Resisting the Recession: Extreme Brandz Opens 46 Restaurants in 2009, Expects to Open 100 More Worldwide in 2010

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - As restaurants continue to struggle with a recession that has put millions of people out of work and forced people to cut back on meals away from home, Extreme Brandz is experiencing "extreme" growth.

In 2009, the Canadian franchisor and operator of more than 275 restaurants in the United States and Canada under the brand names Extreme Pita, Mucho Burrito and Pureblendz, opened 46 new restaurants throughout North America and plans to open more than 100 additional restaurants worldwide in 2010.

"The current economic climate presents a great growth opportunity for Extreme Brandz, as consumers are constantly making trade-offs and looking for value when it comes to their dining options," said Alex Rechichi, Co-Founder and CEO of Extreme Brandz. "While many consumers are downgrading from casual dining to QSR, they prefer not to compromise their choice in food. Good economy or bad, customers want to enjoy foods they crave without sacrificing freshness, nutritional value and taste."

Extreme Pita

Continuing to offer consumers convenience and value with its large selection of fresh and nutritious pita sandwiches, Extreme Pita opened 28 restaurants throughout Canada and seven throughout the United States in 2009. Company plans call for opening an additional 40 locations throughout Canada and 15 throughout the United States in 2010.

Featuring a "no rules" menu that customizes every rolled pita to suit the individual tastes of its health conscious customers, Extreme Pita serves all pitas fresh or sautéed in water, not oil, right in front of the customer. Sandwich options range from chicken, tuna, steak and ham to vegetarian options, including falafel and hummus, among others.

Mucho Burrito

Mucho Burrito, offering fresh and authentic Mexican food in a contemporary and casual setting, opened 11 restaurants throughout Canada in 2009 and plans to open 25 new locations in 2010. Company plans also call for breaking into the U.S. marketplace, with two restaurants in the Seattle area in January.

Described as "Mucho food with Mucho quality," Mucho Burrito also features a "no rules" menu. Enhanced by the scent of spices and seasonings, roasted vegetables and charbroiled and braised meats, each meal is made to order in front of customers with authentic recipes and fresh ingredients made daily. Customers can choose from a variety of menu selections including hand-rolled burritos, tacos and quesadillas, as well as nacho plates, salads and a selection of custom "Johnny Mucho" sauces.

Pureblendz

Offering "All Natural - Pure Smoothies", Extreme Brandz launched its newest concept, Purblendz, in May 2009. Six locations opened throughout Canada and the United States in 2009 as a clip-on to Extreme Pita locations. The company will be opening stand-alone locations as Kiosk's and in-line stores in 2010.

The Purblendz menu will change in 2010 to include new smoothes categories under Green Smoothies and Elixirs Smoothies.

"We credit the current success of our stores to our customers' loyalty and our family of dedicated, hard-working franchisees," Rechichi added. "We look forward to building upon our success in the coming year and beyond, feeding consumer appetites and answering the call for healthful quick serve alternatives."

Extreme Brandz also has plans to expand internationally over the next five years and is looking to expand into the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe in 2010.

"International markets offer attractive demographics for Extreme Brandz, with young, affluent, increasingly well-educated and aspirational consumers looking for new products and experiences," said Mark Cunningham, Executive Vice President of International Operations & Business Development for Extreme Brandz. "Extreme Brandz has the perfect opportunity to work with a proven franchisor and enhance a franchise network that is poised for aggressive growth in many international markets."

About Extreme Brandz

A privately held company based in Mississauga, Ontario, Extreme Brandz is the franchisor and operator of more than 275 restaurants in the United States and Canada under the brand names Extreme Pita, Mucho Burrito and Pureblendz. The company's primary objective is to set a new bar in quick, fresh and healthy dining, and maintain an "ahead of the curve" philosophy towards reshaping the landscape of the QSR marketplace.