Dive Brief:
- Chicken Salad Chick says its latest franchised growth is being driven by strong interest from millennial and Gen Z operators, according to a Monday press release.
- Younger franchisees, the chain said, have helped it fill a 300-unit development pipeline, which would roughly double its current 325-store system.
- Mark Verges, the brand’s vice president of franchise development, said interest from younger entrepreneurs reflects a dual desire for independent business ownership and the stability offered by a national brand.
Dive Insight:
Chicken Salad Chick said young franchisees will be a key part of its ongoing growth strategy. The brand didn’t immediately respond to a request to comment on how it identifies prospective younger franchisees and whether it offers specific development aid to those operators.
The chain opened 42 new restaurants last year and signed roughly 100 franchising agreements, according to the press release. The brand is particularly focused on growing in the Northeast and the Southwest.
Chicken Salad Chick didn’t clarify how many of its franchisees are millennial or Gen Z, but the brand did describe interest in franchising by those demographics as a “wave.”
The chain claimed younger entrepreneurs see “franchising as a pathway to business ownership, community engagement, and long-term financial growth.”
Devon Chamberlin, a Chicken Salad Chick operator and self-identified millennial, said generational familiarity with technology gave younger operators a competitive leg up and that having ownership and workers from the same generational cohort smooths over some of the contradictions between employers and employees.
“Growing up in a digital-first environment makes it natural to leverage social media, online engagement, and local digital marketing,” Chamberlain said. "Many of our team members are from my generation, so I understand what motivates them — things like flexibility, recognition and opportunities for growth.”
Verges said that Chicken Salad Chick’s model, which includes considerable corporate support for operations, blends small-business flexibility with big brand safety.
As operators seek independence and stability, many consumers are also seeking out choice with familiarity. Prevailing economic uncertainty seems to be pushing younger demographics towards a desire for control and independence, on the one hand, and certainty and predictability on the other.
On Monday, the brand also announced it hired Jill Thomas as chief marketing officer. Thomas is the former vice president and CMO of retail and e-commerce at PGA Tour Superstore. She previously held marketing roles at Edible Brands, Cinnabon, Bloomin' Brands and Yum Brands.
