New York and New Jersey-based Greek from Greece (GFG) Bakery-Café recently announced that it had signed a deal that will rapidly expand its portfolio from 10 to 41 locations. Thirty of the new locations will open in Long Island, New York, and one will open in Stamford, Connecticut.

The new cafés will be housed in converted Dairy Barn drive-thru convenience stores that were in operation for more than 70 years. Most of the locations will retain a drive-thru, with a focus on to-go and grab-and-go foods, and some will also feature an eat-in dining area. The drive-thru feature is a first for the brand, which has previously focused on eat-in cafés and kiosks.

“Greece has an amazing and storied coffee and café culture,” says Dan Rowe, CEO and founder of Fransmart, the industry leader in franchise development. “GFG sees this untapped segment as the biggest opportunity in the restaurant business. The company invested in a big, big way – buying out competitors and chains like Dairy Barn to quickly convert to GFG restaurants.”

The first GFG Bakery-Café opened in 2017. Nine other locations soon followed throughout Manhattan and New Jersey, and a new location in Tampa, Florida opened in December 2019. GFG projects over 100 units will be open and in progress by the end of the year.

GFG specializes in authentic Greek menu items in a fast-casual environment. The company has invested tens of millions of dollars in its production and distribution facilities, making sure every GFG location has its entire supply line of proprietary, made-in-Greece menu items.