Marco’s Pizza, one of the nation’s fastest-growing pizza brands, opens its first Mexico franchised location in the Polanco neighborhood at Mariano Escobedo 456, Anzures, CP 11590, CDMX. The store is part of a 50-unit master franchise agreement that looks to develop locations in Mexico City, State of Mexico over the next 10 years.
To celebrate the opening, key members of Marco’s executive team traveled to Mexico to mark the brand milestone with a grand opening event.
Behind the opening is Grupo Pizza Amantes SA de CV, a Mexican company run by four business partners. With the main principals having more than 20 years of experience in the restaurant, hospitality, and retail industry, Grupo Pizza Amantes has been appointed as the master franchisee for Mexico City.
To celebrate the opening, key members of Marco’s executive team traveled to Mexico to mark the brand milestone with a grand opening event. Special guests included Co-CEO & President Tony Libardi, Founder Pat Giammarco, Chief Development Officer Gerardo Flores, Chief Operating Officer John Meyers, in addition to various local influencers and government officials.
“Opening our first location in Mexico is a significant milestone for our brand, and we are thrilled to bring our delicious pizzas to the vibrant Polanco neighborhood in Mexico City,” said Libardi. “Partnering with Grupo Pizza Amantes, who bring over 20 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, ensures that Marco’s is well positioned for growth in this market. This grand opening marks the beginning of an exciting journey as we expand Marco’s presence to Mexico, and our master franchisee is committed to delivering exceptional quality and service to new Marco’s customers here.”
The new end cap store spans 1700 square feet and features a unique walk-up pick-up window bringing convenience to customers. The store is also leveraging third-party delivery and testing delivery via scooters to maximize efficiency.
As franchise development continues, leadership prioritizes a strong development support system, including technology and tools to help identify territories for expansion, plus support in real estate, construction management, field operations, and information related to financing.
“The launch of our first location in Mexico represents a pivotal step in our international growth strategy,” said Flores. “This milestone not only demonstrates our commitment to expanding our global footprint but also sets the stage for further international development. We are confident in our ability to replicate this success in new markets around the world, bringing our unique pizza experience to an ever-growing customer base.”
Marco’s currently touts 60-plus locations across the Bahamas and Puerto Rico through a master franchisee appointed for the Caribbean. Company leadership is expecting strong penetration in the United States to continue and is now strategically targeting international development with immediate opportunity in the LATAM region with future sights set on the Middle East, Europe, and Canada.
U.S. prospects are taking note of the business opportunity, as the Marco’s Franchising Franchise Disclosure Document reports the Top 50% of Marco’s franchised stores generated average net royalty sales of AUV $1,208,653 during the 2023 fiscal year*.
FRANdata, a leading research and advisory firm that analyzes the franchise market, reports Marco’s 2023 FUND Score of 895 is in the top 1% of all evaluated franchise systems and is among the top three scores for all QSR brands. These impressive rankings are a testament to the brand’s commitment to financing guidance as a core focus of its franchise development strategy which has led the 1,200-unit brand on the path to continued growth.
For more information Marco’s Pizza franchise opportunities, visit https://www.marcos.com/franchising/ or contact Jamie Cecil at jcecil@marcos.com or 866-731-8209.
ABOUT MARCO’S PIZZA
Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco’s Pizza is one of the fastest-growing pizza brands in the United States. Marco’s was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale (“Pat”) Giammarco and thrives to deliver a high-quality pizza experience, known for its dough made from scratch and its three fresh signature cheeses. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate over 1,200 stores in 34 states with locations in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Most recently, Marco’s Pizza was ranked No. 48 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2024 “Franchise 500” ranking. Other recent accolades include a high ranking on Newsweek’s 2023 “America’s Best Customer Service” in pizza chains list, earning a spot on QSR’s Top 50, and being featured on Nation’s Restaurant News’ prestigious “Top 500” ranking.
*Based on the Average Sales Volume of the top 50% of U.S. Franchised Stores for our fiscal year 2023. Based on our fiscal year 2023, 185 of 447 Franchised Stores in the category (or 41%) met or exceeded this average. This information appears in Item 19 of Marco’s Franchising’s 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document (“FDD”) – please refer to our FDD for complete information on financial performance. Individual results may differ. There is no assurance that any franchisee will perform as well.
