systems, working closely with the real estate team to identify potential restaurant locations, strategic placements and optimize market penetration.

"In the restaurant industry, you rarely come across a brand like Blaze Pizza that appeals to the masses, delivers on their promise to only use quality food products, and provides a selection of menu items that will appease the array of dietary preferences we see in today's world. When I had the opportunity to join the team in charge of growing this trailblazing concept, it was an easy yes for me," said Jones. "After fourteen months of navigating a pandemic, now's a great time to accelerate the momentum Blaze has built and expand the brand's footprint in markets nationwide."

This latest new hire announcement comes at an exciting period for Blaze Pizza. The popular franchise pizza concept recently announced a surge of franchise development with new deals signed to expand across Texas, Florida, and Tennessee, among other key target markets. With dozens of new locations under development, Blaze Pizza is in the midst of aggressive expansion. Franchise opportunities remain in markets across the U.S., including the Northeast and Texas. For more information about development opportunities with Blaze Pizza, please visit www.blazepizza.com or contact Ed Yancey at [email protected].

About Blaze Pizza
Founded in 2011, Blaze Pizza is the nation's leading fast-casual pizza franchise concept with more than 340 restaurants across 38 states and 6 countries. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Blaze Pizza is committed to delivering a one-of-a-kind customer experience and unparalleled high-quality products. Known for its savory artisanal pizzas and customizable made-to-order menu featuring fresh, natural ingredients free from artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners, Blaze leads the industry in menu innovation and product excellence. The rapidly-growing franchise has received numerous accolades including Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, as well as #1 spot on Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers and Franchise Times' Fast and Serious list. Visit blazepizza.com for additional information and stay connected @BlazePizza.

Contact:
Ashley Bennett
Fish Consulting
954-893-9150
[email protected]

SOURCE Blaze Pizza