Franchisor of Wayback Burgers introduces a fresh, multi-brand business venture
Hubspoke Brands Embraces Multi-Concept Franchising
In a move to expand and streamline operations, Wayback Franchising, the company behind Wayback Burgers, is transforming into a multi-brand operation named Hubspoke Brands. The new entity will oversee a portfolio of seven brands, including Wayback Burgers, Molte Pizza, Pane & Mozz, Taculto, Citta Pasta, Uncle Willie's Smokehouse, and Hubspoke Kitchen.
The cornerstone of Hubspoke Brands is Hubspoke Kitchen, a concept that operates five brands out of one kitchen and has a retail element. Eucalitto, with years of franchising experience with Blimpie's and Edible Arrangements, will lead the charge for this innovative approach.
One of the latest additions to the Hubspoke Brands family is Roti Modern Mediterranean, which recently joined Edible Arrangements and Edibles.com under the Edible Brands platform.
The shared app and loyalty program will be a key feature for Hubspoke Brands, allowing customers to enjoy offerings from all the brands under one platform. For dine-in customers, the interior branding will represent Hubspoke Brands, not Wayback or Molte specifically.
The goal is to give Wayback franchisees more options for growth while keeping them within the Hubspoke Brands family. Many Wayback franchisees are already multi-brand operators, and Hubspoke Brands aims to simplify their operations by consolidating multiple brands under one umbrella.
Uncle Willie's Smokehouse, a barbecue institution known for slow-smoked meats, will be reborn under the Hubspoke platform after being forced to close during the COVID-19 shutdown.
Franchising has changed after the pandemic, with companies like Blue Apron and Wonder bringing new models into play that create efficiencies with shared kitchens and technology. Hubspoke Brands is taking advantage of this trend by implementing multi-brand franchising strategies.
These strategies allow franchisors to capitalize on diverse customer preferences, reduce operational redundancies, and sustain accelerated expansion beyond single-brand limitations. For instance, Wayback Burgers' recent strategic moves underscore this trend toward integrating multiple brands under one franchise system with shared infrastructure to maximize growth and efficiency.
The first co-branded location of Wayback Burgers and Molte Pizza is opening next week in New Jersey, with two more co-branded locations to come in Connecticut. Hubspoke Brands is also looking to test the newer brands as standalone locations out on the street, to work out the kinks. The first standalones will be company-operated.
Citta Pasta offers traditional Italian comfort food, while Molte Pizza offers three iconic styles of pizza: crispy tavern, New York, and a cheesy, caramelized Detroit. Pane & Mozz serves Italian focaccia sandwiches.
Taculto is a taco-and-bowl concept. Uncle Willie's Smokehouse, after its rebirth, will offer slow-smoked meats once again.
As Hubspoke Brands continues to grow and evolve, it's clear that the future of franchising lies in multi-brand operations that leverage shared infrastructure such as distribution networks and operational systems. This approach allows companies to adapt to changing customer preferences and market conditions more effectively.
- The restaurant industry is undergoing a transformation with multi-brand franchising strategies, as demonstrated by Hubspoke Brands, which is consolidating multiple concepts under one umbrella to provide franchisees with more growth opportunities.
- Finance and investing in the business sector are increasingly focusing on multi-concept franchising as a means to capitalize on diverse customer preferences, reduce operational redundancies, and sustain accelerated expansion beyond single-brand limitations.
- Franchising in the 21st century is adapting to new models, such as shared kitchens and technology, to create efficiencies and stay competitive, with Hubspoke Brands being an example of implementing such strategies in the restaurant industry.
