STRATEGIC PARTNERS
December 17, 2014
Pie Five Pizza Co. has awarded up to 55 franchise units to John "J.D." Draper and John Draper II. The father-son team plans to introduce the concept throughout Michigan as well as to cities in Wisconsin, beginning in 2015.
"Pie Five has hit the mark when it comes to giving people what they want. It's the right brand for the right time," JD said in a news release. "We've been in the food business all our lives and we understand the hospitality industry, so naturally we are thrilled as can be about the opportunity that lies before us."
In 2013, JD received the International Franchise Association’s Ronald E. Harrison Award for his accomplishments in diversity and inclusion. He currently serves on the IFA’s board of directors.
He is transitioning from his post as president of Operations for V&J Holding Companies Inc. (which encompasses 125 units, six brands and 4,000 team members in six states) in order to join forces with John full-time and embark on new ventures such as Pie Five Pizza.
The Drapers are also operators of many QSR brands in both states. John said they added Pie Five to their roster because it appeals to millennials, calling the create-your-own model "the future of dining out."
The Drapers expect to open their first Michigan restaurant in the Detroit market in the summer, with the first Wisconsin location opening in the greater Milwaukee area in late 2015.
