FRESNO - Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, known for its award-winning, hand-crafted sandwiches, has announced a newly signed franchise agreement that will bring three new stores to Fresno. The first location located at 5058 N. Palm Avenue is slated to open in early spring 2021.
The three-store agreement is spearheaded by restaurant industry veteran and current multi-unit Checkers and Rally's franchisee, Javier Gomez. With over 32 years of experience in the restaurant business and a proven track record of growing businesses in new markets, Gomez is well-acquainted with the food industry. He got his start in the restaurant business as a junior in high school, working at a KFC in Los Angeles.
After graduation, Gomez went on to work at Checkers and Rally's, where he became a shift manager at just 18 years old. With plans to move up in the company, he took a 5-week, all-expense-paid trip for management training and uprooted his life, and traveled 300 miles north to work in Fresno, California. Gomez later became district manager, and by 2012, he became a franchise owner of Checkers and Rally's. To date, he currently owns 11 locations throughout Central Valley.
"In 2018, I was looking for additional concepts to add to my portfolio and was introduced to Capriotti's at a franchise convention in Las Vegas," said Gomez. "I was offered a free sandwich and after my first bite of the famous Bobby sandwich, I was hooked. The loyal fanbase coupled with the incredible food made my choice to invest with this brand a no-brainer."
In search of a flexible, smaller-footprint business opportunity, Gomez signed his three-unit franchise agreement with Capriotti's in November 2019. The first location on Palm Avenue will be the brand's debut into Central Valley. The demand for high-quality, hand-crafted sandwiches in Fresno and the surrounding area is high – making it a Capriotti's perfect addition to the market's food scene.
"We could not be more excited to have Javier joining the Capriotti family, as his nearly three decades of experience in the restaurant industry and a proven track record of growing businesses in new markets is unmatched," said David Bloom, Capriotti's Chief Development Officer. "The new Fresno locations will bring our award-winning sandwiches to Central Valley and we're looking forward to seeing the reaction from our new lifelong fans."
Founded in 1976, the Las Vegas-based franchise is most famous for its 40-year nightly tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house and hand-shredding them each morning to feature in a variety of subs. This includes The Bobbie, the shop's acclaimed best-seller, made with homemade turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayo on a soft roll.
With the top 25 percent of shops averaging $1.1 million average unit volume and an initial average investment of $420,000 with high growth potential, Capriotti's is a profitable and rewarding franchise investment. The brand is backed by a corporate leadership team that offers a continuous support program for franchisees, called CAPMastery. This online and field program provides significant support to franchisees for marketing, retail sales, operations, and growth strategies through every stage of their ownership. Looking ahead, Capriotti's focus will be to continue being an extraordinary franchise, whose franchise partners earn exceptional returns by selling the best tasting, highest quality food.