Marco’s Pizza ® Franchise Set To Exceed Expansion Goal for 2014

Posted Nov 19th, 2014

Loyal fans, authenticity are keys to growth of the nation’s fastest-growing pizza franchise

Marco’s Pizza ®, the fastest-growing pizza franchise in the country, has added 131 restaurants so far this year and is exceeding its expansion goals for 2014.

The pace of growth is creating exciting momentum. Just months after opening our 500th store in June, we celebrated the opening of our 565th location. Now we’re approaching our next target — 1,000 stores by the end of 2016. We’re exceeding our 2014 growth projections by 40%, and that puts Marco’s on track to achieve its goal of becoming the country’s fourth-largest pizza chain.

“With our growth and momentum picking up, we are becoming a well-known brand that is beginning to own the ‘better pizza’ category like Five Guys did with hamburgers,” says Cameron Cummins, Vice President of Development.

Marco’s is growing as franchisees bring Marco’s to prime locations in new cities and neighborhoods nationwide. Competing chains, such as Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Little Caesars, have saturated their markets with tens of thousands of locations, but Marco’s has ideal locations available for new restaurants and is quickly gaining market share in the $40 billion annual U.S. pizza market.

Keys to growth

Marco's Pizza ® was founded in 1978 in Toledo, Ohio, when Pat Giammarco, a native Italian, decided to open a pizza place that honored the culinary traditions of his boyhood home. — Marco’s Pizza ® was founded in 1978 in Toledo, Ohio, when Pat Giammarco, a native Italian, decided to open a pizza place that honored the culinary traditions of his boyhood home.

“This is really an exciting time in our brand’s history,” Cameron says. “Marco’s clearly has a lot of appeal for both customers and franchise owners. With all this momentum, we have hit the tipping point.”

One of the secrets to Marco’s fast growth is our ability to create loyal customers and snag repeat business. In a four-month consumer study by MRSI, 72% of people who tried Marco’s pizza said they’d purchase it again. Other pizza franchises tested by MRSI averaged just 36% for “will re-order.”

Authenticity is also helping Marco’s gain the attention of customers and new franchisees. We are the only national pizza franchise founded by a native Italian, and we are committed to using only quality ingredients and making every pizza a perfect pizza, every time. Every pizza is topped with premium meats, cheeses that are never frozen, vegetables prepared in-store and sauce made from a hybrid tomato developed especially for Marco’s. While other chains are just now capitalizing on the artisan pizza trend, Marco’s has been making pizza this way since it was founded in 1978.

Learn more about Marco’s Pizza ® franchise

At Marco’s, we’re excited about our rapid growth, and there’s never been a better time for the new or experienced investor to join our proven concept. If you’re an entrepreneur with a passion for working with people, owning a Marco’s Pizza ® franchise may be the perfect fit for you. To learn more about joining our dynamic and growing company, please fill out the Request Franchise Information form or call us at 1-800-262-7267 to start a conversation. We’d love to hear from you!