What JRI Hospitality does

JRI Hospitality is a privately held restaurant ownership, management, and franchising company founded in 2011 by Jason Ingermanson and headquartered in Salina, Kansas. The company operates a diversified portfolio of more than 145 restaurant and hospitality units across 18 U.S. states, making it the largest franchisee of Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers with 130+ locations. Beyond Freddy's, JRI owns and operates Chompie's (Arizona deli), The Original Grande (Southwestern cuisine), JC's BBQ & Grill, Powercat Sports Grill, and multiple Mokas Coffee & Eatery stores, alongside hospitality concepts including Salina Country Club, the M1918 speakeasy, Iron Mound Outfitters, Scottish Lodge, Whispering Prairie, and Sebree Meadows.

The underlying business is a multi-brand, multi-format restaurant operator combined with an emerging franchisor. Revenue is generated primarily through in-restaurant sales, drive-through, and catering across company-owned restaurants (transaction-fee revenue model), supplemented by franchise fees and royalties from the newly launched Mokas Coffee & Eatery franchising program, which carries startup costs of $943,000 to $2.5 million per location. The core operating technology is described as a restaurant operations and hospitality management platform; no proprietary AI, software, or API surface is documented. Customers are predominantly individual consumers (general public, families, Arizona-based deli patrons), with one notable institutional account at the Fort Lee Army Installation commissary.

JRI pursues growth through a combination of programmatic franchisee acquisitions (notably the March 2026 HCI Hospitality deal adding 43 Freddy's units), organic new unit development (target of 20 projects per year and 40 more Freddy's over the next decade), new concept launches (M1918, hospitality lodges), and franchising its own brands (Mokas). Leadership includes the founder-CEO, a President recruited from Ford Motor Company, the co-founder of Freddy's leading Mokas, and the former HCI CEO now leading Freddy's operations post-acquisition.

Name

JRI Hospitality

Legal name

JRI Investments, LLC

Website

https://jriusa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

JRI Hospitality is a privately held Salina, Kansas-based restaurant operator and emerging franchisor running 145+ units across 18 U.S. states, most notably as the largest Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers franchisee, and also operating Mokas Coffee, Chompie's, The Original Grande, and several hospitality concepts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Salina

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Operations Revenue: Revenue generated from company-owned and operated restaurants across multiple brands including Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Mokas Coffee & Eatery, Chompie's, The Original Grande, and other concepts. This includes in-restaurant sales, drive-through, and catering services.
2. Franchise Fees (Mokas): Mokas Coffee & Eatery has launched franchising with startup costs ranging from $943,000 to $2.5 million per location. JRI Hospitality generates franchise fees from new franchisee agreements including Christian Coleman's six-unit agreement for Kansas City metro, Lawrence, and Topeka markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

JRI Hospitality is a Salina, Kansas-based restaurant ownership, management, and franchising company that operates a multi-brand portfolio of 145+ restaurant and hospitality units across 18 states. The company is the largest franchisee of Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers with 130+ locations, and also operates company-owned concepts including Mokas Coffee & Eatery, Chompie's, The Original Grande, JC's BBQ & Grill, and Powercat Sports Grill, alongside hospitality venues such as Salina Country Club, M1918 Salina speakeasy, and various lodging and outdoor recreation properties.

Product overview

JRI Hospitality is a restaurant ownership and management company operating a diversified portfolio of 12+ restaurant and hospitality brands across multiple concepts. The core restaurant portfolio includes franchise operations (Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Mokas Coffee & Eatery, Chompie's, The Original Grande) and company-owned concepts (JC's BBQ & Grill, Powercat Sports Grill). Beyond dining, the portfolio extends to hospitality venues including Salina Country Club (golf and social club), M1918 Salina (speakeasy), Iron Mound Outfitters (hunting), Scottish Lodge (lodging), Whispering Prairie (event venue), and Sebree Meadows (equestrian). Post-HCI acquisition in March 2026, JRI operates 130+ Freddy's locations across 18 states, making it the chain's largest franchisee, with 145+ total restaurant units. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Salina, Kansas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mokas Coffee & Eatery: Coffee roastery and eatery serving breakfast and lunch, founded in 2005, now franchising nationally
• Chompie's
• The Original Grande
• Salina Country Club
• M1918 Salina
• Iron Mound Outfitters
• Scottish Lodge
• Whispering Prairie
• Sebree Meadows

