Back to the Future, with Brett Larabee!

This week we are joined by Brett Larrabee, a seasoned franchise professional who has accomplished a great deal in his culinary and franchise career.  Brett’s incredible journey began right out of college, as a franchisee…, not just any franchisee, but as Subway’s very first, in the City of Seattle.  Over the next 20 years, Brett grew with Subway, opening many more locations and eventually helping other franchisees within the system, that were perhaps a little less successful than he. 

That ultimately led to his transition, from the role of franchisee to that of franchisor.  Brett went on to develop more sophisticated franchised restaurants domestically and abroad, for: Panchero’s Mexican Grill, Five Guys, Famous Dave’s BBQ and Little Caesar’s. 

Brett describe how a few years ago, while in Ukraine for Little Caesar’s, curiosity led him to encounter Lviv Croissants, a wildly successful Ukrainian-based franchise concept.  With nearly 200 locations throughout Ukraine, Poland, and Slovakia, this franchise brand is well known for their use of higher than usual, quality ingredients.  That, coupled with the simplicity of their operations, and crowds at all hours of the day and night really captured Brett’s interest.    

What began as intrigue, actually caused Brett to flip the script.  After years of taking US brands abroad, he felt moved to bring this concept to the USA, despite the challenges and triumphs of opening the first Lviv Croissants store in Roswell, Georgia, amidst the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

After all these years, Brett returns to the simplicity of his Subway days, but this time, as CEO of Lviv USA, where he is on his way to building a franchise dynasty.  Filled with fascinating stories and insights into both the culinary and franchise worlds, he’s here today, to dish on it all.