Flynn Group

Flynn Group LP
Company typePrivate company
IndustryFranchising
Founded1999
FounderGregg Flynn
Headquarters
San Francisco
,
USA
Areas served
Australia, New Zealand, USA
Number of employees
72,000 (2024)

Flynn Group LP is a major operator of franchise restaurants and health clubs. They operate approximately 2,600 franchise locations around the world, primarily Applebee’s, Pizza Hut, Arby's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Panera Bread and Planet Fitness.

History

The Group was founded in 1999 by Greg Flynn.[1] Its first acquisitions were eight Applebee's franchises. Early financing was provided by Goldman Sachs. Applebees was initially wary of the Flynn Group controlling too many franchises and entered an agreement which limited the Group to 11% of franchises. In 2007 Applebees, then under new ownership, lifted the restriction and sold the Group a number of company owned stores. The Group expanded its Applebees holdings during the Great Recession.[2]

In 2018 the Group reported yearly sales of 2.3 billion. The Group historically avoided hamburger franchises, prefering niches with more differentiation between competitors.[2]

In 2021 the Group acquired 937 Pizza Hut franchises during the bankruptcy of NPC International.[3]

The Group began buying Wendy's franchises in 2021. As of 2024 it operated approximately 5% of Wendy's in the United States with a total of around 300 stores. It is also the master franchisee for Wendy's in New Zealand and Australia.[4] The New Zealand franchisee Wendco (NZ) Ltd. was acquired in 2023 from the Lendich family.[5]

In 2024 they claimed to be the largest operator of franchises in the world.[6] and they were the largest Applebees operator in the world with more than 450 restaurants. Annual sales were approximately $4.5 billion.[7]

In 2024 the Group reportedly explored the sale of a majority stake in the company.[1] However the company quickly denied that they had with Greg Flynn clarifying that they were instead undergoing an equity recapitalization.[8]

In March 2024 in response to claims that the Group had inserted a loophole into California law which would allow Panera franchises to charge lower wages than other restaurants Gregg Flynn said that all of the Group's restaurants in California would pay 20 dollars an hour or better.[9]

Operations

The Group is headquartered in San Francisco.[10] A support office is located in Independence, Ohio.[2]

As of 2024 the Group operated around 2,600 franchise locations around the world, primarily of Applebee’s, Arby's, Pizza Hut, Wendy's, Panera Bread, Taco Bell, and Planet Fitness.[8] They had approximately 72,000 employees.[7]

The company engages in a complex menu strategy overseen by a team of economists and data scientists.[11]

Investors

Company managers, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and private equity group Main Post Partners each own roughly a third of the company.[1]

Sources

  1. ^ a b c Summerville, Abigail. "Exclusive: Flynn Group, world's largest franchisee, explores $5 bln-plus sale -sources". reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b c LUCAS, SCOTT (28 May 2019). "Greg Flynn Owns 1,245 Restaurants and Makes $2 Billion A Year. Here's How He Did It". entrepreneur.com. Entrepreneur Magazine. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  3. ^ Michaels, Laura (25 April 2024). "Pizza Hut Australia, Planet Fitness Mark Next Stage for Flynn Group". franchisetimes.com. Franchise Times. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  4. ^ Canham-Clyne, Aneurin. "Flynn Group buys 32 more Wendy's". restaurantdive.com. Restaurant Dive. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  5. ^ Ruggless, Ron (21 May 2024). "Flynn Group acquires New Zealand Wendy's". nrn.com/. Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  6. ^ Cunningham, Waylon. "Flynn Group buys 83 more Wendy's franchises in US". reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  7. ^ a b Lalley, Heather. "Greg Flynn expands his Applebee's empire". restaurantbusinessonline.com. Restaurant Business. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  8. ^ a b Halpern, Joe (21 February 2024). "Greg Flynn: 'I'm Not Selling and We're Not Going Anywhere'". franchisetimes.com. Franchise Times. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  9. ^ Zavala, Ashley (6 March 2024). "Panera franchisee Greg Flynn says his California restaurants will pay a minimum of $20 an hour". kcra.com. KRCA. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  10. ^ Jennings, Lisa. "Flynn Group acquires 83 more Wendy's units". restaurantbusinessonline.com. Restaurant Business. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  11. ^ Haddon, Heather (21 May 2023). "How America's Largest Restaurant Franchisee Decides When to Raise Prices". wsj.com/. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 31 December 2024.