OPA! of Greece continues to expand across the country with an emphasis going forward on streetfront locations.
Recently, the brand opened its 13th location in Edmonton and another one in Canmore, Alberta.
“We’re not opening any more food court or mall locations. Our growth is streetfront locations,” said Sergio Terrazas, Director, Franchise Development & Leasing.
OPA was founded in Calgary in 1998 and is Canada’s largest and fastest-growing Greek food franchise with 109 locations nationwide from British Columbia to Ontario and counting. There’s also one in the U.S.
“About 60 to 65 per cent of all of our stores are streetfront locations. Our natural growth will be streetfront locations in strip malls. The customers’ shopping habits in malls have changed after COVID and we have seen a lot of double-digit sales increases in our streetfront locations. Lots of takeout and delivery from the customers,” said Terrazas.
“I’m not saying that we’re not doing great in food court locations. However, that’s our main growth in the streetfront locations.
“We have opened so far this year five stores between Lower Mainland, BC, Vancouver Island, Canmore, Edmonton and Winnipeg. For the remainder of 2023, perhaps another six to eight locations and those would be again Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, Edmonton, Sherwood Park in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan and we’re opening one in London, Ontario as well.”
He said for 2023 the company will open 11 to 13 locations depending on construction and municipal approvals.
“We already have a lineup secured for next year eight to 10 other locations plus whatever else we can accomplish for next year,” said Terrazas. “Our goal from 2024 and on is between 15 to 20 locations.
“Where do we want to be? We want to continue being the largest Greek restaurant chain in North America which we are right now. Our goal and where we see opportunity is to have over 200 locations within the next five to six years in Canada plus our big expected growth in the U.S. market as well.
“Right now, we have big growth coming and continuing to come in the BC area. There’s lots of growth and lots of stores to be opened there. We are filling up some pockets in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba but our main focus right now and big push is in the Ontario market. The Ontario market itself can give us another 80 to 100 locations itself. Streetfront locations. That’s our big push for a little while – the next five or six years. However, it doesn’t mean we’re not going to be exploring and pushing our U.S. market. We have already done a lot of work with legal documents in the U.S. market.
“So hopefully within this year or next year that’s going to be another big push – in the U.S. market. The growth is going to be different. Here we’re looking for single-unit operators that could become multi-unit operators. In the U.S., the approach is different. The U.S. is through groups that already own one or two or more concepts that have the experience, that have financial capability and the experience to grow with us with multi-unit stores.”
The typical size of streetfront stores is anywhere from 1,000 to 1,400 square feet. However, in high density areas such as downtown Vancouver or downtown Toronto, OPA can lower the size to 900 square feet with less seating capacity that allows more foot traffic, takeout and delivery.
“OPA is a great concept. It’s very, very unique with healthy options,” said Terrazas.
