Graze Craze

For the discerning franchise investor navigating the dynamic landscape of the food service industry, a critical challenge lies in identifying concepts that offer both robust growth potential and a differentiated market position beyond traditional dining models. Graze Craze, a rapidly expanding charcuterie franchise, directly addresses this need by providing an innovative alternative to conventional catering and restaurant options, specializing in artfully designed and hand-crafted charcuterie boards, boxes, and grazing tables suitable for a wide array of occasions. The brand was founded in 2018 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, by Kerry Sylvester, a U.S. Air Force veteran with a foundational background in the food industry, establishing its roots in a burgeoning culinary niche. By 2021, Graze Craze had significantly bolstered its trajectory by joining the United Franchise Group (UFG), a global leader in franchising that has been a cornerstone of the industry since its establishment in 1986. This strategic affiliation positioned Graze Craze as an affiliated brand within UFG's dedicated food division, known as Big Flavor Brands™ or Starpoint Brands™, leveraging the extensive resources and expertise of a seasoned franchisor. With its headquarters now located in West Palm Beach, Florida, Graze Craze has demonstrated an extraordinary growth trajectory, transitioning from a nascent concept to a significant player in the limited-service restaurant category. The brand’s impressive expansion culminated in the opening of its 100th location in the Lake Nona community of Orlando, Florida, on October 2, 2025, a remarkable achievement less than five years after launching its franchise program. This milestone places Graze Craze in an elite category, as fewer than 20% of U.S. franchises ever reach the 100-unit mark, underscoring its dominant growth and strategic importance for franchise investors seeking a high-performing and unique opportunity. This independent analysis aims to provide a data-dense evaluation of the Graze Craze franchise, offering the comprehensive intelligence necessary for informed investment decisions, rather than serving as promotional material.

The limited-service restaurants category, within which Graze Craze operates, represents a substantial segment of the food service industry, characterized by its resilience and adaptability, and is experiencing continuous evolution driven by shifting consumer preferences. Key consumer trends are demonstrably fueling demand for concepts like Graze Craze, including a growing appreciation for artisanal and specialty food items, a heightened desire for convenient yet high-quality catering solutions for both personal and corporate events, and the pervasive influence of social media driving demand for visually appealing and shareable culinary experiences. The increasing prevalence of remote work has also contributed to a greater demand for home-based entertaining and convenient food options, while a general consumer shift towards more health-conscious and customizable dining choices aligns perfectly with the fresh, diverse components typically found on charcuterie boards. These secular tailwinds create a significant opportunity for brands that can deliver bespoke, high-quality food experiences outside the traditional restaurant format. The industry landscape for specialized food concepts like charcuterie is often fragmented at the local level, comprising numerous independent artisans; however, Graze Craze has rapidly emerged as a consolidating force, bringing a standardized, scalable, and branded approach to this niche. Macroeconomic forces, such as the continued growth of the experience economy and a preference for unique, curated dining options, further amplify the attractiveness of this industry category for franchise investment. Investors are drawn to the limited-service sector for its typically lower overhead compared to full-service establishments and its proven ability to adapt to changing market conditions, making a concept like Graze Craze, with its focus on off-premise consumption and catering, particularly compelling.

While specific financial figures for the Graze Craze franchise investment are not available, a nuanced understanding of the operational model and the broader limited-service restaurant category allows for an informed perspective on the potential cost structure and accessibility of this franchise opportunity. The absence of specific franchise fee, total investment range, liquid capital, net worth requirements, royalty rates, or advertising fees in the provided data necessitates a focus on the structural advantages inherent in the Graze Craze business model and the robust backing of its parent company. Given its specialization in charcuterie boards, boxes, and grazing tables, the Graze Craze operating model likely minimizes the extensive build-out costs associated with traditional dine-in restaurants, which typically require significant investment in kitchen infrastructure, seating, and elaborate front-of-house designs. Instead, the investment would primarily focus on a dedicated preparation space, specialized equipment for food handling and presentation, inventory management systems, and a robust delivery and catering logistics setup. The affiliation with United Franchise Group (UFG), a global leader in franchising established in 1986, provides a powerful corporate backing that implies strong support systems for franchisees, potentially including advantageous supply chain relationships, sophisticated marketing strategies, and comprehensive operational guidance, all of which contribute to the overall value proposition of the investment. Ray Titus serves as the CEO of United Franchise Group, underscoring the high-level leadership overseeing Graze Craze as an affiliated brand within UFG's Big Flavor Brands™ or Starpoint Brands™ food division. This corporate infrastructure, while not directly detailing specific costs, suggests a well-supported system designed for franchisee success, offering a layer of stability and resources often unavailable to independent ventures.

