Leading grazing food concept and its franchise owners celebrate accomplishments, including over $3 million in charcuterie sold, at first brand convention.
Graze Craze, the innovator in graze-style dining, is reporting a record-breaking first half of 2023, closing out the second quarter with 14 new restaurants opened, many of which marked the brand’s entry into states such as Delaware, New Mexico, Missouri, and Arkansas. Graze Craze has more than doubled its unit count from the same period in 2022 now with a nationwide footprint of 42 locations in 20 states. Additionally, Graze Craze signed 56 franchise agreements within the first two quarters of 2023, adding to its already robust development pipeline which currently totals 175 locations to be developed in the next several years.
“2023 has already been an incredible year for our brand, and we’re just getting started,” said Cory Hibbard, President of Graze Craze. “Our franchise owners and teams have kept their focus on what matters – serving customers with innovation, quality and best-in-class service – which has translated to big wins across the board. These first six months have laid a foundation for significant future growth, and we’re excited to capitalize on this momentum throughout the remainder of the year.”
Less than two years after launching its franchise program through United Franchise Group (UFG), Graze Craze has experienced explosive success, selling over $3 million in charcuterie since opening its first franchise location in February 2022. As the first consolidated concept in the increasingly popular graze-style food category, Graze Craze has established itself as the franchise leader in the space, backed by compounding sales growth and strong unit-level economics. Q2 2023 marked Graze Craze’s eighth consecutive quarter of positive growth, with the brand seeing an increase in systemwide revenue in Q1 & Q2 2023 compared to the first two quarters of 2022.
“It’s a thrill to see Graze Craze’s strong performance these first two quarters,” said Ray Titus, CEO of UFG. “We knew that Graze Craze was a special brand from the beginning and its stellar performance only reinforces what we always knew. A standout brand with talented franchise owners is a winning recipe for success.”
Hibbard and Titus announced Graze Craze’s impressive performance at the brand’s first convention, held June 14-16 in Delray Beach, Florida. Entitled “The Graze Craze Experience: Fuel Your Success,” the event featured two full days of workshops, education sessions, and networking to drive attendees’ continued success. Nearly 100 attended, including franchise owners and employees of 29 Graze Craze locations, as well as representatives of UFG.
Keynote speakers brought inspiration and motivation. Hibbard announced the brand’s accomplishments and 2023 growth plans in his President’s Welcome, while Titus shared goals for the year and other inspirational thoughts in his CEO Message. Speaker Scott Mast, owner of Circo Who Furniture and former Vice President of Global Performance and Retail Marketing at United Franchise Group, shared with attendees “What I Know and What I Don’t Know.”
A highlight of the convention was a Board Building Competition, a relay event in which four teams competed to build the best charcuterie board. And at the farewell dinner, top-performing franchise owners were presented with awards, including:
- President’s Award: Cindy & Alan Rice (Spokane Valley, WA)
- Rookie of the Year: Brent & Samantha Stephens (Mt. Juliet, TN)
- Most Valuable Player: Donnie & Celeena Bedore (Southwest Fort Worth, TX)
- Most Improved Award: Pacific Bells (Oregon; Vancouver, WA; Las Vegas, NV)
- Team Player Award: Jigisha Patel (North Palm Beach, FL)
- Social Media Presence Award: Lindsey & Silas Coffelt (Okemos, MI)
Attendees left the convention inspired to realize the Graze Craze team’s strategy of multiplying national accounts and strategic partnerships, expanding offerings, and introducing new revenue streams.
Graze Craze is a member of the Starpoint Brands family of trusted companies, a division of United Franchise Group (UFG), representing the very best in its industry and the mark of quality for customers, providing the ultimate in service, reliability, and value.
Graze Craze is the leading franchise within the grazing style food category, offering an alternative experience to traditional dining options and catering for every occasion. At Graze Craze, in-store Grazologists curate hand-crafted, impeccably designed, sweet and savory charcuterie boards and picnic boxes made with the highest quality ingredients and arranged with perfection. Graze Craze is among the Starpoint Brands constellation of trusted companies representing the very best in their industries. For more information about Graze Craze locations, menu, and commercial accounts visit www.GrazeCraze.com. For information on franchising opportunities, visit www.GrazeCrazeFranchise.com.
A family of trusted brands representing the very best in their industries, including retail, food & beverage and professional services, Starpoint Brands is the mark of quality for customers. It brings together a constellation of brands within United Franchise Group (UFG), including Signarama, Fully Promoted, Transworld Business Advisors, Venture X, Office Evolution, Network Lead Exchange, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill and Graze Craze. A brand under the Starpoint Brands division is one that business-to-consumer and business-to-business customers can be sure will provide the ultimate in service, reliability, and value.
- More from Graze Craze
