4 minute read
Franchisee Nava Singam taking Fazoli's by Storm
Coming off the heels of his highly anticipated new restaurant opening in Phoenix, AZ, Nava Singam is taking Fazoli’s by storm.
As the CEO of Kind Hospitality, a family owned restaurant group which operates well-known brands including Macayo’s Mexican Food, Panera Bread, O.H.S.O. Brewery, Barrio Brewing Co., Native Grill & Wings and now Fazoli’s, Singam is a successful multi-unit franchisee that brings decades of experience to the quick-service Italian brand.
Before building his own restaurant franchising empire and becoming one of Fazoli’s largest franchisees, Singam worked his way up from restaurant operations to ownership with his first endeavor coming in 2005 where he owned and operated Paradise Bakery at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
Since then, he’s helped build and develop his collection of restaurants growing from just one location to more than 30 locations across four states and has added more than 1,400 employees to his team. Singam’s two daughters and wife Leticia have been instrumental in the development of the company, offering support and inspiration through the growth of the company. His latest franchise endeavor includes Fazoli’s, a beloved Italian concept founded in 1988 in Lexington, Ky. Fazoli’s owns and operates nearly 220 restaurants in 28 states, making it the largest premium QSR Italian chain in America. Fazoli’s prides itself on serving premium, fast Italian food menu offerings such as freshly prepared pasta entrees, subs, salads, pizza and desserts – along with its unlimited signature garlic breadsticks.
“ Fazoli’s definitely has a cult-like following and for good reason. When we were considering expansion and growth opportunities at Kind Hospitality, we knew we made the right choice after going viral from the initial announcement.”
“Fazoli’s definitely has a cult-like following and for good reason. When we were considering expansion and growth opportunities at Kind Hospitality, we knew we made the right choice after going viral from the initial announcement,” Singam said.
Singam discovered Fazoli’s when he lived in Flagstaff, Arizona in the late 1990s. He continued following the brand over the years and was impressed by Fazoli’s evolution and response to consumers’ ever-changing dining habits. Specifically, Singam has taken note of Fazoli’s dedication to menu innovation – from the addition of Snacks & Shareables to wings and premium baked dishes – which has resulted in his new favorite item.
“I was always watching how they evolve. The brand is incredibly resilient, and I was encouraged watching them develop new systems to continue supporting their growth across new markets,” Singam said.
Earlier this year, Singam opened his first of many planned Fazoli’s location at 3800 E. Sky Harbor Blvd. inside Terminal 4 between gates B6 and B13. His second location is already underway and his restaurant holding group will be opening its first street side Fazoli’s at 953 N.Dobson Rd. in Mesa later this year. It will become the second of nine planned locations in Arizona.
Singam was also the first to offer the brand’s breakfast daypart, serving up new items including Hot Honey Chicken and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches, Cinnamon Swirl Breadstick Bites, Breakfast Burritos and so much more all of which are unique to the PHX location.
When it comes to defining success for the brand and determining if the concept is a fit for your portfolio of businesses Singam said, “You have to have a passion for the industry and you need to believe in the brand. As a franchisee, you are not just a franchise operator, you’re also a brand ambassador.”
“I’m proud to continue to grow as an entrepreneur with Fazoli’s,” Singam said. “We have additional locations in the pipeline and look forward to serving even more fast, fresh Italian fare to families around the community for years to come.”
To learn more about franchising with Fazoli’s, visit ownafazolis.com.
