A Houston doughnut chain hands its first Ohio territory to operators from banking and legal backgrounds, testing Midwest demand.
Shipley Donuts signed a three-unit agreement with Koelache Co. LLC and will enter Ohio for the first time. The Houston chain now runs more than 390 franchised and company stores across 13 states. The deal moves a Southern brand into a market it has never operated.
Don and Kat Koetting come from banking and food-and-beverage legal work, not restaurant ownership. That background signals a capital-disciplined approach over fast unit counts, with the first store set for early 2027 and the other two by 2029. For franchisors recruiting in new regions, finance-literate operators reduce the risk of stalled builds.
Three units over roughly three years is deliberate, not aggressive. Doughnuts and coffee face heavy competition from national chains and convenience stores, so a slow Ohio ramp lets Shipley test demand before committing more capital. Multi-unit operators should read the pace as a brand prioritizing site quality over speed.
Shipley told investors in its first-quarter update it plans to open 25 shops by year-end and keeps recruiting across the South, Southeast and Midwest. The Ohio entry fits a pattern of filling white space next to its base rather than leaping coast to coast. That geographic discipline keeps supply chains and field support manageable as the system grows.
Shipley Do-NutsThe Houston-based donut brand opened 25 shops through September, with Q4 on pace to outrun 2024's full-year total by more than 60 percent.
Revscale Media (illustration)The Australian strength and conditioning brand enters the U.S. through Florida, betting low attrition can win in a crowded boutique fitness market.
Revscale Media (illustration)PuroSystems is franchising AccuGuard Environmental, a mobile asbestos and lead testing concept built by one of PuroClean's top ten operators.
Revscale Media (illustration)The Berkshire Hathaway affiliate is pulling a respected real estate strategy shop in-house as it rebuilds itself into an active parent company.
VIO Med SpaThe med spa franchise signed 19 owners in nine months as health and medical led every franchise sector in 2025 sales growth.
Revscale Media (illustration)The Freeman Spogli-owned retailer opened 13 stores across six states last quarter and is holding a pace of 60 to 70 signings a year.
