Burger 21 Feasts on South Florida for Franchise Growth

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Burger 21®, a new fast casual concept founded by the owners of The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., announced today that it is targeting South Florida for franchise expansion. The company launched an aggressive growth strategy in September 2011 to bring its 21 chef-inspired burger creations and hand-dipped signature shakes to more cities across the U.S. In just over a year of operation, the concept was named one of "12 Burger Chains to Watch in 2012" by Burger Business and "One of the Top 50 Restaurants in the Tampa Area" by the Tampa Bay Times.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110824/MM57562LOGO )

Front Burner Brands Chief Concept Officer Mark Johnston, his wife, Concept Development Director Arlene Johnston, and his brothers, Chief Executive Officer Bob Johnston and Vice President Mike Johnston, founded Burger 21 in November 2009.  Leveraging more than 25 years of franchising experience, the Johnston family recognized an opportunity to introduce a higher quality product in a rapidly growing foodservice category. The first corporate-owned Burger 21 restaurant opened in Tampa, Fla., in November 2010, and the second opened in Carrollwood, Fla., in October 2011. Two additional locations are in development and will open later this year.

"Our restaurants in Tampa have experienced tremendous success, and therefore, we believe the brand has great potential for growth in the South Florida market," said Mark Johnston, Burger 21 CEO, president, chief concept officer and president of Front Burner Brands, management company for Burger 21. "There is competition from other burger concepts in the market; however, our restaurant goes beyond the better burger. We are confident that South Florida will embrace Burger 21 and its premium ingredients, innovative recipes and gourmet experience without the gourmet price."

To fuel its expansion in South Florida, Burger 21 is actively seeking qualified franchisees and will host two Executive Roundtables outlining the franchise opportunity:

• Feb. 29 from noon to 2 p.m. in Aventura at The Grill on the Alley, 19501 Biscayne Blvd.
• March 1 from noon to 2 p.m. in Boca Raton at Seasons 52, 2300 NW Executive Center Drive

To register for one of the complimentary lunch events, or to learn more about franchising opportunities with Burger 21, please contact Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development for Front Burner Brands at 813-425-6208 or [email protected].

For South Florida, Burger 21 is seeking single and multi-unit operators with restaurant experience.  Franchisee candidates should have a minimum net worth of $500,000 and liquid assets of at least $200,000 per unit. Burger 21 will be developed through single-unit agreements and Area Development Agreements that require a minimum of three to five units in primary and secondary markets.  Depending on the real estate site selected, franchisees can expect the total cost of investment for one restaurant to be approximately $513,495 - $733,995.  The initial franchise fee is $40,000.  However, a 20 percent discount is applied to all franchises sold by June 21, 2012.  Reduced franchise fees also apply for Area Development Agreements of four or more units.       

"As the economy continues to show signs of improvement, Burger 21 is well-positioned to expand in South Florida and across the country," added Johnston. "Our franchisees will benefit from extensive training and support beyond a restaurant's grand opening, as well as access to our experienced in-house team of marketers, designers and public relations professionals to drive traffic and ensure success."

About Burger 21
With two locations open in Tampa, Fla. and two in development, Burger 21, a "beyond the better burger" fast-casual franchise concept founded in 2010, is a chef-inspired brand with offerings including 21 unique burger creations ranging from hand-crafted, freshly ground beef to chicken, turkey, shrimp and tuna burgers, made-to-order salads, Hebrew National all-beef hot dogs, and an extensive shake bar including hand-dipped floats, malts, shakes and sundaes. Burger 21 is an affiliate of Front Burner Brands, a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. For more information, visit www.burger21.com.

About Front Burner Brands
Front Burner Brands (formerly known as TGS Restaurant Management) is a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. It is affiliated with the corporate owners of and its management services extended to The Melting Pot Restaurants, founded in 1975 with more than 140 locations in North America and more than 15 locations currently in development, Burger 21 with two locations open in Tampa, two in development and expected rapid growth, GrillSmith with six locations in the Tampa Bay area and other new franchise concepts in development. For more information, visit http://www.frontburnerbrands.com.

CONTACT:
Amanda Rich
Fish Consulting
954-893-9150
[email protected]

SOURCE Burger 21