DETROIT and TAMPA, Fla., March 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Little Caesars, the global, family-owned pizza chain with franchise and company-owned stores in each of the 50 U.S. states and across 27 countries and territories, is looking to grow its presence in Tampa and the surrounding cities along Florida's west coast. The announcement of these expansion plans follows the Little Caesars sponsorship of the championship-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their home field, Raymond James Stadium.

The chain's development goals for the Tampa market include opening 10 new units by the close of this year, then continuing that growth momentum to reach 30 new Little Caesars locations in the area and its surrounding communities by 2024.

"Bringing more franchise ownership opportunities to the Tampa Bay area has been a goal of ours for some time," said Craig Sherwood, Vice President of U.S Development at Little Caesars. "Now that we're the official pizza of the winning home team and Raymond James Stadium, we can't imagine a better time to double down on our commitment to bringing our proven pizza business model to aspiring entrepreneurs in this area."

The brand's accessibility, quality products and affordability really set Little Caesars apart in the last year as one of the leading pizza franchises amidst the ongoing pandemic. The brand's signature Pizza Portal® Pickup—the first heated, self-service mobile order pickup station in the restaurant industry—and its delivery service promise relevance and value at a cost-effective investment level for Tampa's entrepreneurs.

With a strong number of Little Caesars locations currently operating in the Tampa Bay area, the brand is looking to increase its presence in the region by accelerating its search for both single-unit and multi-unit franchisees.

"Tampa residents will be seeing more and more of the Little Caesars brand in the coming years with our presence being amplified at Raymond James Stadium, and we expect that the local community will want more of our delicious pizza beyond this venue," said Sherwood. "We look forward to working alongside sophisticated franchisees who join us in our endeavors to meet those consumer demands in this key market and beyond."

Outside of Tampa, Little Caesars has big plans for growth across the entire state of Florida. Key markets being targeted for continued development in the state currently include Naples, Orlando, Jacksonville, Gainesville and Lake City.

Little Caesars franchising investments start at around $360,000, with additional incentive programs for both veterans and first responders. Interested prospects should visit Franchise.LittleCaesars.com for inquiries about opening a franchise in the Tampa Bay area.

ABOUT LITTLE CAESARS®

Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, Little Caesars was founded by Mike and Marian Ilitch in 1959 as a single, family-owned restaurant. Today, Little Caesars is the third largest pizza chain in the world, with stores in each of the 50 U.S. states and 27 countries and territories.

Little Caesars recently introduced contactless options for both delivery and carry-out through the Little Caesars app.  Pizzas are baked in 475-degree ovens to ensure food safety and never touched after baking. The chain has also reinforced cleanliness and sanitization procedures, increasing the frequency of cleaning commonly touched surfaces including door handles, glass, countertops, Pizza Portal surfaces, phones, and cash registers.

Known for its HOT-N-READY® pizza and famed Crazy Bread®, Little Caesars has been named "Best Value in America" for the past 14 years (based on nationwide survey of national quick service restaurant customers conducted by Sandelman & Associates - 2007-2021 entitled "Highest Rated Chain – Value for the Money"). Little Caesars products are made with quality ingredients, like fresh, never frozen, mozzarella and Muenster cheese and sauce made from fresh-packed, vine-ripened California crushed tomatoes.

An exceptionally high growth company with 60 years of experience in the $145 billion worldwide pizza industry, Little Caesars is continually looking for franchisee candidates to join our team in markets around the world. In addition to providing the opportunity for entrepreneurial independence in a franchise system, Little Caesars offers strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized and appealing characters in the country, Little Caesar.

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SOURCE Little Caesars Pizza