If founders, chefs, and other creatives are the heart of the restaurant industry, franchisees are the veins that deliver their ideas to the world. Franchising is essential to the industry's success, allowing brands to quickly scale big ideas with the capital of others. Whether they're a family-run restaurant owner with one or two franchise locations or a veteran known for their influence in the industry, franchise owners each have a huge impact on the success of their business through their unique characteristics, style, and personality.
In this week's Franchisee Spotlight, we spoke with Jumana Lollobrigida about growing up around his father-in-law Rod Valencia's restaurant franchise business, how he began taking over the company, and how he plans to expand Little Caesars' development in the New York City area.
Number of stores: 45 Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins, Little Caesars, Jimmy John's, Checkers and Popeyes restaurants in New York and Tampa
background
It was my parents who started the franchise when we moved to New York and I was in second grade. As I grew up, I did all the work that was needed, but I was always a quiet investor. In 2012, I stepped forward and took over the company for my sister who moved out of New York. So I took over her role in the company and then my mother a few years later. More recently, as my father started going through radiation therapy, I started learning the construction side of the business, which was the only thing I wasn't very familiar with…. If you asked me to take on a client now, I don't know what I would do, but if you asked me back in the day when things were simpler, I definitely would have done it…. This business has been around for over 40 years, but it's been over 25 years since my mother and stepfather ran it.
How did we become a multi-brand operator?
We started before Dunkin' Donuts was acquired and even before Baskin Robbins was acquired. The New York market was saturated all the way up to Tampa, so we expanded from there. Then when we were in Tampa, we acquired nine Checkers there, and unfortunately, they didn't sell as well as we had anticipated. Instead of closing them, we basically cut our losses and sold them. The two Checkers in New York are doing well and are still open. So how do we decide what to acquire next? There are a lot of different opportunities that come up, so we review the numbers, evaluate the market, and of course, look for places where we can grow where there is already infrastructure in place.
How she got involved
When we first opened, it was on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, right off the Queens Central Mall. Every store had a kitchen in the back, so when my parents moved here from London, they slept on flour sacks because when they first opened the stores, they had to be there 24/7. So my sister and I were sent to Vancouver when we were little. When we came back, everything was set. My parents opened the first Dunkin' Donuts store in Queens Central Mall. I remember thinking it was so cool to pack a Jelly Munchkin. My sister and I both went to Dunkin' Donuts. [Brands] College. All my friends were amazed that we were running Dunkin' Donuts.
I'm so grateful for Dunkin' Donuts because we both graduated without student loans and we had great childhoods because of it. But it wasn't something I actually wanted to pursue and be a part of. But it happened after my divorce… the timing worked out to be there for my daughter and to give her a better lifestyle than I had and to be able to be successful. In 2012, I took over the role of my sister in the company, and then the role of my mother, and then the role of my stepdad. It's been a really great experience and business for our family.
Biggest challenge
Little Caesars opened in December 2023 and we thought it started out really great and could still be great. We're on the corner of Roosevelt Avenue, a great location. But the city started construction when we leased the place and it's been expanding ever since. Unfortunately, we have scaffolding on both sides of our store. They've also started construction on the subway station right by our store… Despite all of this, our store is actually doing well, even though it doesn't have the exposure and it's not easily accessible.
Marketing Activities
I do a lot of tastings and I have my managers actively walk around the neighborhood to see if anyone wants to order lunch. I'm looking for influencers; direct mail coupons don't seem to work very well in this area… I'm about to start my second round of recruiting influencers. I also changed the lighting in the store because I felt it needed to be a little brighter so it would stand out behind the scaffolding.
Little Caesars deal
We signed a deal with Little Caesars to open eight stores over the next five years, we opened a second store in July and have a contract for a third, and we're working with a broker to find more locations.
