News

Burger 21 signs fourth franchise deal

July 16, 2012

Burger 21, founded by the owners of The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc., has announced that it has signed a franchise deal to open one location in Vorhees, N.J., in spring 2013. The deal expands the concept’s footprint to the Northeast and its total units to 10. The new development is part of Burger 21’s aggressive growth campaign for national expansion.

As a current franchisee of Burger 21’s affiliate concept, The Melting Pot, Charlie Haney, along with business partners Curt Wunder and Mike Astuto, will open the new location. Haney became a Melting Pot franchisee in Atlantic City in 2006 and was named “Melting Pot Franchisee of the Year” in 2010.

“Charlie and his team are tremendous ambassadors of The Melting Pot brand, and we strongly believe the same attributes that make them successful with The Melting Pot will position them for success with our new better burger franchise concept, Burger 21,” said Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development for Front Burner Brands.

Since February 2012, the burger franchise has signed four agreements to develop a total of six franchised units in the Atlanta, Orlando, Fla., and Vorhees, N.J., markets, in addition to the development of two more corporate-owned locations in the Tampa Bay area for a total of 10 franchised and company-owned units.

“The franchise support team at Front Burner Brands is one of the primary reasons we are moving forward with Burger 21,” Haney said. “While the burgers are amazing, as a franchisee of The Melting Pot, I have had firsthand experience with the caliber of support they provide to their franchisees. On the consumer front, we are elated to bring Burger 21 to the Northeast, as we haven’t tasted anything like this."

Burger 21 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 both single-unit agreements and area development agreements.