KAPOLEI, Hawaii — Teriyaki Madness (TMAD) is taking a deep dive into the Pacific Ocean. The franchising rights to develop the entire state of Hawaii are now under the ownership of entrepreneur Ohmar Villavicencio, as the island expansion becomes the first venture of its kind for the rapidly-growing, fresh-Asian fast casual. The growth efforts will begin on Oahu in Kapolei, and Villavicencio will go on to open TMADs throughout the Islands.
An ideal franchisee, Villavicencio comes to TMAD as both a fan of the brand and a successful entrepreneur. For the last 15 years, he and his wife Lizzel Villavicencio owned an international project management company with a client list featuring high-profile brands like PetSmart, Amazon and Kroger. His family split time between Hawaii and Las Vegas and it was in Las Vegas where Villavicencio became a regular customer at TMAD.
“When I’m in Las Vegas, I eat Teriyaki Madness weekly – it’s healthy, delicious, and filling every time. I am eager to introduce the Spicy Chicken Bowl to the Islands,” said Villavicencio. “More than falling in love with the food, Teriyaki Madness is the best business for my family because of the way CEO Michael Haith has built the brand. He and the experienced team have thought of everything, and I am confident that they have perfected the art of running a Teriyaki Madness. That TMAD trusted Lizzel and I as the only franchisees for all of Hawaii was just icing on the cake.”
All of Hawaii’s TMADs will truly be a family business. Ohmar and Lizzel are both fully committed to working in the locations, and as each of their three kids gets old enough, they too will work at the different TMAD locations. With a second home in Kapolei, the Villavicencio clan will plant permanent roots on the island. “Family is the most important thing to me, and I want this to be a family business for a lifetime,” said Villavicencio.
“We are thrilled to be expanding into Hawaii, and Ohmar is the perfect partner for our brand,” says Teriyaki Madness CEO Michael Haith. “He has an impressive resume, and he’ll be a valuable asset in helping us grow and develop throughout the state. Our excitement for this expansion has corporate employees fighting over who gets to go to Hawaii to train the franchisee! It’s a great time for our brand.”
The first TMAD location in Kapolei is set to open in 2019.
About Teriyaki Madness
Teriyaki Madness, a fast-casual Asian restaurant concept featuring a Seattle Teriyaki menu, is committed to unconditionally satisfying guests by offering delicious, made-to-order Teriyaki dishes prepared with all natural, fresh ingredients that are served quickly, at a reasonable price in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The brand is dedicated to “Spreading the Madness” so that everyone can experience the best teriyaki on earth. The “Fresh, Fulfilling, and Fits your Life” concept was recently recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Franchise 500 company and by Franchise Business Review for their Top 50 Franchise Satisfaction award. Teriyaki Madness was founded in 2003 and currently has franchise agreements for nearly 150 locations in the U.S. Teriyaki Madness offers franchising opportunities nationwide for their concept to qualified single and multi-unit candidates.