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Blaze Pizza inks deal for Canada expansion

The fast-casual pizza chain is targeting Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary for the first locations.

January 16, 2015

Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza, a build-your-own pizza chain, announced a franchise agreement with Five Star Blaze Holdings, Inc. to develop Blaze Pizza restaurants in Canada. The deal aims to open at least 60 franchise units. The fast-casual pizza chain is targeting Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary for the first locations.

Five Star Blaze Holdings Inc., led by Robert Baxter, Blair Walker and Darven Erickson, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cypress Five Star LLC. The development area for Blaze Pizza includes the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.

"The global trends behind the booming fast-casual restaurant segment -- better quality, customization and premium environment -- are also driving Blaze Pizza's popularity and rapid expansion," said Baxter in a statement. "We've already introduced fast-casual burgers to Canada and are excited to do the same with fast-casual pizza."

The company is planning its 70th U.S. location this quarter and will be operating in 17 states, including the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas and Washington, D.C. The brand is opening on average one new restaurant every five days, the company said. It is projecting its 100th location milestone to open later this year.