Texas-based pizza chain strengthens market presence with new locations across its home state, technology investments and expanded leadership team in milestone year.
Houston, TX (RestaurantNews.com) Crust Pizza Co., the fast-growing Texas-based pizza franchise, is excited to announce the completion of a landmark year marked by significant expansion, key leadership appointments and technological advancement.
In addition to placing No. 468 on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 ranking, one of the industry’s most prestigious lineups, Crust Pizza Co. continued its momentum with footprint expansion. The franchise opened five new locations in 2024, including strategic entries into the San Antonio market. The fourth quarter saw particular momentum with the successful launch of restaurants in College Station, New Braunfels and Conroe 336, bringing the total number of operating locations to 30.
The franchise development pipeline also showed strong growth, with 12 new franchise agreements awarded throughout the year, including notable multi-unit deals in the Austin and San Antonio markets.
“2024 was transformative for Crust Pizza Co. as we achieved several significant milestones in our growth journey,” said CEO Carl Comeaux. “Not only did we expand our footprint into key Texas markets, but we also strengthened our leadership team and operational infrastructure to support our continued expansion.”
Crust Pizza Co. made several strategic executive appointments, including Kim Juda as vice president of operations and Prue Lotharius as vice president of marketing. These additions, along with other key hires, have positioned the company for accelerated growth in 2025.
Operational excellence also remained a key focus, with the company achieving a two-percentage-point reduction in cost of goods sold through strategic vendor partnerships. And, while it continued to improve operations, Crust Pizza Co. did not turn away from its community involvement and philanthropic efforts. Last year, it raised over $100,000 for St. Jude Childre