Burger 21®, a new fast casual concept founded by the owners of The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., announced today that it is targeting South Florida for franchise expansion. The company launched an aggressive growth strategy in September 2011 to bring its 21 chef-inspired burger creations and hand-dipped signature shakes to more cities across the U.S. In just over a year of operation, the concept was named one of “12 Burger Chains to Watch in 2012″ by Burger Business and “One of the Top 50 Restaurants in the Tampa Area†by the Tampa Bay Times.
Front Burner Brands Chief Concept Officer Mark Johnston, his wife, Concept Development Director Arlene Johnston, and his brothers, Chief Executive Officer Bob Johnston and Vice President Mike Johnston, founded Burger 21 in November 2009. Leveraging more than 25 years of franchising experience, the Johnston family recognized an opportunity to introduce a higher quality product in a rapidly growing foodservice category. The first corporate-owned Burger 21 restaurant opened in Tampa, Fla., in November 2010, and the second opened in Carrollwood, Fla., in October 2011. Two additional locations are in development and will open later this year.