Operations

Noodles franchisee adding 10 locations

April 19, 2024

Noodles & Co has signed a deal with DND Group Inc. to acquire six restaurant locations and open a total of 10 new restaurants to the Portland, Oregon, area.

Spearheading the multi-unit agreement deal is Dara Dejbakhsh, president and CEO at DND Group Inc., who has over 43 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Founded in 2007, DND Group Inc. operates 56 restaurants, including Dairy Queen, Zaxby's, Taco John's and Paris Baguette.

"We are excited to add Noodles to our portfolio of brands and bring the brand's globally inspired dishes and flavors to Portland and the surrounding areas," Dara Dejbakhsh, president and CEO at DND Group Inc, said in a company press release. "With this new franchise agreement, we are looking forward to further growing Noodles in the Pacific Northwest, where we already successfully operate our other brands. Noodles is one of the strongest brands in the fast-casual space, showcasing remarkable leadership in menu innovation and its people-centric approach."

The six-unit franchise agreement is an exclusive development in some of the most populated cities in Oregon, including Portland, Eugene, Bend and Yakima-Kennewick-Pasco.

"We are thrilled to announce our partnership with DND Group Inc., which reflects significant progress towards our goal of establishing an even stronger Noodles presence in the Pacific Northwest," Drew Madsen, CEO of Noodles & Company, said in the release. "DND Group, Inc. has a strong history of exceptional operations, with a team of highly qualified operators, making them an ideal partner to bring the Noodles & Company brand to more communities in Oregon."

Noodles & Co has 450 restaurants.