Rise Southern Biscuits and Righteous Chicken announces area development deal in Virginia as the brand continues growth amid the crisis
May 22, 2020 // Franchising.com // DURHAM, N.C. – Rise Southern Biscuits and Righteous Chicken, the nation’s fastest growing biscuits and fried chicken chain with over 100 units in development across the country, today announced an area development agreement for the state of Virginia that extensively increases franchise expansion opportunities. Area development representatives David Dowdy, Matt Hurley and Nash Osborn of BDVA Holdings, LLC have committed to opening a minimum of 25 Rise locations throughout Virginia over the next nine years to further expand the better biscuit chain.
“We’re confident in the economics of Rise to drive sales through delivery and pickup during and after this crisis,” said Osborn. “Tom Ferguson, founder and CEO of Rise, has created a restaurant with a small footprint that has always focused on takeout sales, exactly what every other restaurant pivoted to when dining rooms were closed.”
The BDVA Holdings, LLC group are also seeking franchise partners to develop the territory, with some markets readily available.
“Virginia is a densely populated state,” said Dowdy. “We’re looking at the demographics and consumer trends of the mass media outlets in Virginia and determining where to focus on opening locations for ourselves and with franchisees. We want Rise to be where we can make the most impact on the communities we serve.”
“We were looking for a good franchise restaurant opportunity,” said Hurley. “The concept had to have a great personality and unbeatable food. One of the biggest draws for us was the ability to open a Rise location in a former restaurant space, converting it to Rise quickly and for less than a traditional build out. This is an investment, we liked the ability to open for less and maximize our ROI.”
The Virginia area development agreement builds on additional growth news for the brand. Rise, the better biscuit chain, recently announced a five-unit deal with Dr. Parker Simon and Bradley Turney for the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area. Simon, Turney, and their team cited a belief in the resilience of Americans to bounce back after the crisis as the driving force behind their decision to move forward with the deal during the pandemic. The team looks forward to being part of the solution to alleviate some of the job shortages in the food service industry.
Rise is partnered with Fransmart, the industry-leading franchise development company behind household brands like Five Guys Burgers & Fries and The Halal Guys, as its exclusive franchising partner to grow the brand. Rise is currently looking for experienced franchisees and qualified investors to introduce the concept to major media markets across the country.
About Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken
Rise was founded in 2012 by Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, Tom Ferguson. Described as a mixture of ‘old school, new school and our school,’ Rise serves up unique chicken sandwiches, biscuit and donut offerings and is constantly rotating in new features to keep the menu fresh and intriguing. Rise’s innovative concept and expansive growth earned the brand the #27 spot on Fast Casual’s 2016 ‘Top 100 Movers & Shakers’ list, and was also ranked as one of ‘The Best Biscuits In The U.S.’ by Food & Wine Magazine. Rise, the better biscuit chain, currently operates 16 locations in six states, with over 100 units in development in major U.S. media markets.