Captain D's Further Propels Southeast Expansion with Signing of Two New Franchise Development Agreements

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's, the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today the signing of two new franchise development agreements that will further drive its expansion in key markets throughout the Southeast region, including Southern Florida and Southeast Georgia. The brand has continued to identify the two states as prime areas for growth, and in 2019 alone opened four new restaurants in Georgia, two in Florida, and signed numerous agreements to bring new locations to each over the next several years. This surge in franchise development is a reflection of the brand's overall aggressive growth strategy, fueled by Captain D's strong unit-level economics and ongoing success over the past several years.

Continuing Captain D's development throughout Southern Florida is existing franchisee Harborside Holdings Corporation, which includes Josh, Brandon and Eric Royal along with Jim Herring, CFO, and operations consultant, Phil Puzzanchera. The distinguished group of experienced multi-unit restaurant operators have signed their second franchise development agreement with the brand to open three additional locations throughout the region, targeting areas in Martin, Indian River and St. Lucie counties. This agreement comes on the heels of the opening of their first Captain D's in Belle Glade earlier this year, which was one of the most successful grand openings recorded in the company's 50-year history. Harborside Holdings signed its first franchise development agreement with Captain D's in November 2018 and, as part of that initial agreement, is in the process of bringing new locations in Riviera Beach and Lehigh Acres. In addition to their Captain D's restaurant, the group operates 10 Popeyes throughout South Florida.

"Captain D's has been a top-notch franchisor, providing us with the support and proven processes needed to quickly succeed in its system. Having an outstanding first opening earlier this year, we were eager to build upon our growth plans with the brand, which has been the perfect complement to our existing Popeyes portfolio," said Josh Royal. "Our enthusiasm for Captain D's is evident and we're very excited to continue spearheading the brand's growth throughout Florida, bringing additional restaurants to more communities here."

Bringing three new Captain D's to Southeast Georgia is new franchisee DJ Desai, founder of HD Hospitality & Companies, an innovative business network with an expansive investment portfolio comprised of hotels, private equity and assessment management firms, and more. This agreement with Captain D's marks Desai's first foray into the fast casual restaurant space. He's targeting areas throughout greater Savannah, branching into the Hilton Head, South Carolina market, to develop his three restaurants, the first of which is slated to open in his hometown of Beaufort, South Carolina in Q3 2020.

"Having Josh and the team at Harborside sign a second agreement only a year after their first is a testament to the unlimited potential for success that our brand has and is a direct reflection of the strength of Captain D's business opportunity," said Brad Read, chief development officer of Captain D's. "We're also thrilled that DJ made the decision to enter the restaurant space with us, entrusting us to guide and support him on his journey, and we look forward to him helping us to grow our footprint in Southeast Georgia."

With more than 530 restaurants in 22 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. The company is currently seeking multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-314-4819.

ABOUT CAPTAIN D'S
Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has more than 530 restaurants in 22 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for 50 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature batter dipped fish. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, Tilapia and Salmon, as well as hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com. 

Contact:
Caitlin Willard
Fish Consulting
954-893-9150
[email protected] 

SOURCE Captain D's