Franchising

Smashburger franchisee adds to portfolio

April 15, 2024

Smashburger has signed an agreement with existing franchisee Sachi Foods, owned by Farhana Ali, to add two Salt Lake City-based restaurants to its portfolio of 15 locations between the United States of America and Costa Rica. The announcement comes on the heels of Smashburger's appointment of Denise Nelsen to CEO, according to a press release.

It's an exciting time to be a part of the Smashburger family as we gear up to accelerate our global expansion, and we are fortunate to have incredible franchisees, like Farhana, throughout our network that are eager to grow their footprint," Denise Nelsen, CEO of Smashburger, said in the press release. "Farhana's passion for our brand, and deep understanding of the restaurant industry, has made her the perfect partner and we look forward to seeing her achieve great success at her new locations in Salt Lake City."

After immigrating to the United States from India, Ali immersed herself in the intricacies of the restaurant industry. Years of learning and hard work culminated in her bold leap into franchise ownership, leading to the formation of Sachi Foods. In 2021, she made her mark by signing her first franchise development agreement with Smashburger.

Ali's portfolio spans 45 restaurants, including three Smashburger locations in Missouri, six in Minnesota, four in Costa Rica and two in Salt Lake City. She also manages several Church's Texas Chicken restaurants in Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas. Her passion for teaching and coaching has propelled her to success as a franchisee and restaurant owner.

"When I was first introduced to Smashburger, I was immediately impressed with the flavor and overall freshness of the product. This, paired with the brand's prioritization of an elevated customer experience made the franchise opportunity extremely attractive, and as we open more restaurants, we continue to see how strongly the concept resonates with guests," Ali said in the release. "There's no question that we are proud to be Smashburger franchisees, and we couldn't be more excited to have locations in Salt Lake City."

Founded in 2007, in Denver, Colorado, Smashburger has over 230 locations in 34 states and seven countries.