Meritage to establish national franchise platform for growth

Meritage Hospitality Group Inc. (MHG), the nation's only publicly traded Wendy's franchisee and O'Charley's franchisee, today announced plans to expand its quick serve restaurant base into a national restaurant franchise platform. The objective is to increase shareholder value and liquidity by leveraging and expanding their brands and geographical presence through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

To accomplish this plan, Meritage plans to do many things, including; partnerships with, multi-unit franchisees, installation of flexible, efficient and scalable internal systems in multiple departments, and continued concentration on high quality "best of class" franchise brands in the quick service food industry.

Meritage is one of the nation's premier franchise operators currently operating 52 restaurants. Operating 48 "Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers" restaurants throughout Western and Southern Michigan, serving more than nine million customers annually, Meritage has been one of the fastest growing Wendy's franchisees over the past several years.