Quality Control music executive Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Warner Records music executive Mel Carter have landed a historic deal with Bojangles. The new owners now control the operations of the number one Black-owned restaurant franchise in the country.
The duo is part owner of Melanbo, the company that struck the development agreement with the popular southern restaurant. They plan to open 14 new sites in the Greater Atlanta area, which will drive their total number of locations they will own up to 32 as the deal includes the acquisition of the existing 18 locations spanning across Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
This news comes one year after Bojangles opened 100 new restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth, Cleveland, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and more.
“I’m proud to do this with Mel and to keep pushing forward Black entrepreneurship,” Coach K said. “We built our way up in music and it’s exciting to branch out in so many ways and to join forces with the #1 Black-owned franchise.”
“Over the last few years, we have been aggressively seeking opportunities to grow our footprint in Atlanta, and we are thrilled to have reached an agreement with two influential voices in the city’s community,” said Patricia Halpin, Vice President of Franchise Growth, Bojangles.
“Mel and Coach K bring a unique perspective and energy to our network of operators that will be extremely beneficial to the brand’s growth going forward. Their passion for Atlanta and the community is unparalleled, and we look forward to seeing their success.”