Franchising

East Coast Wings founder franchising Sammy’s Sliders

Photo: Sammy's

November 13, 2024

Sam G. Ballas, the CEO and the founder of East Coast Wings + Grill, is teaming up with chef Sammy Gianopoulos, the 2022 recipient of the IFMA Silver Plate Award, to expand Sammy's Sliders. With its original location in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and one recently opened in Kernersville, the brand is offering franchises in select markets nationwide.

"With Sammy's Sliders, we combined our expertise to bring a matchless, exceptional franchise concept to the fast-casual sector," Ballas said in a company press release. "We've crafted a menu that offers high-quality, fresh ingredients, while keeping the business model simple and scalable for franchise growth."

Ballas and Gianopoulos have developed a franchise model that is designed for profitability and efficiency, offering franchisees an opportunity to be part of a brand with strong potential in the growing fast-casual sector, said Gianopoulos.

"We want every bite to be an adventure," he said in the release. "Our 'Beyond the Bun' approach lets us innovate and bring gourmet flair to the humble slider, and we can't wait to bring this experience to more communities through franchising."