New Hartford’s Carmella’s Café recruiting Upstate franchisees

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. — Carmella’s Café, a New Hartford eatery that describes itself as “Central New York’s favorite home grown American-Italian restaurant,” is recruiting franchisees in upstate New York.

The restaurant in July decided to make a “concentrated effort” to recruit franchisees in Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and Albany because of its “brand recognition and customer loyalties” in those locations, Carmella’s said in a news release.

As one of the newest restaurant brands to hit the franchise industry, Carmella’s Cafe wants to “strategically expand” in markets across the New England region with a long-term goal of having Carmella’s Café franchise restaurants operating along the East Coast, the restaurant said.

To help fuel growth in upstate New York, special-development incentives are available, the restaurant said.

Carmella’s Café is looking for qualified candidates with food-service operations to help re-launch the brand in New York, Mike Ezzo, president of Carmella’s Café Franchise Company, said in the news release.

“By joining our team, franchisees become part of a regionally established brand that has been in existence for over 25 years, outstanding training and ongoing support, incredible earning potential, successful business plan and many other benefits,” said Ezzo.

As it works to franchise its brand, Carmella’s Café is working with Franchise Marketing Systems, a Gainesville, Ga.–based franchise-consulting agency.

Carmella’s Café has its own page on the company’s website, www.franchisemarketingsystems.com.

The New Hartford eatery will provide franchisees with an “exclusive” territory with a population of about 50,000 for a single franchise, along with several weeks of training, according to the Franchise Marketing website.

“The fee for one franchise is $50,000. Minimal start-up costs can be as low as about $512,000, depending upon a number of factors,” the website says.

Potential franchisees can link to the Carmella’s franchising information through the “franchise” tab on the restaurant’s website.

The original Carmella’s Café opened in 1985, according to the restaurant’s news release.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com