Rise Biscuits & Donuts, Durham, NC’s award-winning concept featuring both sweet and savory breakfast and lunch options, has just announced the launch of its worldwide franchise program. Rise has quickly become a local sensation and customers routinely line up to buy unique specialty biscuit and donut creations, which often sell out before closing time.
Rise has partnered with Fransmart, the franchise development company behind the explosive growth of brands like Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill, who will serve as the exclusive franchise development partner.
“We’ve been blown away by the response to Rise in the Triangle and have been looking for the best way to grow the brand,” says Rise Biscuits & Donuts founder Tom Ferguson. “Franchising through Fransmart gives us the ability to find new owners that share our passion for the concept with the guidance and experience of a proven franchise company. We’re excited to begin this process.”
While Ferguson will continue to be the sole owner of the Rise Durham store, he has created a new ownership group for the franchise company with current Rise store manager Brian Wiles overseeing operations and Andy Seamans as Chief Financial Officer.
Ferguson is widely seen as a food visionary in the Triangle, pioneering the food truck movement with Only Burger and operating Durham Catering Co. since 2000. He sold Only Burger to then-partner Brian Bottger in 2011 and launched Rise in November 2012 after six months of concept testing and much fanfare. Ferguson is currently testing The Rollout, a hand rolled pasta and salad concept, with a weekly pop-up restaurant at Rise.
Both Rise and Fransmart believe the time is right to franchise. The breakfast segment is coming on strong in the fast casual industry, and FastCasual recently listed ‘Concentration on Breakfast’ as part of their Menu Trends in the 2014 Top 100 Movers & Shakers issue, stating in the article, “Dieticians – and your mother – have said for years that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Now it’s become truer for fast casual restaurants, too.”
For more information about Rise Biscuits & Donuts franchising opportunities, visit www.risebiscuitsdonuts.com/franchise.