Editor’s note: This article has been updated with information from a Southpaw press release.
Taco Bell franchisee Mas Restaurant Group has sold 43 restaurants in the Columbus, Ohio, market to Southpaw, another franchisee, according to a Thursday press release. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Southpaw now owns over 185 Taco Bell locations across seven states. Including its Dunkin’ locations, it operates over 230 restaurants in nine states with annual sales of over $475 million, according to a Southpaw press release.
MRG will continue to operate 36 Taco Bell locations in the Houston market with backing from Bessemer Investments, a New York-based investment firm.
Earlier this month, MRG sold 44 of its Texas locations to Ghai Restaurant Group.
Since 2018, MRG has partnered with Bessemer to advance an organic growth strategy in addition to making strategic acquisitions, including its 2021 buyout of CL Companies in Ohio, which broadened the operator’s footprint.
“The tremendous value of these restaurants was built by the strength of our culture and the dedication of our team members,” Chad Motsinger, MRG’s CEO, said in a statement. “While we are passing the torch on these specific locations, our core mission of best-in-class customer service remains unchanged.”
Bessemer will continue to work with MRG on “future opportunities within the Taco Bell system as well as broader investments in the restaurant space,” said Andrew Mendelsohn, managing director at Bessemer.
Southpaw has been actively growing its portfolio. It bought 40 Taco Bell units in the Greater Atlanta area in 2023 and 16 units in the greater Shreveport, Louisiana area in 2024.
The acquisition will allow Southpaw to expand its reach and scale into one of the Midwest’s fastest-growing metro areas, according to a Southpaw press release.
“Southpaw intends to use this acquisition as a catalyst for additional strategic investment and talent development across functions such as finance, technology, and operations in the region,” the operator said in its press release.
The Columbus restaurants will be overseen by experienced, Ohio-based leadership with whom Southpaw has partnered.
“Columbus represents exactly the kind of dynamic, high-growth market where we've seen Taco Bell thrive,” said Judd Wishnow, co-founder and co-CEO of Southpaw, in a statement. “In the QSR industry, it is exceedingly rare to find a brand that is truly firing on all cylinders the way Taco Bell is, characterized by segment dominance, market-leading profits, and breakthrough marketing.”
Franchisees have been actively buying significant groups of restaurants, sometimes even whole chains in recent years. JRI Hospitality bought 43 Freddy’s restaurants from HCI Hospitality in March. KBP bought 78 restaurants from Sonic in February. Franchisee OneRyan Global bought Mr. Gatti’s in January. Yadav Enterprises bought Del Taco last year for $115 million.
