Bojangles is expanding to Los Angeles
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Charlotte-based Bojangles will open 30 locations over the next six years in Los Angeles, marking the debut of the cherished chicken-and-biscuits chain in the California city.
Why it matters: Bojangles is a homegrown brand with a feverish following in the Carolinas. Its growth outside its core markets will determine how well the brand can succeed in new parts of the country.
Between the lines: The LA expansion will be led by entrepreneur Lorenzo Boucetta and Poulet Brothers, LLC. The goal is to open the first Los Angeles County Bojangles in early 2025, according to a press release from Bojangles.
- Since moving to Los Angeles in 2009, Boucetta has focused on restoring high-end historical properties, per Bojangles.
The big picture: Purchased in 2019 by Jordan Co. and Durational Capital Management, Bojangles is in the midst of a big expansion. Earlier this year, the brand announced plans to open 270 new restaurants.
- Last month, the company announced plans to open 20 locations in the Phoenix area.
- Last year, the company opened 40 new locations, including in new markets like Dallas, Columbus and Orlando, Business North Carolina reported.
Yes, but: In the past when Bojangles expanded into new markets, it experienced mixed results.
- When the company went public in 2015, it embarked on a big growth plan that included filling out its core in the Carolinas, then expanding into new markets.
- But by the next year, a franchisee had closed eight restaurants in Orlando, I reported for the Observer in 2016.
What they're saying: "The delicious chicken, biscuits, and breakfast, combined with strong unit economics and unparalleled support made the decision a no-brainer for me," Boucetta said in the statement.