Franchising

Greek From Greece 'on the fast track'

Provided

June 4, 2020

On the heelsof a 31-unit expansion deal that included merging with and rebranding its largest competitor in Manhattan, Greek From Greece Café Cuisine has signed a lease to add a location at 100 Purchase St., in Rye, New York.

Located in a mixed retail area near the Rye train station with heavy foot traffic, the 1900-square-foot storefront is one of more than 40 GFG Café Cuisine locations in development across several states, according to a company press release. The Rye location will have approximately 20 indoor seats and outdoor seating for 60. Construction is expected to begin immediately, with an opening date tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2020.

"Rye is the perfect area for GFG," Georgios Drosos, founder and CEO of GFG Café Cuisine, said in the release. "It has a good variety of restaurants and retail, with plenty of parking. The train is popular with commuters, and we'll be in a great spot for grab-and-go and café items as well as meals for dine-in and take-out."

GFG is on the fast-track, said Dan Rowe, CEO of Fransmart, which is helping the brand expand.

"They have not only signed a deal with their first franchisee in Philadelphia, but they have more than 40 corporate stores opening in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey," he said. "It's the perfect time for franchisees to get on board with this rapidly growing brand, particularly given the significant opportunity right now, when low-cost restaurant conversions can boost, and possibly double, their ROI."

Drosos and a group of businessmen opened the first GFG Café Cuisine in 2017. Six other locations soon followed throughout Manhattan and New Jersey, and the eighth location in Tampa, Florida, opened in December 2019. With the recent 31-unit expansion deal in Long Island and Stamford, Connecticut, and additional deals in the pipeline, GFG projects that more than 50 units will either be open or in progress by the end of the year.

The chain, which madeFastCasual's 2020 list of "20 Brands to Watch," is seeking experienced multi-unit food service operators and scouting potential markets across the country and internationally. Those interested in joining as a franchisees will get support from start to finish, from site selection expertise and sample floor plans to custom training systems and localized brand building, according to the release.