California-based restaurant group expanding 3 fast casuals

Encinal Brands LLC, a restaurant group with over 40 franchise units in California, has made expansion plans for three of those brands: Blue Burro, The Buffalo Spot and Tacomasa. CEO and Founder Ivan Flores said special pricing and opportunities for franchisees and multi-unit owners has resulted in the launch of locations in Arizona, Nevada and Texas. An additional 150 restaurants will open over the next five years.

“As we continue growing, we are offering potential franchisees an exciting opportunity with our distinctive approach to Mexican food,” Flores said in a company press release. “With traditional family recipes blended with modern menu items such as our world-famous Buffalo Fries and premium shakes, we are disrupting the industry and offering potential owners a blueprint for success.”

Flores added that owning a restaurant franchise is something that anyone can achieve with enough determination.

“As a young boy growing up on my grandfather’s ranch in Mexico, I dreamed of owning a restaurant even though sometimes we didn’t know where our next meal was coming from,” he said in the release. “I had no high school education or any other advantages. I taught myself everything I needed to know, and eventually my determination paid off. myself. Now I am building a great legacy for my family, and all our franchise owners are doing the same for their families as well.”

New locations in the Southwest include a Blue Burro restaurant in Gilbert, Arizona, and two locations for The Buffalo Spot in Texas, in San Antonio and Arlington. In addition, a Tacomasa location is opening soon in Cypress, California. Flores said multi-unit owners are adding units to their portfolios because his teams helps them with site selection, build out, initial training, marketing and ongoing support.

“We’re constantly working to offer our guests an experience that no one else can,” Flores said in the release. “For example, at The Buffalo Spot, it’s our world-famous Buffalo Fries. Although Americans eat an average of 30 pounds of French fries per year, our world-famous Buffalo Fries originated here and have made The Buffalo Spot a destination. Next, we are planning to add Shrimp Buffalo Fries, and we believe this will be just as popular with customers.”

At Blue Burro, burritos are king, beginning with breakfast burritos stuffed with ham, bacon or steak. Other offerings include the Surf-N-Turf Burrito, the Campechana Burrito and chips loaded with marinated chicken, pork, or steak as well as milkshakes.

Flores said Tacomasa keeps guests clamoring for more with authentic tacos, mulitas, tortas, quesadillas and fries.

“Overall, we like to keep our menus simple,” he said in the release. “But we also like to offer our guests new, bold flavors that they haven’t experienced anywhere else.”

According to IBISWorld, the Mexican restaurant industry in the U.S. is growing at a rate of 7% in 2022. Flores said the figures will continue to spike over the next five years.

“It’s a perfect time to align with a growing brand with many open territories,” Flores said in the release. “We have a lot of incentives for new franchisees and multi-unit owners.”