A group of former Jersey Mike's executives and franchisees is reuniting at Dog Haus, betting that the lessons learned while building the submarine sandwich giant into a national brand can do the same for the fast-casual restaurant chain.

Dog Haus recently named James Field, formerly Jersey Mike's chief innovation officer, as its chief marketing officer. He joins President and Chief Development Officer Chris Rigassio and Chief Operating Officer Garen Khodaverdian, both of whom were Jersey Mike's franchisees.

The reunion follows Blackstone's January 2025 acquisition of a majority stake in Jersey Mike's in a deal valued at roughly $8 billion, according to SEC filings.

That deal ranks among the largest restaurant acquisitions in recent years and landed amid a wave of private-equity interest in franchise-heavy chains: Roark Capital completed its roughly $9.6 billion purchase of Subway in 2024, and Blackstone separately struck a deal for Tropical Smoothie Cafe that same year. Jersey Mike's itself began as a single sub shop in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, in 1956 and grew to nearly 3,000 locations — the kind of trajectory the former executives are now aiming to help replicate at a much earlier-stage brand.

Field told FOX Business that the group could have pursued separate opportunities after the sale, but instead saw a chance to stay together and help scale Dog Haus, which currently operates roughly 60 locations.

"We all could have gone off and done different things individually after the sale of Jersey Mike's," Field said. "… I think we just thought if we stay together, it's a one plus one equals three scenarios."

"When you've been in the trenches with people through that type of brand growth that you saw at Jersey Mike's, you say, 'My gosh, let's run it back,'" he added.

Dog Haus CEO Michael Montagano said the company is "laser focused" on growing from roughly 60 restaurants to 300, with a $1 billion valuation serving as its "North Star."

"One major step in that success is building a team that is capable of executing to this level of scale," Montagano told FOX Business.

He said Jersey Mike's grew systematically while maintaining strong relationships with franchisees and delivering a consistent customer experience — a model Dog Haus hopes to follow as it enters new markets.

"Ultimately, that was done very responsibly and yielded a fantastic result," Montagano said.

Founded in Pasadena, California, in 2010, Dog Haus serves hot dogs, sausages, burgers, chicken and breakfast burritos. The chain opened its first permanent international restaurant in Mérida, Mexico, in June.

Gourmet hot dogs and sausages remain a niche within fast casual, a segment dominated by burger, chicken and burrito concepts; Portillo's, which went public in 2021, is among the few larger chains whose menu leans partly on hot dogs. That leaves room for a specialty operator to build national awareness in the category, even as it competes for the same fast-casual customers.

Field said Dog Haus' founders, its food, and its early investments in delivery and digital ordering helped convince the former Jersey Mike's leaders that the brand was ready for a larger growth push.

"When you look at the assets that it has, it's primed for success," Field said. "… When you look at what Dog Haus has been through over the last 15 years — different economic cycles, different crazes and fads and trends in the industry — not only has it survived, but it's thrived."

The company is now building the infrastructure it believes it will need before accelerating expansion, including its corporate infrastructure. Dog Haus plans to divide the country into 15 regions overseen by area directors responsible for maintaining quality and guiding local growth.

"We're thinking ahead and making sure that we have the right pieces in place in order to meet that demand that we're already seeing at scale," he said.

Moving from 60 to 300 units would be a fivefold increase, a jump that typically raises the stakes on supply chain, training and quality control — the operational areas Dog Haus says its regional leadership structure is designed to manage as it accelerates.

Montagano said having executives who understand both the corporate and franchisee sides of the business gives Dog Haus an advantage as it pursues its expansion target.

"We believe that going 60 to 300 over the next few years is really a layup," Montagano said. "It's really about what we can do beyond that."

Source: Fox Business