PrimoHoagies Appoints Angela Coppler as SVP of Development to Accelerate Next Phase of Disciplined National Expansion

Family-owned Italian specialty sandwich brand positions for strategic growth with focus on unit economics, multi-unit operators, and high-value market expansion

PHILADELPHIA, April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PrimoHoagies, the award-winning Italian specialty sandwich franchise known for its authentic hoagies, premium ingredients, and 30+ year heritage, recently announced the appointment of Angela Coppler as Senior Vice President of Development.

The move signals a deliberate evolution in the brand's growth strategy, focusing on disciplined, performance-driven national scaling designed to attract sophisticated multi-unit operators and investors.

This is not a traditional franchise sales hire. Coppler joined PrimoHoagies to architect and execute a holistic growth strategy, one that strengthens unit-level economics, enhances franchisee performance, and strategically scales the brand with high-caliber multi-unit operators and institutional partners.

At a time when many franchise systems are chasing growth at the expense of unit performance, PrimoHoagies is taking a different approach: build a bigger brand by first building better units.

With a growth platform built for sophisticated, experienced Operators, PrimoHoagies operates in one of the most resilient and scalable segments in foodservice: the Italian specialty sandwich category.

Operating within the large, stable, and highly fragmented sandwich QSR category, PrimoHoagies has quietly established itself as one of the most compelling emerging franchise platforms in the country. PrimoHoagies has a systemwide AUV of ~$924k, and an $880k median AUV reflecting consistency across the chain, not outliers. Top-quartile performers boast a compelling $1.35M AUV. With ~125 restaurants across 11 states, and an 80% concentration across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the brand represents a rare combination of proven unit economics and meaningful white space availability, a dynamic increasingly scarce in mature QSR categories. For experienced franchise operators, the opportunity is not theoretical. It's structural: a proven brand with strong unit economics, early-stage national penetration, and significant runway for multi-unit territory development.

Coppler brings strategic leadership for PrimoHoagie's next phase of growth, bringing to the brand more than two decades of franchise development and strategic growth experience, including senior leadership roles at The Wendy's Company, where she supported domestic and international expansion strategy, franchise development, and non-traditional growth channels.

She later served as Head of Development for Cousins Maine Lobster, where she led national expansion planning and development systems that supported accelerated unit growth.

At PrimoHoagies, Coppler's role extends beyond traditional franchise development. "Coppler's appointment reflects a deliberate shift from reactive growth to strategic expansion at scale. She brings a reputation for aligning brand positioning, unit economics, and development strategy into a cohesive growth engine—ensuring that new unit expansion enhances, rather than dilutes, system performance," stated Nick Papanier, Jr., Owner and CEO of PrimoHoagies.

Her mandate is clear, elevate franchisee success and unit-level returns, attract sophisticated, well-capitalized operators, expand into high-potential markets with precision, and build a nationally recognized brand without compromising its core identity.

"This is not about adding units for the sake of growth," said Coppler. "It's about building a disciplined growth system that protects what makes PrimoHoagies special while unlocking its full national potential, ensuring every new restaurant strengthens the brand, and creates long-term value for franchisees and investors."

Unlike commoditized sandwich chains, PrimoHoagies occupies a distinct position as an authentic Italian specialty deli concept, rooted in traditional Italian family recipes, and elevated ingredient standards. With proprietary seeded bread baked fresh, exclusive premium meats and cheeses, and family-rooted recipes, the brand delivers a product experience that national chains struggle to replicate.

This differentiation translates directly into performance anchored by strong repeat traffic and customer loyalty, premium positioning with pricing power, and high brand affinity and standout net promoter scores. In trade areas where the brand operates, recent consumer studies indicate that brand awareness exceeds 95%, with approximately 80% trial conversion among those familiar with the concept, clear indicators of both demand and scalability. The brand has also established itself as a leader in catering and third-party delivery and also has continued to drive sales growth through its mobile app and rewards program.

PrimoHoagies continues to attract franchise interest due to its efficient, repeatable operating model, designed for quick, multi-unit scale. The brand targets inline locations that are ~1,000 – 1,200 square feet. The concept does not require a hood or fryer, helping to expedite the build out process. With starting investments from approximately $388K, and structured multi-unit incentives, the model enables disciplined operators to scale efficiently without the operational complexity of traditional QSR.

With over 40 units currently in development and a national expansion strategy underway, PrimoHoagies is entering a critical growth phase. With only ~125 locations nationwide, the brand remains early in its expansion curve—a dynamic rarely available to experienced operators seeking both scale and differentiation. For qualified owners and operators, the opportunity is clear: secure development rights in a proven, high-demand concept before remaining white space becomes increasingly competitive.

For more information, please visit franchising.primohoagies.com.

This is not an offer to sell you a franchise. The offer of a franchise can only be made through the delivery of a franchise disclosure document. Certain states require that we register the franchise disclosure document in those states. We will not offer or sell franchises in those states until we have registered the franchise (or obtained an applicable exemption from registration) and delivered the franchise disclosure document to the prospective franchisee in compliance with applicable law. Systemwide AUV reflects 88 franchised restaurants open for the full 2024 calendar year. 36/88 restaurants, or 41%, exceeded the average unit volume presented. 210 of 22 (45%) franchised restaurants exceed the average AUV presented for the top quartile. A new franchisee's results may differ from the presented performance. See Item 19 of PrimoHoagies' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document for more information pertaining to sales and investment levels. This is not an offer to sell you a franchise. Offers are made by prospectus only. "Best Sandwich Shop in America 3 Years Running" as featured at https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/primohoagies/

About PrimoHoagies
Founded in 1992, PrimoHoagies is a family-owned Italian specialty deli franchise known for its commitment to authentic hoagies, premium meats, fresh ingredients and their award-winning bread. Founded on traditional family recipes, the brand delivers a high-quality sandwich experience while providing franchise partners with an efficient and scalable restaurant model. The brand has been recognized by USA Today as a "Best Sandwich Shop" for three consecutive years and continues to earn accolades from Franchise Times and Entrepreneur.

Contact: Cole Koretos, Franchise Elevator | [email protected]

SOURCE PrimoHoagies