Bojangles, one of the nation’s leading restaurant franchises famous for its chicken, biscuits and tea, announced today it has signed a franchise development agreement with Melanbo, a franchise group partly owned by prestigious music executives, Mel Carter and Kevin “Coach K” Lee. Carter and his ownership group will develop 14 new locations in Greater Atlanta, building upon their acquisition of 18 existing Bojangles restaurants in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The acquisition and size of the multi-unit development agreement makes Melanbo the largest Black controlled franchisee in Bojangles’ system.

“Over the last few years, we have been aggressively seeking opportunities to grow our footprint in Atlanta, and we are thrilled to have reached an agreement with two influential voices in the city’s community,” said Patricia Halpin, Vice President of Franchise Growth, Bojangles. “Mel and Coach K bring a unique perspective and energy to our network of operators that will be extremely beneficial to the brand’s growth going forward. Their passion for Atlanta and the community is unparalleled, and we look forward to seeing their success, as well as further diversifying our franchisee network with more powerful leaders like Mel and Coach K.”

Immigrating to the United States of America at age 12, Carter grew up in Brooklyn, New York, working a variety of jobs to help his family make ends meet. By age 20, he had begun working in the music business and established himself as one of the top executives in the industry. Now residing in both New York and Atlanta, Carter just signed a Joint Venture deal with Warner Music for his record label, Second Estate Records. Prior to that, he served as the SVP of A&R for Republic Records.

“I was blown away with my first experience eating Bojangles. The chicken was seasoned to perfection and the biscuits were genuinely the best I’ve ever had,” said Carter. “I’m honored to be a part of the Bojangles family. CEO Jose Armario has been supportive throughout our entire journey and sees our vision for Melanbo.”

Bojangles’ agreement with Carter and Lee builds on the brand’s accelerated growth in 2022 with more than 100 new locations in its development pipeline within target markets, which include Dallas-Fort Worth, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., among others.

Franchise opportunities with Bojangles remain in regions across the U.S., including the Southwest, Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and parts of the Southeast. Candidates should have restaurant and business experience, along with a minimum net worth of $1.0M and liquid capital of $500,000. For more information about development opportunities, contact Lead Qualifier Manager of Franchise Development Robin Weiner, at [email protected] or (704) 940-8790, or visit bojangles.com/franchising.