Franchising

Pepper Lunch signs multiunit deals for Hawaii, Florida

Photo: Pepper Lunch

December 19, 2023

Pepper Lunch, a Japanese-born concept with over 500 locations in 15 countries, has signed two development agreements for North America, hot on the heels of its first agreement to open 10 units in Phoenix, announced last month, for a total of 30 units committed in just the five months since it filed its franchise disclosure document.

the agreements include a:

• 10-unit deal to develop the Tampa, Orlando and Gainesville markets, with the first location planned to open in Q3, 2024. The venture is led by The Majestic Restaurant Group, a market operator overseeing nearly a dozen sushi, poke and dumpling restaurants in the area
• 10-unit deal for Hawaii with NiKU LLC, which owns over 12 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchens. The first location will open in Q1 2025. Initial development will focus on Honolulu and throughout the greater island of Oahu.

"We continue to see momentum with experienced, multi-unit operators who are looking to expand with the unique, exciting concept that is Pepper Lunch," CEO Troy Hooper said in a company press release. "While we have tremendous fanfare and brand recognition abroad, it's fantastic to see the concept resonate with elite operators domestically. With now dozens of units under commitment just a few short months after completing our FDD, we are well on target to hit our goal of 100 open restaurants by 2026."

Established in 1994, Pepper Lunch offers affordable steaks, curry rice, Teriyaki and pasta dishes.