Franchising

Southern Grounds Coffee taps former Firehouse executive to lead national growth

Provided

May 17, 2023

Northeast Florida-based specialty coffee and cafe chain Southern Grounds has hired formerFirehouse Subs Vice President of Franchise Development Greg Delks to develop its U.S. franchising strategy.

Reporting to Chief Executive Officer Mark Janasik, Delks joins the regional brand as it takes the next step toward its goal of opening up a dozen operations each year for the next decade, according to a company press release. Immediate franchising plans are underway for Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, Maryland and Mississippi, as well as select markets in Florida including the west coast, panhandle and Orlando.

"After seven years of strategic development in our hometown markets of Northeast Florida, Southern Grounds is primed for an elite franchise development program and who better to lead that charge than industry veteran Greg Delks," Janasik said in the release. "Together, I'm thrilled to see how we transform our regional brand into a household name."

Delks spent the last 17 years at the helm of the franchise development program at Firehouse Subs, where he helped take it from less than 400 restaurants to over 1,200 units. The company sold for $1 billion in 2021 to Restaurant Brands International. Under his leadership, Delks expanded the brand into international markets and U.S. territories, including Canada and Puerto Rico, in addition to the development of nontraditional venues such as airports, college campuses and hospitals.

"The strong unit economics in company-owned restaurants, a chef-driven menu and sustainable gourmet coffee offerings with a design-enhanced restaurant layout will make Southern Grounds a great investment opportunity for experienced multi-unit hospitality professionals," Delks said in the release.

Southern Grounds operates three company-owned locations in Northeast Florida with two additional locations expected to enter the Jacksonville area later this year. In February 2022, it opened its first airport location inside the Jacksonville International Airport, operated by airport food service specialist HMSHost and will continue nontraditional development under Delks' leadership.