Happy Belly Food Group Expands Ghost Taco Brand in Ontario
News related to:Happy Belly Food Group Inc · 2 min read
Happy Belly Food Group Inc has entered into a significant agreement to expand the Ghost Taco brand across Ontario. The company has signed a 45-unit area development agreement, marking a major step in the growth of Ghost Taco following Happy Belly's recent acquisition of a 50% interest in the brand.
Founded by Samantha Buckley, Grant Buckley, and Steve Tallas, Ghost Taco has grown from a pop-up to a distinctive multi-location fast-casual restaurant concept. Known for its bold, Mexican-inspired menu, including tacos, bowls, sides, and desserts, the brand has established a loyal following in Ontario, with locations in Newmarket, Kingston, Whitby, Peterborough, and Barrie.
Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly Food Group, expressed optimism about the brand's potential in Ontario. "Ghost Taco has all the characteristics we look for when scaling an emerging restaurant concept: people, product, and process. The food is outstanding, the branding is unique, and the concept has developed an incredibly loyal following."
Scott Grandin, Area Developer for Ghost Taco, echoed Black's sentiments. "Ghost Taco immediately stood out to me as a brand with tremendous potential. The food is outstanding, the branding is unique, and the concept has developed an incredibly loyal following in the communities where it currently operates."
Happy Belly Food Group's growth strategy focuses on partnering with experienced operators and area developers to expand its portfolio of emerging restaurant brands through an asset-light franchise model. This approach is designed to provide a scalable path to growth while leveraging the operating experience, infrastructure, and local market knowledge of its development partners.
The agreement with Ghost Taco is part of Happy Belly's broader strategy to accelerate the growth of its portfolio of brands.
With this agreement in place for Ontario, Happy Belly's focus now turns to securing further deals across Canada. "We are just getting started," Black concluded, emphasizing the company's commitment to expanding the Ghost Taco brand.
The expansion of Ghost Taco into 45 new locations in Ontario is expected to significantly boost the brand's presence in the region and further solidify its position as a leader in the fast-casual restaurant market.