The operating model for a Graze Craze franchisee is primarily centered around the meticulous art of crafting charcuterie products and managing a robust catering and delivery service, rather than the complexities of a traditional dine-in restaurant. Daily operations involve sourcing high-quality ingredients, artfully arranging boards and boxes, fulfilling orders for pickup and delivery, and coordinating catering services for various events and occasions. This model emphasizes culinary artistry and efficient logistics, allowing for a focused operational approach. Staffing requirements are likely streamlined compared to full-service establishments, focusing on skilled food preparers, order fulfillment specialists, and delivery personnel, rather than extensive front-of-house waitstaff. The core offering of charcuterie boards, boxes, and grazing tables inherently defines the format, positioning Graze Craze as an off-premise, catering-centric business. While specific training program details are not available, the backing of United Franchise Group, a global leader in franchising since 1986, strongly suggests a comprehensive training curriculum designed to equip franchisees with the necessary skills in food preparation, operational management, marketing, and customer service. This ongoing corporate support from UFG, which Graze Craze joined in 2021, would typically include access to field consultants, advanced technology platforms for order management and marketing, established supply chain networks for cost-effective sourcing, and continuous marketing programs to drive brand awareness and customer acquisition. Cory Hibbard, appointed President of Graze Craze in 2022, has been instrumental in overseeing the brand's significant growth, indicating strong leadership dedicated to franchisee success and support. While specific territory structures or exclusivity details are not available, standard franchise practices typically involve protected territories to ensure franchisees have a defined market to develop. The brand's rapid expansion and numerous franchise agreements also suggest a strong potential and encouragement for multi-unit development, appealing to investors seeking to scale their portfolio. The nature of the business model allows for flexibility, potentially supporting both owner-operator models, where the franchisee is actively involved in daily operations, and a semi-absentee model with a strong management team in place.

Item 19 financial performance data is not disclosed in the current Franchise Disclosure Document for Graze Craze, which means specific average unit revenues, median revenues, or profit margins are not publicly available through this channel. However, a comprehensive analysis of the brand's growth trajectory and reported sales metrics provides compelling indicators of its unit-level performance and overall financial health within the limited-service restaurant category. Graze Craze has demonstrated exceptional sales growth, reporting a remarkable 33% increase in same-store sales year-over-year in 2024, coupled with an 80% increase in systemwide sales for the same period. This consistent performance is further highlighted by achieving double-digit comparable sales increases every single month throughout 2024, culminating in Q4 2024 marking its 14th consecutive quarter of positive growth. The momentum continued into 2025, with the brand posting 27 straight weeks of year-over-year average unit volume (AUV) growth, closing out Q2 2025 as its 16th consecutive positive quarter. These robust sales figures, while not providing granular profit and loss statements, strongly suggest healthy unit-level economics and a high demand for the Graze Craze product offering. The rapid expansion of the franchise footprint further corroborates this positive outlook; in 2022, Graze Craze more than quadrupled its number of open locations, averaging approximately one new location per week by Q4 2022. From 12 locations across the U.S. in July 2022, the brand grew to 34 locations in 18 states by January 2023, with ambitious plans to open 30 new outposts in 10 new states, targeting over 60 locations for 2023. The year 2024 saw the opening of 32 new locations, reflecting a 20% unit growth over 2023 and entry into four new states, alongside the signing of 49 new franchise agreements. As of March 2025, the development pipeline included 51 locations, with the brand projected to eclipse 100 locations in the first quarter of 2025, a milestone achieved by October 2, 2025, with the opening of its 100th location in Orlando, Florida. Year-to-date in 2025, Graze Craze had already opened 23 new locations and signed 45 new franchise agreements, with over 175 locations in development as of 2026. The FPI Score of 67, classified as "Strong," provides an independent, quantitative assessment of the brand's overall health and attractiveness as a franchise opportunity, further bolstering confidence in its underlying business model and suggesting favorable unit-level performance even in the absence of explicit Item 19 data.

