The company behind PJ’s Coffee and WOW Cafe has purchased the Philadelphia dining empire built by Iron Chef winner Jose Garces in a $5 million deal, NOLA.com reports.
Ballard Brands, the Covington company that owns New Orleans Roast Coffee & Tea in addition to PJ’s and WOW Cafe, recently closed on the purchase, bringing several of Garces’ restaurants and his catering business under its wing, according to a news release.
Garces will stay with the company, serving as chief culinary officer, while Ronnie Artigues, Ballard’s general counsel and an investor in the buyout, will take over management of the Philadelphia operations.
“We see this acquisition as an opportunity to expand our unique, flavorful offerings to not only a new region, but also to learn from the high-end culinary and service expertise Chef Jose brings to the table,” Ballard Brands co-founder Steven Ballard said in the release.
In May, the troubled Garces Group sorted through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring to make the deal happen after suffering mounting losses due to the 2014 closure of Atlantic City’s Revel Casino.
For Ballard Brands, founded in 2001 by brothers Paul, Steven and Scott Ballard, the purchase gives its brands an entryway to the Northeast. The brothers have expressed interest in using Garces’ restaurants to introduce the PJ’s brand, in particular, to Philadelphia and New Jersey.
The purchase boosts the Ballard Brands footprint to include 165 locations and about 1,450 employees. The company currently oversees franchise locations in 30 states and three countries. Its WOW Cafe has a location inside the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.
