Graze Craze, a fast casual franchise that serves hand-crafted charcuterie boards, is accelerating development in the Atlanta metro area following the openings of its first three Georgia locations in Sandy Springs, Woodstock and Columbus last year, by aligning with Atlanta’s culinary scene and the growing popularity of wine throughout the state.
Atlanta is located just an hour away from the Dahlonega Plateau, which has the highest concentration of wine producers in Georgia. Today, the state has over 70 wineries, up from about 45 a decade ago, and local viniculture is expected to continue on its growth trajectory as awareness and investment in the region increases.
“Atlanta is an ideal market for our brand as a thriving metropolis that not only has an awesome food scene and growing population, but also a strong business culture which supports franchise development,” Cory Hibbard, president of Graze Craze, said in a company press release. “Georgia has consistently ranked as the number-one state for doing business for the last decade and with Atlanta poised for continued growth and development, we see a strong future for the Graze Craze brand in the area.”
Spearheading the brand’s early growth in Atlanta are franchise owners Anju Singh and Grant Prata, who own the Sandy Springs and Woodstock locations, respectively. Singh, who plans to open 11 additional Graze Craze locations across the greater metro area in the coming years. “The second I tried the charcuterie from Graze Craze, I knew I wanted to bring the concept to the Sandy Springs community. The quality of the ingredients and the elevated presentation of the boards are unmatched, and I loved that I could turn something that I enjoy into a business opportunity,” he said in the release.
Driven by their passion for wine and quality dining options, Veronica and Terry Hutchison recently opened the Columbus, Georgia Graze Craze. The local entrepreneurs have been serving the community for over 20 years and were excited to discover a business concept that would allow them to offer something fresh and creative.
Meanwhile, new franchise owner Luteesa Ford is gearing up to open Graze Craze’s third Atlanta metro location in the second quarter of 2023. Ford, who previously worked as an engineer, will bring a Graze Craze to 2221 Peachtree Road, Suite N, in the Shops of Buckhead.
Charcuterie and graze-style dining have gained national popularity in recent years. Sales of charcuterie meats and snacks in the U.S. were over $950 million in 2020 and continue to grow at about 10% per year.
Graze Craze is a member of the Starpoint Brands, a division of United Franchise Group, which owns a variety of businesses, including Signarama, Office Evolution, Network Lead Exchange, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill.
