Kettering-based Rapid Fired Pizza to expand with 175 new locations

Kettering-based Rapid Fired Pizza could be adding 175 new locations in Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The fast-casual pizza chain has signed agreements with two different developers to expand in new areas. The restaurant signed an agreement with Matt Higgins, owner of the 19-store Tumbleweed Tex-Mex Grill and Margarita Bar chain. Higgins has committed to develop 65 Rapid Fired Pizza locations throughout Kentucky and Indiana.

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“Rapid Fired Pizza has been on my radar for awhile now,” Higgins said. ‘The attention to quality, operations, and economics are the reasons we choose to align with Rapid Fired Pizza over other opportunities in the marketplace. We look forward to bringing great pizza to the people of Indiana and Kentucky.”

The chain also signed an agreement with Michael Kern, former CEO and president of Long John Silver’s Inc. Kern and his team have committed to developing 110 Rapid Fired Pizza locations and North Carolina and South Carolina. His company currently operates 14 Long John Silvers in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

“We are excited to have Mike and his team on board,” said Ray Wiley, president of Rapid Fired Pizza. “It speaks well of our young brand that we have worked so hard to build, that a seasoned professional like Mike Kern chose Rapid Fired Pizza.”

Rapid Fired Pizza was founded in Kettering and opened its first store in 2015. It offers a build-your-own pizza that is cooked in 180 seconds. The company just opened its 15th store in less than 18 months, and has 13 more in construction.

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