Products and services

• Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Fast-casual restaurant chain offering cooked-to-order steakburgers, Chicago hot dogs, and frozen custard desserts. Operated by JRI Hospitality as the largest franchisee with 130+ locations across 18 states.
• Mokas Coffee & Eatery Specialty coffee shop and eatery serving in-house roasted coffee, espresso drinks, smoothies, breakfast and lunch fare including wraps, burritos, soups, and salads. Now offering franchising opportunities.
• Chompie's Arizona delicatessen serving New York style pastrami, matzo ball soup, fresh specialty salads, and breakfast favorites. One of Arizona's longest-serving restaurants with multi-generational menu favorites.
• The Original Grande Southwestern cuisine restaurant chain focused on high-quality ingredients and customer service. Operated by JRI Hospitality as a company-owned concept.
• JC's BBQ & Grill Full-service sports bar and grill located off I-70 in Junction City, KS. Serves BBQ favorites, burgers, sandwiches, and salads for lunch and dinner. Acquired via HCI Hospitality acquisition.
• Powercat Sports Grill Sports bar and grill in Manhattan, KS featuring 20+ TVs for game day viewing, legendary burgers, sandwiches, pizza, and more. Acquired via HCI Hospitality acquisition.
• Salina Country Club Premier social organization operating for over 100 years, featuring golf, dining, and social gatherings. Houses the M1918 speakeasy beneath the club. Acquired by JRI Hospitality in 2021.
• M1918 Salina Speakeasy 1920s era speakeasy located beneath Salina Country Club with secret entrances, period-inspired decor, and curated cocktail program. Open to the public Wednesday through Saturday by reservation.
• Iron Mound Outfitters Guided hunting outfitter spanning 4,500+ acres of native Kansas prairie in the Smoky Hills. Offers pheasant hunts, expert instruction, gear, lodging, and bird dog services.
• Scottish Lodge Warm retreat inspired by Scottish Highlands charm featuring lodge-style bedrooms, Highland-inspired bar, and dining experiences.
• Whispering Prairie Club accommodations on open fields overlooking Kansas prairie with seasonal pool. Offers weekend getaways, garden brunch, and chef-crafted seasonal dinners.
• Sebree Meadows Kansas equestrian destination offering horse riding lessons for all levels, guided trail rides, and equine-assisted learning programs. Includes on-site ranch lodging.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85+ Freddy's locations successfully opened and operated
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rodale InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 April 2023JRI Hospitality's Quail Creek Family Farms partnered with Rodale Institute to develop a Kansas-based Rodale Institute Farmer Training (RIFT) program and establish a Regional Resource Center in Salina, Kansas. The partnership focuses on regenerative organic agriculture education and training for the next generation of American farmers.
• Junior Achievement of ArizonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJRI Hospitality formed a partnership with Junior Achievement of Arizona to educate students about the restaurant business. This partnership allows thousands of Arizona students to learn more about the restaurant industry through JRI's Chompie's operations.
• Salina Guns & HosesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMokas Coffee & Eatery and M1918 Speakeasy partnered for a month-long 'Morning to Midnight' collaboration benefiting Salina Guns & Hoses, a local nonprofit dedicated to community relationships and supporting families in need.
• Barrio BreadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChompie's partnered with Barrio Bread (James Beard Award winner Don Guerra) to bring artisan Sonoran-style bagels to Chompie's locations. The collaboration started with 15 dozen bagels per week, growing to 80 dozen per week.
• Kansas Wesleyan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Kansas Wesleyan University as part of the Quail Creek Family Farms and Rodale Institute collaboration to expand access to regenerative organic agriculture education programming in Kansas.
• Quail Creek Family FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuail Creek Family Farms (owned by JRI Hospitality) partners with Rodale Institute and Kansas Wesleyan University to bring regenerative agriculture education and training programs to Kansas, supporting the state's workforce, economy, and environment.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Inspire Brands: Inspire is a Roark Capital-backed multi-brand restaurant holding company owning Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Dunkin', Jimmy John's, and Baskin-Robbins. As a portfolio aggregator of QSR/casual dining brands, it is the public-market proxy for the strategic logic of JRI's 12-brand portfolio.
• Bloomin' Brands: Bloomin' owns Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse. As a multi-brand casual dining operator with both company-owned and franchised units, it offers benchmarking on unit-economics, franchise mix, and M&A integration comparable to JRI's portfolio approach.
• Brinker International: Brinker owns Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy, operating as a multi-concept casual dining platform. Comparable to JRI's full-service concepts (Chompie's, The Original Grande) and illustrates the operating leverage profile of a mid-size multi-brand restaurant holding.
• Wendy's Company: The Wendy's Company is a publicly traded QSR franchisor with ~7,000 system-wide restaurants heavily reliant on large franchisees. JRI's largest Freddy's franchisee positioning within the Freddy's system mirrors Wendy's large franchisee dynamics and offers benchmarking on franchise system economics and operator concentration.
• Darden Restaurants: Darden operates Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, and Ruth's Chris Steak House. While full-service rather than QSR, Darden is the canonical multi-brand restaurant operator public comparable for capital allocation and brand portfolio management.
• Restaurant Brands International: RBI owns Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs. While it operates as a franchisor rather than franchisee, it represents the public-market blueprint for a multi-brand QSR holding company and frames valuation comparables for JRI's portfolio aggregation strategy.

Direct peers

• Flynn Restaurant Group: Flynn is the largest U.S. multi-brand restaurant franchisee, operating ~2,400+ units across Applebee's, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Panera, Arby's, and Pizza Hut (including the absorbed NPC International). It is the closest direct comparable to JRI's multi-brand franchisee operator model, demonstrating the strategic and financial playbook for scaling a franchisee holding company.
• AmRest Holdings: AmRest is a multi-brand restaurant franchisee headquartered in Europe operating KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Starbucks, and proprietary brands across 20+ countries. It is one of the few public multi-brand franchisee operators globally, directly comparable to JRI's multi-concept franchisee strategy at scaled unit count.
• Yadav Enterprises: Yadav is one of the largest Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers franchisees and also operates other QSR brands. It is the most head-to-head competitor to JRI within the Freddy's system and a natural roll-up target or co-investor in the same franchise.

Others

• Roark Capital Group: Roark Capital is a private equity firm focused on franchised businesses and owns Inspire Brands, Subway, GoTo Foods, and other restaurant platforms. It represents the strategic acquirer/investor archetype most likely to engage JRI at scale, and its restaurant portfolio benchmarks PE-level returns on franchisee aggregation.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jriusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jri-management

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JRI Hospitality