CHESHIRE, Conn., June 18, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jake's Wayback Burgers has come a long way since its first location in Newark, Del. serving up fresh, big, juicy hand-made burgers and real milkshakes to fulfill America's love for that roadside burger joint. The one-of-a-kind franchise has been expanding fast, doubling its system-wide sales in just one year with extensive plans for national and international expansion.
The company just announced an exciting new deal with Topaz MENA LLC to expand the brand into 28 countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). The first location is slated to open in Dubai.
Abdulrahman Alieedon, Vice Chairman of the Board from Topaz MENA LLC, first heard about the Jake's Wayback Burgers international franchise opportunity at the Franchising Middle East exhibition. Alieedon had attended the University of New Haven as an MBA student in the 1980's where his affinity for the American burger was formed. It was his trip to Jake's Wayback Burgers in 2011 that solidified his determination to bring the concept to the MENA region.
"Opening the first Jake's Wayback Burgers in Dubai is a strategically ideal location because it is centrally located in the MENA region," said Alieedon. "As Master Franchisee of the 28 countries in the region it will be easy for us to share the value proposition with multi-unit operators and area developers looking to get into the thriving fast casual burger category."
Topaz MENA has appointed Yasser Ibrahim as CEO to lead the way for this international journey. Ibrahim has more than two decades of experience growing franchise concepts in the region with iconic brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Burger King.
"The high quality food, low cost of entry and size of the stores is what puts Jake's Wayback Burgers heads and shoulders above the competition," said Ibrahim. "There isn't anything like this opportunity out there right now and we are confident that Jake's Wayback Burgers will quickly become a household name in the MENA region."
"From Morocco to Iraq, we look forward to working with Topaz MENA to help find the right Sub-Master Franchisees to partner with in each of the 28 countries," said John Eucalitto, President of Jake's Wayback Burgers. "Our corporate team goes above and beyond to take care of and support our franchisees in all aspects of their business."
Jake's Wayback Burgers offers the lowest cost of entry in the burger segment along with a unique opportunity for a single unit purchase. The strong corporate backing of the company rooted in history, principles and its people far outweigh the concept of just selling burgers. Jake's Wayback Burgers' commitment to ongoing support, paired with its world class Wayback University training program help franchisees establish and grow their business for long-term success.
"The leadership team at Topaz MENA is top notch," said John Carter, founder of Jake's Wayback Burgers. "We put a huge emphasis on our people and are confident in their abilities to grow the business."
In 1991, John Carter, Founder of Jake's Wayback Burgers, recognized that the country was ready for a new burger segment that would go beyond fast food and serve up burgers the way they used to be. The goal was to package speed, quality and good service to create a new kind of burger joint and he did just that. By 2007, the concept was heating up and Carter knew it was time to franchise. After joining forces with veteran franchise all-stars Bill Chemero and John Eucalitto, both formerly part of the massive expansion of Edible Arrangements, the trio spearheaded national franchise plans.
Since launching the national expansion in 2009, Jake's Wayback Burgers currently has a presence across 22 states and operates in over 70 locations with a plan to triple its number of locations sold by the end of 2013. The fast casual burger franchise has seen four consecutive years of system-wide sales increase and has projected that increase to continue due to the consistent demand for its service.
About Jake's Wayback Burgers
Founded in 1991 in Newark, DE, Jake's Wayback Burgers is a fast-casual restaurant chain with a reputation for fresh burgers and thick, hand-dipped milkshakes. Jake's Wayback Burgers is about serving delicious and fresh, hand-made burgers and hand-dipped milkshakes amidst an atmosphere that hearkens back to a simpler place and time – a time when "customer service" meant something, and everyone felt the warmth of the community. Jake's Wayback Burgers has over 70 locations nationally and internationally.