Restaurant Veterans sign to develop Pizza Patrón in Houston market

Pizza Patrón, the premier Latino pizza brand, has executed development agreements with two groups of experienced Restaurant operators to open a total of 28 units within the next 36 months.

C.C. Theophine and Rick Sparkman have formed Cuatro Ventures LLC to develop the brand in half of Houston. Experienced multi-unit operators, Theophine and Sparkman will open a total of 14 Pizza Patrón units. Their 16-year-old company, Kingfood Enterprises, Inc., is the largest franchisee of El Chico restaurants. Sparkman says that Pizza Patrón is a perfect fit for the Houston market.

"From the first time I saw the Pizza Patrón store in east Dallas, I was extremely excited," said Sparkman. "I knew that it was a great concept that would be a perfect fit for Houston. Houston has one of the largest Hispanic populations in the country and this will be an excellent way to support our Hispanic communities."

Rio Concho Partners, LTD has signed to develop the second half of the Houston market and will also open 14 units. Brandon Beck, Rio Concho Partners, LTD managing partner, is an industry veteran that began his successful restaurant career as a Grandy's franchisee owner. He opened and ran two of the country's highest volume stores from 1988 to 1994. After selling the units, he joined with Gene Street of Black Eyed Pea fame to open the first franchised units of Good Eats Grill, an upscale version of Good Eats Cafe, in 1994. He opened two units, one in Lewisville and one in Ft. Worth. They became the chain's number one and two stores in volume sales before he sold them to Consolidated Restaurant Operations in 1999.

"I've been looking for a strong concept with a strong leader," said Beck. "With Pizza Patrón and Antonio Swad, I have found both. It had to be really special to pull me back into the restaurant industry, as competitive as it is."

Pizza Patrón was founded by Antonio Swad in 1986. Since they began Franchising the concept in March of this year, the brand has gone from four locations to 45, either open or under development, in a six-month span. Swad says that he has been busy meeting with large operators, from all parts of the country, who are interested in locking down the concept in their DMAs. "We are excited to have such a powerful team of brand partners in Houston," said Swad. "They have exemplary track records and will do an incredible job of establishing the brand in Houston." Pizza Patrón features festive and fun carryout-only pizza stores that are community based in Spanish speaking or predominately Hispanic neighborhoods. The units are open from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 4:00 to midnight on Fridays, 12:00 p.m. to midnight Saturdays, and 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Sundays. The menu is value oriented, offering high quality, freshly prepared pizzas at very low price points. All pizza dough is made fresh throughout the evening; no preservatives are added or needed. The sauce is prepared fresh in the stores, as well, from crushed Roma tomatoes. Only 100% mzzarella is used. Whole and half pizzas are offered at prices as low as $4.99 for a large pizza with cheese and one topping and $3.49 for the same half pizza. A large deluxe pizza with everything is only $6.99.