Little Caesars Turns Up College Campus Growth at The University of Kansas

Franchisee Group, CMG Companies Leads Local University Expansion

DETROIT, Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Little Caesars, the third-largest pizza chain in the world, is suiting up for game day at the University of Kansas. The brand has announced its debut at Allen Fieldhouse, home of the Jayhawks basketball and volleyball teams. The brand's presence will include dedicated concession stands and grab-and-go carts throughout the venue, serving hot slices to fans all season long.

The University of Kansas arrangement marks the latest non-traditional location growth for Little Caesars through multi-unit franchisee CMG Companies. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, CMG is a multi-brand investment and operations firm overseeing more than 550 locations across 40 states in the restaurant, retail, hospitality, and real estate sectors. Its restaurant portfolio includes several brands, such as Little Caesars, KFC, Taco Bell, and Sonic Drive-In. CMG's affiliate, Apricus QSR, operates more than 60 Little Caesars restaurants with continued expansion underway.

"We've been growing our Little Caesars presence through traditional formats in Kansas, and this university partnership fuels the next stage of our momentum," said Ron Parikh, founding partner at CMG Companies. "As an established operator of legacy brands like Little Caesars, we're committed to expanding access to affordable, convenient food options—and we're proud to bring Little Caesars to the Jayhawks' home court and beyond."

Founded by a team of entrepreneurs with deep experience in franchising and operations, CMG Companies has built a reputation for blending hands-on operational leadership with long-term strategic growth.

"Growth in non-traditional spaces like university venues represents an important part of our strategy, and the University of Kansas sets the stage to bring Little Caesars to passionate fans," said Bryan Ketelhut, Vice President of Franchising and Business Development. "As we expand in high-traffic, non-traditional settings, we're proud to work with experienced franchisees like CMG Companies. Their hands-on leadership and focus on quality make them an ideal franchisee as we grow across Kansas."

Little Caesars is actively seeking qualified multi-unit franchise operators to help propel development efforts in target markets nationwide, including in and around non-traditional venues like universities, water parks, airports, and stadiums. Multi-unit franchising opportunities are available in regions across the U.S., including the Northeast, Pacific Northwest, Kansas City, New Orleans, and North and South Carolina. The established brand offers franchisees a convenience-driven business model and a proven concept. 

With more than 65 years of family-owned history, Little Caesars emphasizes quality, value, and convenience. Franchisees benefit from an integrated supply chain, innovative menu offerings, and flexible restaurant formats, including the new Elev8 design and modular POD units, which allow the brand to adapt to a variety of real estate options. Little Caesars also maintains a strong community focus through its Love Kitchen® program, which has served more than 4 million meals nationwide, and partnerships with local schools, sports teams, and nonprofits. Little Caesars also offers incentive programs for veterans and first responders. Interested candidates can learn more information at franchise.littlecaesars.com.

About Little Caesars®

Little Caesars, the Best Value in Pizza*, was founded by Mike and Marian Ilitch as a single, family-owned restaurant in 1959 and is headquartered in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is the third-largest pizza chain in the world, with restaurants in each of the 50 U.S. states and 30 countries and territories. 

Known for its HOT-N-READY® pizza, Crazy Puffs®, and famed Crazy Bread®, Little Caesars uses quality ingredients, like fresh, never-frozen mozzarella and Muenster cheese and sauce made from fresh-packed, vine-ripened California crushed tomatoes. The brand is known for innovation and is home to the exclusive Pizza Portal® pickup, a heated, self-service mobile order pickup station. Little Caesars is also the Official Pizza Sponsor of the NFL. 

A high-growth company with over 65 years in the $150 billion worldwide pizza industry, Little Caesars continually looks for franchisee candidates to join the team in markets worldwide. In addition to providing the opportunity for entrepreneurial independence in a franchise system, Little Caesars offers a simple operating system, a reputation for taste and value, and strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized characters in the country, Little Caesar. Little Caesars is proud to be part of the Ilitch Companies family of businesses.

For more, visit LittleCaesars.com and follow Little Caesars on TikTok, Instagram, and X.

*Limited to top 4 national pizza chains

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SOURCE Little Caesars