Corner Bakery Cafe will work with CB Rest Holdings LLC to open 15 cafes in South Florida in the next eight years and Preferred Hospitality Inc. to open 12 locations in Southern California within the next seven years.

"Interest in our franchise development program has picked up quite a bit," says Bob Hartmann, Corner Bakery Café's vice president of franchise development. "It was fairly strong throughout 2009, despite the economy."

Last year, Corner Bakery opened eight franchise restaurants including the first in Utah. Hartmann tells GlobeSt. he expects about the same number of franchise cafés to open this year.

Additionally, Hartmann is working on four to five multi-unit franchise deals. "We're really concentrated in Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles, so there are still a lot of opportunities and markets where we can grow," he says.

The chain's parent company, CBC Restaurant Corp., launched Corner Bakery's strategic franchise development program less than four years ago. Since then Corner Bakery has signed development agreements representing over 150 committed franchise locations, which will more than double its current footprint.

The agreement with CB Rest Holdings allows Corner Bakery Cafe to enter Florida for the first time. The company is slated to open locations throughout South Florida in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

"South Florida reminds me of some of the stronger trade areas in California," Hartmann says. "It looks like there is not a ton of competition. We're pretty excited about entering Florida."

South Florida-based CB Rest Holdings is a multi-concept restaurateur with over 25 years of industry experience in Florida, Mexico and South America. The firm developed its own brand, Migas Cafés, and operates more than 120 locations for restaurant chains including Wendy's, T.G.I. Friday's, Sukihana and Pizza Hut in South Florida, Mexico and South America.

CB Rest Holdings is working with Jason Press and Sabrina Meerbott of Continental Real Estate Cos. to find appropriate space for Corner Bakery's Florida expansion.

In California, Preferred Hospitality operates Market Broiler Restaurants, a chain of seafood restaurants with five locations in the Golden State, and Provider Contract Food Service, which specializes in contract foodservice and provides catering for large events. The firm will develop Corner Bakery Cafés throughout the Inland Empire.

Preferred Hospitality expects to open its first Corner Bakery location in 2011. "We've had great success with our California locations, and we think the Inland Empire is a great market," Hartmann says, adding that Preferred Hospitality has an in-depth knowledge of the local market and will be able to grow the Corner Bakery concept quickly.

Preferred Hospitality is working with Jesse Rehmeier with Rehmeier Realty Advisors to find sites in the Inland Empire.

Hartmann says the ideal size for Corner Bakery is 3,500 square feet to 4,000 square feet. The chain has locations in urban areas, malls and multiple shopping center formats. "We have a very flexible format," he adds.

Corner Bakery Café opened its first location in 1991 and now operates more than 115 company-owned and franchised locations around the country.