Founded in 1956 at the Jersey Shore, Jersey Mike’s is set to shake up the Canadian quick-service restaurant scene. Known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs, Manasquan-based Jersey Mike’s will mark its first major international expansion as it announced Wednesday it will open five new Jersey Mike’s in Ontario in 2024, forming the foundation for rapid new store growth.
Through an agreement with Redberry Restaurants, one of Canada’s largest restaurant operators, which was named area director for Canada, 300 Jersey Mike’s restaurants will open across Canada by 2034. The openings will come via a combination of Redberry-owned-and-operated stores and supported franchisee locations. Redberry also said it will purchase two existing Jersey Mike’s locations in Ontario — one in Kitchener and one in London — and will completely remodel them early 2024 to reflect Jersey Mike’s new image.
“We are proud to partner with Ken Otto and his team at Redberry,” Peter Cancro, founder and CEO, Jersey Mike’s, said. “Their extensive history and reputation in the restaurant business are second to none. Also critical to our company is that they share the same culture and mission statement: to give and make a difference. They are committed to their team members and their local communities.”
Redberry owns and operates 180-plus restaurant locations across Canada under the Burger King and Taco Bell brands, and, now, together with Jersey Mike’s, has signed agreements for more than 600 additional restaurants.
“We’re thrilled that Jersey Mike’s entrusted us with bringing their iconic brand to Canada,” Ken Otto, CEO of Redberry, said. “We resonated strongly with their culture, product and mission, and are excited to ‘Make it Happen’ for both Jersey Mike’s and their Canadian fans.”
