Focus Brands
Focus Brands, rebranded to GoTo Foods in 2024, is a private Atlanta-based multi-brand franchise holding company that licenses seven iconic restaurant brands — Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky's — to independent franchisees operating 7,100+ locations across 70 countries, earning royalties and licensing fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Focus Brands does
Focus Brands, which rebranded to GoTo Foods in 2024, is a privately held, Atlanta-headquartered multi-brand restaurant franchise holding company founded in 2001. It operates as the parent platform for seven iconic consumer food brands: Carvel (founding brand, soft-serve ice cream and ice cream cakes), Cinnabon (cinnamon rolls and specialty beverages), Schlotzsky's (deli sandwiches), Moe's Southwest Grill (Mexican create-to-order), Auntie Anne's (fresh-baked pretzels), McAlister's Deli (sandwiches, salads, soups), and Jamba (smoothies and juices). The portfolio was assembled over two decades through sequential acquisitions beginning with Carvel in 2001 and concluding with Jamba in 2018.
The company does not operate restaurants directly; instead, it licenses franchise rights and collects royalties and ongoing fees from independent franchise owners who run the 7,100+ locations across all 50 US states and 70 countries and territories. GoTo Foods monetizes primarily through franchise royalties and licensing fees, supplemented by centralized purchasing leverage and shared support services. Franchisees — the company's primary customer segment — are entrepreneurs and business investors who gain access to established brand recognition, operational playbooks, training, supply chain economies of scale, and corporate development resources. The platform spans quick-service, fast-casual, casual-dining, snack, and beverage categories, allowing franchisees to diversify across multiple concepts.
GoTo Foods is led by CEO Omer Gajial, supported by a leadership team including a CTO, CFO, CMO, and category presidents overseeing restaurant and specialty brand portfolios. The company competes in a fragmented global franchise industry against other multi-brand operators (e.g., Yum! Brands, Inspire Brands) and single-brand franchisors, with its competitive position resting on brand heritage, scale economics, and a cross-brand support platform rather than on disclosed proprietary technology.
Focus Brands firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Focus Brands
- Legal name
- GOTO Foods
- Website
- https://focusbrands.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Focus Brands, rebranded to GoTo Foods in 2024, is a private Atlanta-based multi-brand franchise holding company that licenses seven iconic restaurant brands — Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky's — to independent franchisees operating 7,100+ locations across 70 countries, earning royalties and licensing fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Focus Brands industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Restaurant Franchise Services
- NAICS
- Special Food Services (7223)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Concept / Global QSR Chains (Mixed Menus) (THAFAAAO)
Keywords
Where Focus Brands is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Focus Brands business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Franchise Royalties and Licensing: GoTo Foods generates revenue through franchise royalties and licensing fees from its seven iconic brands. Franchisees pay ongoing royalties and fees in exchange for brand rights, operational support, and access to optimized processes and economies of scale.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Focus Brands product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Focus Brands (GoTo Foods) is a multi-brand franchise holding company that licenses and supports seven iconic food service brands — Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky's — through independent franchise operators running more than 7,100 locations across all 50 U.S. states and 70 countries. Revenue is generated through franchise royalties, licensing fees, and ongoing franchise support services; the company provides franchisees with operational processes, training, and purchasing scale.
Product overview
Focus Brands operates as a franchise holding company that rebranded as GoTo Foods in 2024. The company provides a multi-brand franchise platform consisting of seven iconic food service brands: Carvel (founding brand, soft-serve ice cream), Cinnabon (oven-fresh cinnamon rolls), Schlotzsky's (deli sandwiches), Moe's Southwest Grill (Mexican create-to-order burritos), Auntie Anne's (fresh-baked pretzels), McAlister's Deli (sandwiches and soups), and Jamba (smoothies and juices). These brands operate through a franchise model, offering franchisee support, resources, and optimized profit-driving processes across over 7,100 locations globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Auntie Anne's: Fresh-baked pretzels - iconic pretzel brand known for hand-rolled soft pretzels
- Carvel
- Cinnabon
- Jamba
- McAlister's Deli
- Moe's Southwest Grill
- Schlotzsky's Deli
Products and services
- Auntie Anne's Iconic pretzel brand franchise offering hand-rolled soft pretzels, pretzel bites, and related snack products through franchised retail locations for consumer purchase.
