First Watch serves up substantial move

East Manatee County-based breakfast-brunch-lunch chain First Watch was in business more than 20 years before it opened its first franchise location.

That was in 2008. The past six-plus years have seen some noteworthy successes in that area, including expansions into North Carolina and Kentucky. But the firm's latest agreement, for 15 locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area over the next five years, is its biggest franchise move to date. It's the largest in number of stores, and will mark the debut in fast-growing Texas.

Even more significant: The new franchisee is a subsidiary of Dallas-based Sun Holdings, one of the largest franchise firms in the country, with 400 multibrand restaurants and nearly $450 million in annual sales. Sun Holdings, just like its First Watch franchise unit, Best Choice Restaurants LLC, is run by prominent Latino-American franchisor Guillermo Perales. Burger King, Popeye's and Golden Corral are among the brands in the Sun Holdings portfolio.