Graze Craze has exhibited an exceptionally aggressive and successful growth trajectory since launching its franchise program in 2021, establishing itself as a significant force in the specialty food and limited-service restaurant sectors. The brand’s unit count has soared, starting with 12 locations across the U.S. by July 2022, and expanding to 34 locations in 18 states by January 2023, reflecting a remarkable pace of approximately one new location opening per week by Q4 2022. The year 2024 marked Graze Craze's most successful year to date, with 32 new locations opened, representing a 20% unit growth over 2023, and entry into four new states, significantly expanding its geographic footprint. This rapid expansion is underpinned by robust franchise development efforts, as evidenced by the signing of 49 new franchise agreements in 2024 and an additional 45 new agreements year-to-date in 2025, with 51 locations in its development pipeline as of March 2025 and over 175 locations in development as of 2026. The brand proudly opened its 100th location on October 2, 2025, less than five years after initiating its franchise program, a testament to its compelling business model and strong market acceptance. A critical corporate development that catalyzed this growth was Graze Craze joining the United Franchise Group (UFG) in 2021, which provided immediate access to UFG’s extensive franchising expertise and resources, including the appointment of Cory Hibbard as President in 2022, who has been instrumental in overseeing this significant expansion. The brand's competitive moat is built upon its specialization in "artfully designed and hand-crafted charcuterie boards, boxes, and grazing tables," offering a distinct alternative to traditional dining options that resonates with modern consumers seeking unique culinary experiences. This proprietary product offering, combined with the operational scale and marketing prowess afforded by its affiliation with UFG, creates a formidable barrier to entry for competitors. Graze Craze has effectively adapted to current market conditions by focusing on catering for various occasions and likely leveraging digital platforms for ordering and delivery, aligning with consumer preferences for convenience and customized food solutions. The brand’s commitment to innovation and its strong leadership under UFG's umbrella position it for sustained growth and continued market leadership. The first international store in Canada, which debuted in Brossard, Quebec, further signifies the brand's global aspirations and scalable model beyond the U.S. market.

The ideal Graze Craze franchisee is typically an entrepreneurial individual with a passion for high-quality food, a strong aptitude for business management, and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences, particularly in the catering and specialty food segments. While specific prior experience in the food industry is beneficial, as demonstrated by founder Kerry Sylvester's background, it may not be strictly required given the comprehensive training and support provided by United Franchise Group. Candidates with strong organizational skills, a knack for local marketing and community engagement, and the ability to manage a small team focused on precision and artistry would be particularly well-suited. The brand's rapid expansion and numerous new franchise agreements strongly suggest that Graze Craze and United Franchise Group actively encourage and support multi-unit development, appealing to experienced operators looking to diversify or expand their franchise portfolios. Available territories are extensive, encompassing locations across the U.S. and expanding internationally, as evidenced by its entry into four new states in 2024 and its first international store in Brossard, Quebec, Canada. The brand had ambitious goals to open 30 new outposts in 10 new states in 2023, indicating a broad geographic focus for expansion. While specific data on which markets perform best is not available, typically, concepts specializing in artisanal and catering services thrive in vibrant urban and affluent suburban communities with a strong demand for unique dining alternatives and event services. The timeline from signing a franchise agreement to the grand opening of a Graze Craze location would involve site selection, build-out or conversion, comprehensive training, and local marketing initiatives, guided by the experienced UFG support team. The franchise agreement term length and renewal terms, while not specified, would follow standard industry practices, offering long-term operational rights with opportunities for renewal based on compliance and performance. Considerations for transfer and resale would also be governed by the established policies of United Franchise Group, providing a clear framework for franchisees' long-term investment planning.

For franchise investors evaluating opportunities in the rapidly evolving food service sector, Graze Craze presents a compelling investment thesis, particularly within the context of the growing demand for unique, high-quality, and convenient dining alternatives. The brand’s extraordinary growth trajectory, marked by quadrupling its open locations in 2022, achieving 20% unit growth in 2024, and reaching 100 locations by October 2, 2025, positions it as a market leader in the charcuterie segment. This rapid expansion is underpinned by robust financial indicators, including a 33% increase in same-store sales and an 80% increase in systemwide sales in 2024, along with 16 consecutive quarters of positive growth through Q2 2025, signaling strong unit-level performance and market acceptance. The strategic backing of United Franchise Group, a global leader in franchising since 1986, provides Graze Craze with unparalleled resources, expertise, and a proven system for franchisee success, significantly de-risking the investment compared to independent ventures. This affiliation, coupled with the brand’s innovative product offering and adaptability to modern consumer trends, firmly establishes Graze Craze as a high-potential franchise opportunity. PeerSense provides exclusive due diligence data including SBA lending history, FPI score, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and side-by-side comparison tools. Explore the complete Graze Craze franchise profile on PeerSense to access the full suite of independent franchise intelligence data.