- Carvel Franchised ice cream brand offering soft-serve ice cream and uniquely shaped ice cream cakes through franchised retail locations for consumer purchase.
- Cinnabon Franchised bakery-cafe brand offering oven-fresh cinnamon rolls and signature specialty beverages through franchised retail locations for consumer purchase.
- Jamba Franchised smoothie and juice brand offering blended beverages and healthy menu items through franchised retail locations for consumer purchase.
- McAlister's Deli Franchised deli concept offering sandwiches, soups, salads, and southern-inspired menu items through franchised retail locations for consumer purchase.
- Moe's Southwest Grill Franchised Mexican grill concept offering create-to-order burritos, tacos, and related Mexican menu items through franchised retail locations for consumer purchase.
- Schlotzsky's Franchised deli concept known for its signature sourdough bun and deli sandwiches, soups, and related items through franchised retail locations for consumer purchase.
Companies that use Focus Brands
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Focus Brands technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Focus Brands partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Focus Brands competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Domino's Pizza: Single-brand QSR franchisor with heavily franchised global model. Comparable for franchise unit economics, royalty streams, and global franchisee recruitment playbook.
- Dine Brands Global: Multi-brand restaurant franchisor (Applebee's, IHOP, Fuzzy's Taco Shop). Direct comparable in franchise-holding company structure, though more focused on casual/family dining versus QSR.
- Restaurant Brands International: Publicly-traded multi-brand QSR franchisor (Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes, Firehouse Subs). Directly comparable business model: asset-light franchisor of multiple iconic QSR brands with global footprint.
- Yum! Brands: Publicly-traded multi-brand QSR franchisor (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Habit Burger). Pure asset-light franchisor of multiple global QSR brands - the cleanest public comparable to GoTo Foods' model.
- Inspire Brands: Multi-brand restaurant platform owning Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Dunkin', Jimmy John's, and Baskin-Robbins. Closest direct comparable as a Roark Capital-backed multi-brand QSR/franchise holding company of similar scale.
Broad incumbents
- Wendy's Company: Single-brand QSR franchisor operating The Wendy's Company globally. Comparable QSR franchise model but lacks the multi-brand platform structure that differentiates GoTo Foods.
- Jack in the Box: QSR franchisor operating Jack in the Box and Del Taco. Comparable in franchise-heavy model and QSR segment exposure, though smaller scale and limited international presence.
- Papa John's International: Single-brand QSR franchisor with global footprint. Comparable for franchise royalty economics and international franchisee model, though not multi-brand.
- Wingstop: Pure-play franchised QSR concept with high unit-level economics and asset-light model. Comparable in franchisee recruitment and digital-first QSR operations, though single-brand.
Others
- Roark Capital Group: Private equity firm focused on multi-brand restaurant and consumer franchise platforms; controls Inspire Brands and previously held Focus Brands. Comparable as the financial sponsor behind multi-brand QSR roll-ups at similar scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Focus Brands social profiles
Digital presenceFocus Brands financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Focus Brands leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Focus Brands subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Focus Brands funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Focus Brands M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Focus Brands
What does Focus Brands do?
Focus Brands (GoTo Foods) is a multi-brand franchise holding company that licenses and supports seven iconic food service brands — Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky's — through independent franchise operators running more than 7,100 locations across all 50 U.S. states and 70 countries. Revenue is generated through franchise royalties, licensing fees, and ongoing franchise support services; the company provides franchisees with operational processes, training, and purchasing scale.
Is Focus Brands a public or private company?
Focus Brands is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Focus Brands founded?
Focus Brands was founded in 2001. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Focus Brands based?
Focus Brands is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Focus Brands make money?
One revenue line is on record: franchise Royalties and Licensing.
Who are Focus Brands's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Domino's Pizza, Dine Brands Global, Restaurant Brands International, Yum! Brands and Inspire Brands. Broad incumbents are Wendy's Company, Jack in the Box, Papa John's International and Wingstop. Roark Capital Group is listed as an others.
Does Focus Brands have an API?
No public API is recorded for Focus Brands.
What industry is Focus Brands in?
Focus Brands's product category is Restaurant Franchise Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAAAO, Multi-Concept / Global QSR Chains (Mixed Menus). Its NAICS code is 7223 and its SIC code is 5812.