WICHITA, Kan. — Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has signed a master franchise and development agreement in Canada to begin growing its footprint across nine provinces, excluding Quebec.
Led by veteran franchisees Jim Werschler and Gregg Most of North 49 Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, the deal is part of the brand’s latest efforts to strategically expand across target markets throughout North America as new operators join its franchise model. The agreement will see the group both develop on their own and initiative master franchising activity in Canada, with an initial plan to develop at least 20 Freddy’s restaurants. Since the start of the year, 140 units in both and existing markets have been added to the pipeline.
With backgrounds in large-scale development for multiple quick-service restaurant brands, Werschler and Most have worked together for more than 16 years as franchise partners with much success in North America and Canada alike. The duo joined the Freddy’s franchise network earlier this year to help the brand enter into the Dakotas with a store in Fargo, North Dakota, and has plans to build three additional locations in North Dakota markets, including Grand Forks, Minot and Bismarck.
“Gregg and Jim are well-known and highly-respected franchisees, especially within Canada, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership with them as they introduce Freddy’s to their home country,” says Andrew Thengvall, Chief Development Officer at Freddy’s. “We work hard to continuously improve upon our franchise business model to adapt to the ever-changing fast-casual landscape, and this milestone is a testament to those ongoing efforts as we further propel our growth mission on a global scale. We’re proud to partner with such experienced operators and can’t wait to see what the future holds for them as they bring Freddy’s delicious offerings to the residents of Canada.”
“We were first introduced to Freddy’s by a fellow franchisee and after learning more about the concept and the franchise opportunity, we immediately knew we wanted to be involved with the brand, as we were thoroughly impressed by its notable AUVs and strong leadership team. Jim and I have been long-time business partners in growing our franchise portfolio and after seeing the success of our North Dakota location, we felt it made sense to continue our partnership and introduce Freddy’s to Canada,” says Most. “We’re excited to bring this iconic, forward-looking brand to our country for the first time, while simultaneously bringing other franchisees on board to expand Freddy’s Canadian footprint.”
