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Emerging Brands

New brands and soon-to-open concepts worth watching

Emerging Brands

Bread Zeppelin hits pause on franchising to prove out model

 By Lisa Jennings on May 05, 2026

Salad stuffed into baguettes is getting a whole lotta love right now. But this fast-casual concept wants to grow more company-owned units to attract the right kind of franchisee down the road.

Emerging Brands

Jinya Ramen's founder leans fine dining with new flagship

 By Lisa Jennings on May 01, 2026

Called simply Jinya., the new more-premium concept in Los Angeles has a menu designed around live-fire cooking and dry-aged meats and seafood. And, yes, there's ramen.

Emerging Brands

A taco truck success story and the blessings of birria

By Lisa Jennings on Apr. 29, 2026

So many were attempting food trucks before the pandemic hit. This one survived and now Talkin' Tacos is a 35-unit, $60 million brand with a growth path ahead.

Emerging Brands

Mad Greens wants to own Colorado

By Lisa Jennings on Apr. 22, 2026

The fast-casual chain and its parent Salad Collective have a new CEO that's a familiar face. It also has a reworked menu with bolder flavors and a better value proposition. Will it turn things around?

Emerging Brands

Bluestone Lane co-founder launches new rotisserie chicken concept with a wood-fired twist

By Lisa Jennings on Apr. 16, 2026

Rosto in the New York suburbs is designed to be a "clean ingredient" (mostly) takeout or delivery option. CEO Jonathan Krieger hopes to grow it.

Emerging Brands

Let Bonrue Bakery's boomlet begin

By Lisa Jennings on Apr. 16, 2026

This Utah-based chain is planning to go from three to 10 locations in two years with a hub-and-spoke model.

Emerging Brands

Roll Em Up Taquitos disputes damaging accusations from franchisees

By Lisa Jennings on Apr. 14, 2026

The 10-unit fast-casual chain clapped back at a lawsuit filed by five franchisees, saying that they were not good operators.

Emerging Brands

Franchisee lawsuit describes Roll Em Up Taquitos as a Ponzi scheme

By Lisa Jennings on Apr. 10, 2026

A group of current and former franchise operators allege fraud, saying the franchisor misrepresented the viability of the fast-casual business, leaving them stuck with hundreds of thousands in losses.

Emerging Brands

Prince St. Pizza's latest investor knows how to grow restaurant chains

By Lisa Jennings on Apr. 07, 2026

One of Dave's Hot Chicken's first and largest franchisees is backing this growing by-the-slice Sicilian-style square pizza brand. Will Prince St. grow as fast?

Emerging Brands

Multi-brand Thompson Restaurants to add franchising to the mix

By Lisa Jennings on Apr. 03, 2026

A division of Thompson Hospitality, the family-owned operation has been growing largely through acquisition, licensing and creating in-house brands. Now the group's Wiseguy Pizza is franchising.

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