OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Orange Leaf
Frozen Yogurt, America's fastest-growing frozen yogurt
concept,1 was named to the annual Inc. 5000, an
exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private
companies. Orange Leaf ranks #695 overall and #19 in the Food and
Beverage category. In its 33rd annual list, Inc. provides
year-over-year insight into the American economy by tracking the
growth rate and revenue of the fastest-growing companies in a
variety of industry sectors.
In addition, Orange Leaf was ranked 8th on the
Nation's Restaurant News "Next 20", a list of the top 20
chains in America that are on the rise. Nation's Restaurant
News conducted research for its "Next 20" from its annual Top
200 census of chains by reviewing United
States system-wide foodservice sales, chain growth and new
store development.
"Our continued growth in the U.S. among new and current
franchisees as well as our efforts to expand into China, the Middle
East and Mexico made these
awards possible," said Reese Travis,
CEO of Orange Leaf. "I am so proud of our team who works hard every
day to position Orange Leaf among the top few food and beverage
brands."
The development of new, non-traditional models, such as the
company's first mobile unit and kiosks, has also helped spur growth
this year. Orange Leaf became one of the first frozen yogurt brands
to roll out a new, 26-foot mobile unit this summer, modeled after
popular food trucks. In addition, the company opened kiosks in both
the U.S. and Australia this
summer. Both models give franchisees the opportunity to expand with
less overhead and provide a more flexible real estate model that
can be deployed in a wide variety of properties such as malls,
airports, stadiums, theme/amusement parks, office buildings,
university campuses, casinos and train or bus stations.
Orange Leaf's international and domestic expansion also
contributed to its overall aggressive growth. This year, the
company announced plans to launch its first stores in China with a commitment to opening 100 stores
across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau in the coming years. The company also
continues to aggressively explore opportunities in Mexico, Canada, Australia and the United Arab Emirates. Domestically, Orange
Leaf has opened 321 stores and has 69 stores under construction in
40 states. It currently has plans to reach 1,000 total stores by
2020.
Franchisee recruitment is a key part of Orange Leaf's strategy
to grow the brand internationally and domestically. Currently,
Orange Leaf has approximately 210 franchisees and is adding new
ones continually, with almost 70 percent of the stores currently
under construction being built by existing franchisees. The
company's new franchisee recruitment website, open to anyone who is
interested, includes candid videos from existing franchisees and
detailed information about the franchising experience with the
brand, including details about store designs, models, franchising
costs and marketing support.
Compared to peers, Orange Leaf's up-front franchise fees are
roughly half to a third the cost of its competitors and about half
of what they charge for ongoing royalty fees. Orange Leaf combines
an experienced franchise sales organization and compelling unit
economics with a commissary model to drive a strong profitability
profile and scale.
About Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt
Orange Leaf Frozen
Yogurt is a self-serve, choose-your-own-toppings frozen dessert
franchise with more than 300 locations in the U.S. and Australia. Orange Leaf offers a multitude of
delicious traditional and original flavors, including
no-sugar-added, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan alternatives.
Customized with a generous selection of do-it-yourself toppings,
Orange Leaf provides an innocent indulgence, "self served" in a
stimulating atmosphere. In 2014, Entrepreneur ranked Orange
Leaf as one of the top three new franchises, and Technomic ranked
the company as one of the top five fastest-growing chains. Orange
Leaf's pro-franchisee culture offers some of the lowest fees in the
industry and encourages owners to become a part of their
communities. For more information, visit the company's website
at http://orangeleafyogurt.com, "like" Orange Leaf Yogurt
on Facebook, or follow on Twitter, Instagram or
Pinterest.
1 IBISWorld Industry Report "Frozen Yogurt
Stores in the U.S.," Nov. 2013
MEDIA CONTACT:
Tricia
Bennett
GroundFloor Media
Phone: 303.931.0013
tbennett@groundfloormedia.com
SOURCE Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt