Celebrity chef Todd English is partnering exclusively with Fransmart to bring the iconic neighborhood pizza and pasta concept to consumers worldwide
Figs by Todd English, the casual dining concept founded by award-winning celebrity chef and restaurateur Todd English, today announced it is now franchising with the help of Fransmart, the industry-leading franchise development company, to bring its original thin crust pizza and authentic Italian cuisine across the globe.
Originally launched in the historic Charlestown neighborhood in Boston, Figs already has a successful international footprint to build from, with four existing corporate locations throughout the United States and three in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Together with Fransmart, the concept is seeking experienced franchisees to expand the rapidly-growing concept to major markets worldwide.
“I first saw Figs 10 years ago and saw it as a 1,000 plus unit neighborhood pizza, pasta, wine bar and have been chasing Todd ever since,” said Dan Rowe, CEO of Fransmart. “Figs is already a successful international brand with a footprint that will be easy to build on.”
Renowned celebrity chef Todd English envisions Figs as a replication of his humble beginnings in Italy while delivering on his passion for pizza, of which he describes as a pizza obsession. With a neighborhood feel, Figs is designed to be a place where you can frequent a high-quality pizza at a reasonable price.
The concept’s claim to fame is that it never serves a perfectly round pizza, but rather an imperfectly perfected dough that creates the quintessential thin crust Italian pizza. According to English, pizza is all about the crust – it makes or breaks the pizza. He describes the Figs crust as crunchy with a little chew and lots of flavor. The freeform shape and finely crisped quality is achieved with special dough-making technique and precise cooking time at a very high temperature.
“When I was learning to cook in Italy, I had no money and pizza was all I could afford at the time,” said English.
“The other chefs and I would frequent a family run pizzeria and enjoy a nice bottle of wine with our meal. Nothing brings people together like pizza, and this feeling of comfort and warmth is at the heart of Figs. I look forward to sharing this experience with pizza lovers worldwide.”
Figs has partnered with Fransmart, the industry-leading franchise development company behind the explosive growth of brands like Five Guys Burgers and Fries, The Halal Guys, and Qdoba Mexican Grill, as their exclusive franchise development partner to grow the brand. The concept is currently looking for experienced multi-unit foodservice operators to develop franchise territories in top markets across the globe.
Founded by award-winning chef and culinary icon Todd English, Figs embodies what pizza is truly supposed to be – authentic, flavorful and unique. In other words, “never trust a round pizza.” By using traditional dough preparation techniques and high-quality ingredients, Figs redefines the casual dining experience by making chef-forward pizza and Italian cuisine accessible and affordable. The concept currently operates seven corporate locations – four in the Unites States throughout Massachusetts, New York and Florida, and three internationally in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Figs founder Todd English is one of the most decorated chefs in the world and a recipient of three James Beard Foundation awards, including National Rising Star Chef, Best Chef in the Northeast and Who’s Who in Food and Beverage in America. For more information, please visit toddenglishfigs.com.
As the leading franchise development firm in the country, Fransmart turns emerging restaurant concepts into successful national and global brands. Founded by Dan Rowe, the man who identified and grew brands such as Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill from single unit businesses to the powerhouse chains they are today, Fransmart’s formula for success is finding emerging brands ripe for expansion and building successful multi-unit franchise businesses across the U.S. and globally. Fransmart’s current and past franchise development portfolio brands have opened more than 5,000 restaurants worldwide, and facilitated franchise investments that have cumulatively generated 1-billion in revenues to date. For more information, visit www.fransmart.com, Facebook at facebook.com/fransmart, Twitter at twitter.com/FransmartSocial, LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/fransmart and Instagram at instagram.com/fransmartsocial.
