1990–present
By the beginning of 1992, there were Blimpie restaurants in 27 states. That year, the chain passed the 500-unit mark and the company changed its name to Blimpie International, Inc. In the spring of 1993, Blimpie began trading its stock on the NASDAQ exchange.[8] Around that time, the company began to more aggressively advertise than it had in the past, doubling its marketing budget to about $2 million per year. A new advertising campaign was launched, including television, radio, print, and point-of-purchase. This campaign marked the introduction of the chain's new tag line: "Simply Blimpie for fresh-sliced subs." Some television spots featured people on the street struggling to repeat the tongue-twisting phrase, "Simply Blimpie."[9]
Blimpie system sales reached $132 million by 1993, and Blimpie International earned $1 million on $12 million in revenue. By autumn of that year, the chain had 670 outlets. Improved marketing support from the parent company reduced the rate of franchise failures from 10 percent to 3 percent. In some cases, such as in the Chicago market, Conza allowed franchisees to divert their 6 percent annual franchise fee to advertising.[10]
As the 1990s continued, Blimpie devised a new concept that aimed to grow the company even more. Blimpie's franchises began appearing in nontraditional locations. First was convenience stores; as convenience store proprietors began to seek ways to compensate for declining cigarette sales, they turned to fast food. Blimpie's was appealing for many, mainly for two reasons: a real kitchen was not required, and startup costs were relatively low (as little as $35,000) compared with other fast-food operations. Among the early nontraditional sites for Blimpie's outlets were the Des Moines, Iowa-based Kum & Go convenience store chain, Texaco Food Marts in Mississippi, and the food court at the University of Texas. Blimpie's also became part of the first Home Depot superstore restaurant section, located in Atlanta.[11]
In 1994, the company launched several new concepts to further its drive for nontraditional venues. The "Blimpie kiosk" was a movable, condensed restaurant that could fit into a 100 sqft area. The kiosk, which could serve four types of sandwiches, drinks, and side orders, was designed for use at stadiums, fairs, and other events. Other new concepts included a special refrigerated case for convenience stores (an expanding market), and the 'Blimpie Bakery', offering a variety of baked goods aimed at boosting early morning business.[12]
Blimpie reached two major milestones in 1995. One was that the chain passed the 1,000-outlet mark that year. Blimpie International opened its first international location in Stockholm, Sweden.[13]
With the opening of new outlets in the US slowing and with overseas growth occurring at a slow pace (there were only 61 overseas locations in 15 countries by 2001), Blimpie launched a new diversification effort in the late 1990s. The first such initiative came late in 1997 when the company acquired a 75 percent stake in Maui Tacos, a fast-food chain with six units in Hawaii. This concept featured traditional quick-service Mexican food, such as burritos, tacos, and quesadillas, but with a Hawaiian twist, such as meat marinated in pineapple, lime, and other Hawaiian flavorings. Under Blimpie's majority ownership, Maui Tacos was soon introduced to the mainland, and by 2001 there were 15 units in nine states and the District of Columbia.[14]
After almost two years of in-house development, Blimpie launched Pasta Central in 1999. Unlike Maui Tacos, Pasta Central was not a standalone concept but was created as a co-branding vehicle, coupled with Blimpie Subs & Salads. Co-branding emerged as a growth vehicle in the late 1990s and involved the placement of two (or more) restaurant brands within a single unit.[15]
However, net income fell steadily throughout the second half of the 1990s. A main factor in this decline was that the subfranchiser rights to the Blimpie Subs chain had largely been sold by the mid-1990s, thus bringing a halt to what had been a steady stream of income, and by the turn of the 2000s, Blimpie International was struggling. As Blimpie's struggles continued, investors showed little interest in the company, and the price of the company's stock sagged. Seeing little benefit in being a publicly traded firm, Blimpie joined the growing ranks of restaurant companies fleeing the public market. In October 2001 a private investor group led by Jeffrey K. Endervelt, owner of the 44-unit Blimpie of California subfranchise, agreed to buy Blimpie International for $25.7 million. The transaction was completed in January 2002, whereupon Endervelt took over as chairman, president, and chief executive officer, and Conza, a partner in the investor group, remained in an advisory capacity. In 2006, Kahala Corp. acquired Blimpie, and it became the tenth brand franchised by the franchisor.[16]
Around 2009 (also around the time they changed their logo) the brand came to Kuwait. However, by 2020 most of the locations had shut down, but there's still a location at the Kuwait International Airport.[17]
By 2011, the number of Blimpie locations had fallen to 739 stores, and revenue was down to just over $110 million.[18]
In 2016, MTY Food Group Inc. struck a deal valued at more than $300-million (U.S.) to acquire Arizona-based Kahala Brands Ltd. and its 2,900 locations in 25 countries.[19]
As of 2023, there were 2 Blimpie restaurants in Singapore, one in KINEX and one in 313Somerset. However, these shut down in May 2023.[20]
